Northumberland Coast

[lucyspangle]

Where would you recommend? What is Seahouses like? Looking for a base for a self catering cottage holiday next year.
Preferably near beach
Want a reasonable sized base with enough eating places to try somewhere new each evening
Large enough to have a few shops too
Elderly in laws would be staying in the base most of the time while we go off and explore so needs to have a few things for them to do- generally they go on a boat trip or a gentle walk followed by some people watching.
Any ideas?

Bamburgh is nicer than Seahouses and has a few places to eat out at ... and a fabulous butchers. Not many other shops though.
More to do in Seahouses, but it is full of fish and chip shops.
If you want somewhere larger, it would probably be better to base yourself in Alnwick, which isn't too far from the sea.

Seahouses is ok but a bit mixed. I think if you are after a 'place' to stay in I would suggest alnmouth, bamburgh or even Berwick or Alnwick (which of course is not on the coast). In general though places are small and eateries are not plentiful- there are some decent places but you might want to drive to some of them. In general, the attraction of Northumberland is space and lack of people, so don't come expecting busy resorts with lots of restaurants!

And don't expect shops either - seahouses has one shop with beachware and holiday tat, a co-op and a national trust shop, and that's about it!

How long are you going for? Unless its just a few days I don't think there is anywhere big enough to have somewhere different to eat each night - there are some lovely villages but they are teeny tiny!

Seahouses is among the larger ones, it has maybe one nice restaurant but mainly fish and chip places.

Bamburgh might be a good alternative - some good pubs and little shops. Your in laws could go to the castle and on walks.

You might have to venture out in the car to find more places to eat but there are lots of villages close together so it is not as if you will be traveling for miles. Some places to eat:

There is a good pub in Embleton, and the golf club there does nice bacon sandwiches - good after a walk on the beach.

The pub at Low Newton by the Sea is lovely too.

Eleanor's Byre near Embleton, on the road to Craster, has a nice cafe and little gift shop.

Sunnyhills farm shop in Belford is nice but inland.

Get kippers from the smokehouse in Craster. The walk from Craster to Dunstanburgh is fab and not very challenging.

This website has some gorgeous self catering places but they are a bit ££££!

www.coastalretreats.co.uk/

Two different friends of mine have had fabulous holidays in Embleton. Ditto the others re eating out at different places at the coastal places already mentioned. If you want to walk to somewhere different each night to eat out Alnwick is a better option, and not too far from the sea. Warkworth is worth a visit as well.