A stunning landscape, big skies and wild rural beauty surround the Northumberland village of Bamburgh. It genuinely is breathtaking.
And that’s before we even mention its most famous feature – Bamburgh Castle, which has stood on the coastline for more than 1,400 years.
Bamburgh is a popular place for tourists to visit as it is in a designated Area of Natural Beauty (AONB) on the coast and offers plenty to keep visitors entertained with its long sandy beaches, quaint pubs, cafes, and shops, and a host of family-friendly events taking place at the castle.
But whereas the day-trippers and holidaymakers must return home after their fun, for some people the historic village is the place they call home.
And there is plenty to enjoy in day-to-day life, especially if you like being active.
Bamburgh beach is popular for surfing and if you’ve never ridden the waves before, you can learn how to do it with Northside Surf (www.northside-surf-school.co.uk/surflessonsbamburgh), which runs lessons at Bamburgh Beach all year round. There can’t be many surfing beaches where you can admire a castle from the waves.
If you’re a walker, head out in any direction for splendid views and a variety of walking levels. There are footpaths and bridleways and of course you can walk along the beach too. Why not head to Seahouses, which is around three miles away? Bamburgh is on the Northumberland Coast path (https://www.northumberlandcoastpath.org/), which is a 62-mile route that runs from Cresswell to Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Bamburgh has its own cricket club. In fact, it’s called Bamburgh Castle Cricket Club (https://bamburghcricket.co.uk/), as it plays its fixtures on the Castle Green. The club began in the summer of 1860 and though it has not been continuous since then, it is now a regular part of summer in the village.
Another sporting group which plays with the castle as a backdrop is Bamburgh Croquet Club (https://bamburghcroquetclub.org.uk/), which was formed in 2008. It runs coaching sessions for beginners and more experienced players. The club encourages people to choose their level and enjoy it, whether that is playing socially at club sessions, or playing competitively.
For golfers, there is a stunning course at Bamburgh Castle Golf Club (bamburghcastlegolfclub.co.uk), which describes itself as ‘one of the most scenic golf courses in England’, and we don’t think you can argue with that. If seaside golfing is for you, why not try Alnmouth Golf Club and Berwick-upon-Tweed Golf Club (Goswick), which are all along the same stretch of coast? Bamburgh Golf Club offers a special package – The Coastal Classic – which allows you to play all three.
Bamburgh is great for cyclists. There are bike racks on Front Street and there are many quiet roads in the area where you can get out on two wheels. The 1,000-mile National Cycle Network Route 1 (NCN1) takes in Bamburgh and there are suitable routes in the area for mountain bikers too.
There are established businesses in the village, including R Carter & Son (bamburghbutcher.co.uk) on Front Street, which describes itself as a ‘butcher, baker, sausage roll maker’, and began in 1887. Alongside the meats and pies, you can also pick up a home-made soup, casserole or curry for your dinner.
The area has a rich history, and you can find out all about it at Bamburgh Castle (https://www.bamburghcastle.com/), which holds events and interactive experiences for visitors. And for more modern entertainment it puts on outdoor cinema nights.
Or find out about brave Grace Darling who took part in a daring rescue mission, risking her life to rescue nine survivors from the wrecked SS Forfarshire in 1838 at the age of 22. She was famous in Victorian times and was awarded the RNLI’s Silver Medal for Gallantry. There is an RNLI museum dedicated to her in the village.
Despite its rural location, Bamburgh is well connected to the transport network as the A1 is less than 15 minutes’ drive from the village. Berwick-on-Tweed is only a half hour’s drive away while Newcastle Upon Tyne is around an hour and 15 minutes. There is a railway station eight miles away at Chathill, and another at Berwick, which offers more services.
Bamburgh is only three miles from the village of Seahouses, where you’ll find Seahouses Primary School. It was inspected by Ofsted this year and maintained its Good rating.
Living in an area as exceptional as this calls for exceptional properties and at Ida Homes we are planning something that truly fits the bill. We are working on a project to create a range of luxurious homes at Shoreston Hall, which is located between Seahouses and Bamburgh on the Northumberland coast.
At Ida Homes we have a track record with heritage projects in Northumberland and we will be using all our expertise to create stunning contemporary homes that are full of character at Shoreston Hall, as we sensitively restore this 18th century building.
We feel enormously privileged and excited to be working on this project. We are now developing our plans and intend to apply for planning permission this year.
Find out more about this exciting project of new houses for sale in Bamburgh here.
