Does it get any better than a long weekend breathing in salty sea air, taking long walks along beaches and coastal paths, and ending the day snuggling up in a cute fisherman’s cottage in front of a roaring log burner, eating fish and chips and reliving the day’s adventure?
There is no answer needed, because this was a weekend filled with wellness and feel good pheromones from start to finish on the Northumberland coast, and one that everyone would love.
To be exact, we stayed in Seahouses, a bustling, popular fishing village and holiday resort on the Northumberland coast (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), famous for its working harbour, links to Grace Darling, and as the main departure point for boat trips to the Farne Islands to see puffins and seals.
This part of the country has long been a favourite of ours, and we jumped at the chance to stay at Samphire Cottage, which can be booked through Cottages in Northumberland.
Let’s get into the details:
Samphire Cottage
This charming traditional stone cottage, close to the historic harbour, is cosy and very comfortable with a woodburning stove and TVs in the lounge and both bedrooms. We fell in love with the rustic décor, original features, attention to detail and open plan design.
The cottage is deceptively spacious and perfect for up to four guests; friends, couples or a family would be very happy at Samphire Cottage, there is plenty of space to accommodate everyone comfortably.
The kitchen is very well equipped and spacious enough to cook meals with ease, although there are so many great places to eat in Seahouses, personally we only cooked our breakfasts and ate dinner out each day.
Upstairs, the main bedroom has a king-sized bed and plenty of wardrobe space. The second bedroom has two single beds and again, plenty of wardrobe space. There’s also a great family bathroom, with a claw foot feature bath where you can soak away your aches from the miles of walking you will undoubtably do, and that all important shower over the bath.
After long days out exploring (which I will get to shortly), we relaxed in front of the log burner watching films, and planning the next day’s adventures.
Samphire Cottage is also a pet-friendly holiday home, and with coastal walks from the doorstep, there is no need to leave your fur babies at home.
Where we Ate
Where do I start. There is so much choice, so we checked out TripAdvisor to help our decision, because very nearby, you have pubs, restaurants, shops and takeaways.
The first evening, we arrived around 6pm and cooked for ourselves in the cottage. We decided to do this before leaving home, so took everything with us for convenience. This meant that we could settle in and familiarise ourselves with the cottage and have a relaxed start to our stay.
We also took everything we needed to cook our own breakfast each morning.
Having heard the great reputation of Lewis’s Fish Restaurant, the plan for Saturday was to walk along the beach from Seahouses to Bamburgh Castle and back (3.5 miles each way), and have Lewis’s fish and chips for dinner in front of the log burner. Yes, they have a takeaway too.
Oh my goodness, they were AMAZING! The fish was cooked to order and was HUGE! The chips were a generous portion and under normal circumstance, we would share a portion of chips, but we were so hungry after that walk we demolished a full and utterly delicious portion and monster fish each with ease!
Sunday, we had pre-booked Sunday Lunch at The Olde Ship Inn. Having been before, we knew how good it was here, and the nautical décor and strong local maritime connections make it totally unique.
Having planned a beach and coastal path walk from Seahouses to Beadnell (2.5 miles each way), we made our reservation for 4pm, knowing a good breakfast would see us through until then.
After another fantastic walk, filling our lungs with pure sea air, we had rumbling tummies and couldn’t wait for a good Sunday roast. Now full transparency, we had planned to eat three courses, two at least, but when we saw the size of the portions being served to other tables, our plans changed instantly. We looked at each other and in unison said, “No starter for me!”.
We didn’t have dessert either!
What we did have was the most delicious Topside of Roast Beef, served with roast potatoes, creamy mash, seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire Pudding and gravy. The portion was, as expected rather large, and so delicious that our plates looked like they didn’t need washing they were so clean.
We stayed for a couple of drinks in the bar and chatted to the very friendly locals, before walking the short distance back to Samphire Cottage.
Where we Went
Saturday we walked from Seahouses to Bamburgh Castle and back. This is a beach walk, so check the tide times and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, the wildlife, and of course Bamburgh Castle itself. This is a great walk for dogs.
Sunday we headed off in the opposite direction, from Seahouses to Beadnell. This is a really diverse walk, taking in beaches, sand dunes, rocks, part of a golf course and a little bit of the road. Walking boots are recommended. Make time to say hello to the very friendly, wild Exmoor Ponies that wander through the dunes, we had a gorgeous up close and personal experience with them.
Would we Go Back?
In a heartbeat! We didn’t want to leave this stunning part of the Northumberland coast. There was so much more we wanted to do. A walk from Beadnell to Dunstanburgh Castle is high on the list, and we didn’t make it to the Farne Islands or the Holy Island of Lindisfarne this time around, but what great reasons to go back to Seahouses and Samphire Cottage – and soon!
See you there and tell them we sent you.
Book your cottage with www.cottagesinnorthumberland.co.uk/www.cottagesinnorthumberland.co.uk/seahouses-cottages
Review and images by Angela Riches and Dave Riches
