Craster and Howick – Jul 2020

£10.00

Date: 4th July 2020
Start time: 10 am
Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Easy

Event Expired

Description

Craster and Howick

CrasterHowick - CrasterHowick_24062020M-20-Website

This is a lovely 6 mile walk around Craster and Howick.  It starts at the Craster Quarry Car Park next to the Tourist Information Centre.

Details

Hills: General - AscentKey0-98x27 No hills
Distance: General - DistanceKey1-98x27 Short to medium distance
Grade: General - GradeKey0-98x27 Easy
Map: General - 332-AlnwickAmble-Map-thumb
This walk is on map 332 Alnwick & Amble. Click on map image to buy this map.
Declaration: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The start – Nature Reserve

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We leave the starting point and take a path through the Arnold Memorial Nature Reserve, on the way to Craster South Farm.  On the right we will see Craster Tower, if it wasn’t for the woods around it that is.  This is a 18th-century Georgian mansion incorporating a 14th-century pele tower.

Hips Heugh

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Continuing on we reach Hips Heugh.  This is an outcrop of Whin Sill.  The same stuff that Hadrians Wall is built on and that High Force flows over.  It has its own trig point, as it is the highest point in the immediate surrounding area.

Howick Hall

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The path skirts along the outside of Howick Hall Gardens.  For those that didn’t come along to our walk in the gardens last year, Howick Hall was the family home of Earl Grey.  This is the Earl Grey of tea fame.  The Grey family lived there from 1782 until 1973, when the 5th Earl died.  It is currently the home of Lord Howick.  The hall itself is not open to visitors but the gardens are and there is plenty to do, including taking tea (Earl Grey maybe)  in the tea house.  That’s a walk for another day.  We need to get on.

Sugar Sands and Rumbling Kern

CrasterHowick - CrasterHowick_24062020M-22-Website

We follow the road down towards the coast and to a couple of the most secluded beaches in Northumberland.  Firstly, Sugar Sands.  This is a favourite of many visitors here.  On a sunny day this has Mediterranean feel, owing to the white sand that gives it its name and the rock outcrops.  We will take the opportunity to stop for a small snack to admire the view and watch the many seabirds.

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The second is a place called Rumbling Kern.  An odd name for a small beach.  It is said to have been a favourite for whisky smugglers in the day.  It is a sheltered beach between inward facing cliffs.  This makes it a very secluded and peaceful place to spend an afternoon.

The Bathing House

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On the way back to Craster we pass The Bathing House.  It was built in the 19th Century for Earl Grey, to provide a location for the family to go bathing in the sea.  It is now a holiday let.

Craster

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From here we will continue along the Coastal Path back to Craster.  Craster is famous for kippers.  When we get back to the starting point we might be able to purchase a famous Kipper Bun from the Pipers Pitch van, at the Tourist Information Centre.

Craster is said to be named after the family who held the Estate in the 13th century.  Although, there is some debate about the name.  It is a gorgeous example of a Northumberland fishing harbour and is, in our opinion, one of the most picturesque places on the Northumberland coast.

Hope to see you there,

Julie and Martin x

Gallery – Craster and Howick


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Location

This shows the start location for this walk.
Nearest postcode: NE66 3TW
OS Grid Reference: NU 25660 19802
Toilets: There are toilets at the Tourist Information Centre, next to the Car Park entrance.
Parking: We will park in the Craster Quarry Car Park.  Parking charges apply. £4 for a full day.

The entry to the car park is on the right as you enter Craster, next to Craster Tourist Information Centre.