The delightful village of Warkworth in Northumberland is a fabulous location for exploring the stunning Heritage Coastline, sandy beaches, historic castles, grand country houses and the rugged Northumbrian countryside.
Warkworth is surrounded on three sides by the River Coquet. At one end of the village is the ancient church of Saint Lawrence, at the other is the fabulous Warkworth Castle.
Warkworth is perfectly placed for those wishing to explore Northumberland as well as Tyneside, Wearside and Durham to the south.
Warkworth first entered recorded history in 737 when King Ceolwulph (pronounced ‘seal wolf’) granted it to the monastery on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.
A walk down the medieval main street with its honey coloured stone buildings brings you to the market cross and the heart of the village. With a pretty Norman church, Fenwick’s Gallery, gift shops, pubs, cafes, restaurants, village Post Office and General Store and Cabosse’s chocolaterie-patisserie, there is plenty to see and do in Warkworth.
Standing guard over historic Warkworth village and the River Coquet is the magnificent 12th Century Warkworth Castle, once home to the powerful Dukes and Earls of Northumberland and ‘Harry Hotspur’. Now a magnificent ruin rich in history and only two minutes walk from the front door of Ceolwulph Cottage, Warkworth Castle makes for a great day out, it is also the location of the fascinating annual Warkworth village show, a traditional must-see show.
A pleasant walk along the ‘Mill Walk’ footpath by the beautiful River Coquet affords a splendid view of the castle and brings you to Warkworth Bridge, believed to be the only remaining fortified bridge in England.
A leisurely fifteen minute walk from Ceolwulph Cottage towards the coast brings you to Warkworth’s nine hole links golf course, its sand dunes and golden sandy beach, or take the car and you will be there in a couple of minutes. Enjoy views from Warkworth beach across to Coquet Island, an RSPB nature reserve hosting thousands of nesting seabirds, including puffins and roseate terns. Or enjoy the splendid sea views from the coastal cycle route.
There are lovely pubs, restaurants and cafes within Warkworth and also within the surrounding villages of Alnmouth, Lesbury and Amble, just 5 to 10 minutes drive away.
A scenic walk alongside the Coquet estuary, teeming with wildlife and activity, brings you to Amble harbour where you can watch the fishing boats and sailors pass by, or stop for a while to enjoy wonderful seafood in the local restaurants and cafes.
Seven miles northwest of Warkworth brings you to the charming market town of Alnwick with its cobbled streets and market square. This medieval town is full of character and has interesting individual shops, cafes, restaurants, attractions and history. In our opinion, no visit is complete without visiting the beautiful Alnwick Gardens and its large Treehouse or the impressive Alnwick Castle, used as a location for the Harry Potter films, or Howick Hall Gardens from which Earl Grey tea originated.
There are many other attractions and activities to undertake in Northumberland, too numerous to mention, but all are easily accessible from Ceolwulph Cottage. Some of our favourites include the coastal village of Bamburgh and its fortress castle, Cragside House and Gardens, Dunstanburgh Castle, Holy Island, boat trips to the Farne Island and Coquet Island to see puffins, seals, terns and many other bird and marine species, cycle hire at Amble and visits to Druridge Bay Country Park for the beach and water sport activities.
