# northumberland



## shazza (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi All
Next thursday we plan to travel from essex to eyemouth in northumberland. not sure if we will do it in one hit so looking for a stop over ( CL , CS, or wildcamp ) some where just passed york. Don't mind a bit of a detour off the A1
 Plan to vist eyemouth and work our way down to newcastle over 10 days staying on CL's and wildcamping weather permiting. Never been to this part of the country before so any info on the area would be appreciated.

  Shazza


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## cavy (Mar 15, 2013)

Flip Flap said:


> Try here.
> 
> 55.871779,-2.086276 - Google Maps



hey flip flap am great at finding wildcamping spots............................but how do i put them in a link like you have???


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## phillybarbour (Mar 15, 2013)

Been many places in our van but nothumberland is defineatly our favourite place. Three of the big highlights for us are Lindesfarne, Bamburgh with its castle ( claimed to be the best looking castle in the uk ) and Anwick. At Bamburgh you can park in the car park opposite the castle overnight and we have on several occasions, and in Anwick you park in the main car park in the town centre (in the POI files).

If you like local seafood the Mizen Head Hotel Restaurant at Bamburgh is outstanding, not cheap but excellent value, a nice 7/8 minute walk from the van. Castle worth a visit. Anwick Gardens at Anwick very different and worth the trip, some really interesting deadly plants in an area you have to be escorted into with a guide.

Beautiful area with so much to see these are just our highlights.


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## Bewicklass (Mar 16, 2013)

Hi
I live in North Northumberland, not far from Wooler. It is a beautiful county and you won't be disappointed. I definitely recommend a run into the Cheviots - Ingram valley is beautiful with plenty of lovely picnic spots by the river. Unfortunately you can't wild camp in the Cheviots - it's a National Park and the park rangers are always around somewhere. Tis a shame - I'd love to wild camp there myself despite only living a few miles away!!

Another favourite of mine is Budle Bay - just north of Bamburgh. If you park on the dune's road and walk to the end of the road to a footpath you drop down onto Budle Bay - in my opinion far nicer than Bamburgh beach as it is makes for a much more interesting walk. Really you are spoilt for beaches in Northumberland and you can wild camp above Cocklawburn beach between Tweedmouth and Scremeston. 

Hope you enjoy your trip, I'd be surprised if you didn't mind

:have fun:


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## frontslide (Mar 16, 2013)

Bewicklass said:


> Hi
> I live in North Northumberland, not far from Wooler. It is a beautiful county and you won't be disappointed. I definitely recommend a run into the Cheviots - Ingram valley is beautiful with plenty of lovely picnic spots by the river. Unfortunately you can't wild camp in the Cheviots - it's a National Park and the park rangers are always around somewhere. Tis a shame - I'd love to wild camp there myself despite only living a few miles away!!
> 
> Another favourite of mine is Budle Bay - just north of Bamburgh. If you park on the dune's road and walk to the end of the road to a footpath you drop down onto Budle Bay - in my opinion far nicer than Bamburgh beach as it is makes for a much more interesting walk. Really you are spoilt for beaches in Northumberland and you can wild camp above Cocklawburn beach between Tweedmouth and Scremeston.
> ...


Thanks for this info


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## champstar (Mar 16, 2013)

I can agree about the carpark just at the causeway at Lindesfarne and also at Bamburgh Castle we used both last year and had no problems


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## whitevanwoman (Mar 16, 2013)

I spent a month touring Northumberland last year, and loved it - one of my favourite parts of the world, amazing beaches, even in bad weather they are spectacular. There's loads of little car parks near most of the beaches, perhaps only big enough for half a dozen cars but which you can get away with if just staying one night - I used Google Earth and just zoomed in on the coastal roads till I found a spot, and I must have stayed next to about 10 different beaches in all. 

