Forming part of the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Craster is a charming fishing village overlooking the North Sea. It’s a popular stop on the Northumberland Coastal Path and has long been renowned for its smoked herrings, which are affectionately known as “Craster kippers”.
Stretch your legs on the Northumberland Coastal Path, a long-distance trail that extends for around 100 kilometres from Cresswell to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Divided into six stages, it takes in rocky headlands, centuries-old archaeological sites and picturesque villages along its route.
A short walk north of Craster is Dunstanburgh Castle, a 14th-century fortification that is owned by the National Trust. It was built by Earl Thomas of Lancaster on the site of an Iron Age fort and is particularly renowned for its twin-towered keep. Once you’ve built up an appetite, you can refuel on the local delicacy, oak-smoked kippers.
Getting there
Craster is around 15 minutes’ drive from Alnwick and one hour from Newcastle upon Tyne. Newcastle International Airport is around an hour away and has flights to destinations across Europe and the Middle East. Buses connect to Craster and the village is small enough to explore on foot.