Route: Craster and Howick Round
Area: Northumberland
Date of walk: 3rd September 2017
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 7.5 miles
Ascent: 600 feet
Weather: Sunny with light cloud
On the first day of our short stay at The Bathing House, we wanted to make use of the Northumberland Coast Path which runs behind the cottage, although this walk can conveniently be started from a number of other points – Craster would be a good choice
We walked out of the back door of the cottage and joined the coastal path heading north, with views of dramatic Dunstanburgh Castle ahead of us in the distance. After about half an hour of easy walking we arrived in the little village of Craster, famous for its kippers. We walked away from the harbour to start the return leg inland, passing by two crags – Howick Scar and Hips Heugh
After walking along a field beside the woods we arrived at Howick Hall and its renowned arboretum (open from February to mid-November). Our rented cottage is part of the Howick estate so we had free entry to the grounds – anyone else will have to pay a fee. It’s worth allowing plenty of time to explore the gardens, which cover 65 acres and contain 11,000 trees and shrubs grown from seed collected in the wild. We followed one of the many trails through the gardens, following Howick Burn towards the sea, and eventually leaving the grounds via a one-way metal gate (the gate means that this walk must be followed in an anti-clockwise direction)
A narrow path lead to the coast at a point near Sugar Sands, and from here we followed the Northumberland Coast Path back to The Bathing House
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The Bathing House shortly before sunrise on the day of the walk
The nearby beach at Rumbling Kern
The Bathing House again
Sunrise from the beach...
A short while later we leave the house to join the Northumberland Coast Path which runs above it...
Looking back to the Bathing House
Cullernose Point in the distance
Cullernose Point
More views back to The Bathing House...
Dunstanburgh Castle beyond Craster
The rocky beaches before Craster
Craster Harbour, constructed by the Craster family in 1906
L Robson & Sons Ltd, producers of the legendary Craster Kippers
We walk down to the harbour beach
Eider Duck (female), Common Sandpiper, Turnstone and Black Headed Gull in the harbour
At the far point of the walk we leave Craster to follow an inland path back to the start
Looking back to Craster
We descend to and pass through Howick Scar Farm
Looking back to the farm
We pass by the rock outcrop of Hips Heugh
The path leading to Howick Hall
The private entrance to Howick Hall Gardens - the ticket office is just before the gates
We walk through the gardens
Autumn Crocus, Colchicum Autumnale, or Naked Ladies, whichever you prefer (I'm not admitting to my preference)
We pass by the small church of St Michael and All Angels, built in 1746
There follows an enchanting walk through the Arboretum, home to 11,000 trees and shrubs from all over the world, most of them collected from seed during expeditions...
We leave the Arboretum via a one way gate (hence this route must be followed in the direction described)
A narrow path leads down to the coast
We arrive at the small beach by Iron Scars
Back on the coastal path, we head north back to the start
Back to The Bathing House and the end of a wonderful walk
A couple of photos for the family album, as our granddaugher Phoebe scans the sea in search of dolphins (in vain, as the lens cover is down)
... and baby Bobby joins us in the search