From memory, Cambois (a couple of miles north of Blythe) has 2 quiet car parks and apparently the local council doesn't object to overnighting in them. I didn't stay at Boulmer but apparently the car park there is ok to use. 

Avoid the Lindisfarne causeway car park, it's abused by motorhomes and it's only a matter of time before there's a ban there. You might get away with overnighting on Lindisfarne in the main car park if you time the tides right so that it's high tide at late night till early morning. But I'd be very discreet about it. 

Other places I found were Warkworth Beach car park with toilet block, and Cheswick Beach, just a couple of miles north of the Lindisfarne causeway and, as already suggested, Cocklawburn Beach is fantastic with a few different car parks. I risked an overnight in the main car park at Beadnell as the ticket machine was out of order  

I also risked and got away with a couple of nights in the National Park, one in the Ingram Valley which is lovely, but I pulled off the road and parked up behind a little copse of trees just beyond the car park and toilet block. Also my van is a Transit stealth camper so not so obvious as a coachbuilt motorhome. 

Wooler Heritage Centre offers free wifi which is handy. 

Also it's worth having a drive and then a shortish walk up to the Circles and Cups - stone carvings in rock - on the moors just above Wooler. 

Between Wooler and Rothbury, Thrunton Woods is a nice spot to overnight. 

Tomlinson's Cafe in Rothbury has free wifi and they let me have a shower in their B&B for a donation in their tips jar. I stayed at Beggars Rigg car park, just on the outskirts next to the river, a lovely place. It says no overnighting but I didn't have any problems. Lovely river walk.

Definitely recommend a visit to Cragside if you're spending time in the area - a fantastic place. One day there isn't enough to visit the house and spend time exploring the estate. 

I also stayed at the forestry commission car park at Simonside, I think I might have been checked by police whilst there but I hid in the van with lights off and they didn't disturb me but just drove off. Amazing views of the night sky up there, no light pollution at all. 

I found loads of other places from Google Earth - so long as you are respectful, don't overstay, and leave the place cleaner than you found it, I don't think you'll have any problems except not having enough time to be able to explore more of a truly beautiful county. 

(Btw, have a drive into Berwick at night time, the old viaduct railway bridge across the river, lights up with multicoloured lights, I loved it, an unexpected treat).


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## frontslide (Mar 16, 2013)

whitevanwoman said:


> I spent a month touring Northumberland last year, and loved it - one of my favourite parts of the world, amazing beaches, even in bad weather they are spectacular. There's loads of little car parks near most of the beaches, perhaps only big enough for half a dozen cars but which you can get away with if just staying one night - I used Google Earth and just zoomed in on the coastal roads till I found a spot, and I must have stayed next to about 10 different beaches in all.
> 
> From memory, Cambois (a couple of miles north of Blythe) has 2 quiet car parks and apparently the local council doesn't object to overnighting in them. I didn't stay at Boulmer but apparently the car park there is ok to use.
> 
> ...


This is how to do it, nice post!


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## shazza (Mar 16, 2013)

Thanks everyone for their info. very much appreciated. Can't wait till thursday.

  Shazza


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## Bewicklass (Mar 16, 2013)

whitevanwoman said:


> I also stayed at the forestry commission car park at Simonside, I think I might have been checked by police whilst there but I hid in the van with lights off and they didn't disturb me but just drove off. Amazing views of the night sky up there, no light pollution at all.




Please be aware that if you park up here you may well get told to move on be the game keeper who lives just a very short way a away and is often out at night lamping. Have not stayed up there myself, although I do have personal permission :cool1: as he is a friend of a friend.


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## whitevanwoman (Mar 16, 2013)

Bewicklass said:


> Please be aware that if you park up here you may well get told to move on be the game keeper who lives just a very short way a away and is often out at night lamping. Have not stayed up there myself, although I do have personal permission :cool1: as he is a friend of a friend.



I'd be happy to be his friend too  :bow:  and would gladly do a litter pick each visit to earn my stay...


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