Bamburgh to Budle Bay Circular Walk

This circular walk takes you from Bamburgh Castle to the lovely Budle Bay, part of the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve. It's a lovely stretch of coast with fine views across to the Farne Islands and lots of interesting birdlife to look out for on the way.
Walk Report October 3rd 2026 By Andrew Foster:
We started from the car park at Bamburgh Castle (postcode NE69 7DF for your sat navs), and it’s hard to imagine a more impressive place to begin a coastal walk.... The castle stands high above the village, with its enormous stone walls and towers visible from miles around. It was a breezy morning, but the views across the Northumberland coast were excellent, and I spent a few minutes taking photographs before we set off. The castle is Grade I listed and has plenty to explore inside, including its historic keep and state rooms, so it’s worth allowing extra time if you haven’t visited before.
From the car park, we followed the coastal road north-west towards Bamburgh Moor and Budle Point. The scenery gradually opened out as we moved away from the village, with grassy fields giving way to sand dunes, rocky sections and the broad sweep of the shoreline. Looking out to sea, we could make out the Farne Islands, famous for their seabird colonies and seals. The changing light over the water made the views particularly good, and I found this stretch much quieter than the main beach below the castle.
Budle Point was one of my favourite parts of the walk. The coastline here has a more rugged feel, with interesting rock formations and dunes leading down towards the beach. Across the water, we could see towards Lindisfarne Castle and Holy Island, which make a striking sight on a clear day. The tide changes the appearance of Budle Bay considerably, exposing wide areas of sand and mudflat when the water retreats. It’s worth checking the conditions before setting out and enjoying the views from firm ground rather than venturing too far across the exposed bay.
The bay forms part of the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve and is an excellent place to look for birdlife. Depending on the season, you may spot pink-footed and greylag geese, wigeon, grey plovers and bar-tailed godwits feeding along the shoreline. We stopped several times to scan the mudflats, although the birds were often easier to see with binoculars. Grey seals can also be found along this coast, so keep an eye on the water as well as the shore. The combination of open sea, sheltered bay and wildlife makes this a rewarding walk even if you’re not particularly interested in covering the miles quickly.
After passing the Heather Cottages, we reached Kiln Point and turned south towards Budle. This marked a change from the open coastal scenery, as the route continued over farmland towards the B1342. The paths were a little soft in places, so walking shoes or boots were useful, particularly where the ground had been damp. From the road, we followed the route back towards Bamburgh, with the castle gradually coming back into view as we approached the village. I liked having this inland section to balance the coastal walking rather than simply retracing our steps along the beach.
The St Oswald's Way also follows this section of coast, so there’s scope to extend the outing if you’re looking for a longer walk. The Alnwick to Bamburgh Walk uses part of the same trail to link two of Northumberland’s historic castles. For this circular route, though, I thought the distance was about right: enough to enjoy the coastline and wildlife without turning the day into a major expedition.
Back at Bamburgh, we took time to admire the castle once more and have a look around the village. The wide sandy beach is an obvious extra stop, particularly if the tide is low, and the views back towards the castle are among the best on this stretch of coast. This walk offers a lovely mix of history, open countryside and wildlife, with Budle Bay providing a quieter contrast to Bamburgh’s more famous shoreline. I’d recommend it to anyone visiting the area, especially if you enjoy stopping to watch birds and taking in the views rather than rushing from one landmark to the next.

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Nearby Routes

Farne Islands Lindisfarne Castle and Holy Island St Oswald's Way Alnwick to Bamburgh Walk

Photos

Bamburgh Castle 01

Ross Links from across Budle Bay from Budle Left hand view in panorama of 3 pictures from holiday cottage driveway across Budle Bay.

Looking North towards Lindesfarne

Budle Bay Low tide. Holy Isle on the horizon.

Looking West to Budle Bay

Farmland by Budle Bay

Budle is one of the north-east coast's best kept secrets. Massively eclipsed in tourist numbers by the adjacent Bamburgh beach, but nowhere near eclipsed in natural beauty. This is one of the rock formations just below the high water mark, immediately to the east of the old pier, mid-way along the sandy portion of the bay. In the background, water partially filling the bay, half way through the ebb tide. Further back you can see the area leading to Ross links between Budle and Holy Island (Lindisfarne).

Tide going out, Budle Bay The tidal flow in Budle Bay creates dangerous currents. North of Budle Bay the sands continue into Ross Back Sands, Fenham Flats and Holy Island Sands. The coast north of Budle Point, including Lindisfarne, is dominated by extensive sand flats.

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