Complete with cheerful, coastal interiors and uplifting scenery, this cosy two-bedroom cottage is ideally placed for seaside exploring.
Here, rolling farmland gives way to far reaching views of Inner Farne's lighthouse, which twinkles romantically in the distance at night
Midway between Bamburgh's pretty village and the jolly harbour town of Seahouses, Lyme Grass has the best of both worlds. Yes, it has a sleepy, slumberous rural location, soundtracked by the odd "baa" or whinny - and yet the sea is constantly visible and you're only a five-minute drive from provisions, pub dinners and glorious beaches.
The home is one of three adjoining, former workers' cottages - the others being Wild Rye and The Rushes. Its rustic, unassuming façade gives way to deceptively spacious and stylish interiors which have been refurbished of late. Just like its neighbours, Lyme Grass is a single-floor property with two bedrooms: ideal for anyone of limited mobility.
Inspired by Northumberland's beautiful coast, the cottage's interior design establishes an easy, breezy vibe. Bedroom walls are the relaxing, sage-green hue of tufty marram grass that grows in dunes, while cheery artworks portray puffins or beach huts.
Clean, neutral hues and straight lines await in the airy, modern kitchen-dining room, along with a four-person table. In the lounge, an apex ceiling also emphasises light and space, although autumn cosiness is easily engineered as two double sofas frame a wood-burning stove. Both bedrooms - a master with a king-size bed, and another where zip-and-link twins convert into a king - share a large bathroom. Its tub is heaven after long beach walks.
Your large, enclosed lawned garden also looks seawards. Visible - often over sheep, horses or hay bales - is white Farne Lighthouse, on the historic isle where St Cuthbert died. A charcoal barbecue and outdoor furniture allow for memorable al-fresco meals facing this way.
Bamburgh's excellent independent shops include a village butcher and The Pantry, a delicatessen able to prepare picnics or sandwiches for your day out. That might be to iconic Bamburgh Castle, set fair on a mighty basalt crag, or the namesake white-sand beach below. It may be a visit to meet the Farne Islands' real-life puffins; boat tours sail from Seahouses. Or it could be an adventure to Lindisfarne, a little north, or kipper-producing Craster, slightly south.
Standing on a quite spectacular 180 foot high basalt crag, the skyline is dominated by the dramatic outline of Bamburgh Castle from miles around. A visit to the Castle will allow you to experience over two thousand years of fascinating history with dark tales of royal rebellion, turbulent battles, and stories of powerful legend and folklore.
The beach at Bamburgh comprises glorious curves of white sand backed by deep sand dunes, rocky outcrops and dramatic shorelines and is a wonderful spot for families, walkers and water sports enthusiasts. Surfing and windsurfing is highly rated here with waves naturally breaking to the left and right as a result of the numerous sandbars along its length, and while there is no lifeguard cover on this section, it is seen as a safe spot for swimming. Alternatively, six miles south of Shoreston Cottages, you will find excellent watersports on the golden sands of Beadnell Bay where you can launch boats, rent surfboards, wetsuits and bikes or try your hand at kitesurfing, windsurfing, sea canoeing and waterskiing with accredited instructors.
For young explorers, pack a fishing net along with a sand bucket and enjoy a spot of rock-pooling for tiny shore crabs, starfish or periwinkles at Bamburgh Lighthouse at Harkness Rocks - named by Countryfile as one of the top ten rockpooling areas in Britain. Alternatively head to The Tumblers, the rocky intertidal shore immediately adjacent the harbour at Seahouses for a happy few hours rock-pooling for hermit crabs.
As well as boasting its own magnificent Castle, Bamburgh is home to its own Golf Club - an 18 hole golf course with outstanding views towards Lindisfarne, the Farne Islands and the Cheviot Hills. Rated by Golf World Magazine as ‘quite possibly the most beautiful and beautifully situated golf course in all England' this tricky links course will both challenge and delight. You will also find tennis courts in the village which can be hired for a nominal fee.
No visit to this area should go by without a visit to the Farne Islands, and a recent accolade by Sir David Attenborough should leave you in doubt as to its credentials when he declared it his favourite place in the UK to capture nature at its very best. Charters from Seahouses harbour run every day (weather permitting) and you will be enthralled by the thousands of breeding sea-birds and seals taking up every square foot of this incredible rocky outcrop, including over 37,000 pairs of characterful Puffins. The diving around this area is also a real treat with crystal clear waters, rich marine life, and numerous wrecks to explore, including the presence of those ever inquisitive grey seals!
The whole area is bursting with things to do here, dotted by a trail of castles and fortifications interspersed with pretty seaside villages all the way up and down the coast. Cross the causeway to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne to trace the legend of St. Cuthbert, head to Craster to sample their legendary oak smoked kippers, visit the beautiful gardens at Howick Hall, or head inland to experience the medieval splendour of Alnwick Castle with its fantastic child-friendly activity programme inspired by the wizardly magic and broomstick antics of Harry Potter.
Walking and cycling in this area is a delight with an abundance of trails and waymarked routes suitable for all ages and abilities. Take a four mile circular walk from Bamburgh to Budle Bay, where you can experience amazing sunsets over the bay in early evening, or follow the Coast and Castles circular, a dog-friendly stretch involving a moderate walk of 8.5 miles taking in both coast and country. For cyclists, there are family routes, leisure routes, and mountain biking trails with everything from easy coastal stretches to high energy treks in the vast wilderness of the Northumberland National Park which can be easily accessed from Wooler.
