Discover Craster

Craster combines a long history of fishing and fish processing with walks along the Northumberland coast. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Craster, you can plan around the topics that interest you most. The walks vary in direction and length, and there are also insights into local fish processing and historic places. This lets you structure your stay around your own interests without treating different routes as if they were the same.

Fishing and local food culture

Craster has long been associated with fishing and fish processing. L Robson & Sons continues to make Craster kippers using traditional methods: herrings are smoked for 16 hours over white wood chips and oak sawdust. This continued production links a specific processing method with the village’s fishing history. For travellers interested in local food culture, it offers a distinct focus alongside the coastal walks and historic places.

Coastal walks and different routes

The third stage of the Northumberland Coast Path starts in Craster and heads north along rocky cliffs towards Dunstanburgh Castle. You can reach the castle on foot from Craster via a 1.3-mile path along the rugged coast that crosses working farmland. Check current notices about the landscape and land management. The coastal path route may change.

St Oswald’s Way includes a 14-mile section from Bamburgh to Craster. This distance refers to the route between these two places; the 1.3-mile path, by contrast, describes the access route from Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle. The King Charles III England Coast Path also passes through Craster. These different routes can therefore be distinguished by direction and distance rather than treated as the same path.

The coastal path from Craster to Howick heads towards the basalt cliffs of Cullernose Point, offering views of the North Sea before reaching the historic village of Howick. The coastal path between Cullernose Point and Craster also crosses the surface of the Whin Sill. The walks around Craster therefore feature both sea views and a geological landmark. Local access conditions may change; check current notices before setting out.

Landscape, nature and birdwatching

The grounds of Dunstanburgh Castle are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and serve as a nesting site for seabirds. Arnold Memorial Nature Reserve has varied vegetation and a rich birdlife. Species recorded there include the wryneck, Icterine Warbler and red-flanked bluetail. Sightings may vary by season. The coastal landscape, the nesting site in the castle grounds and the reserve’s birdlife offer different nature-focused themes for a stay.

Local history and historic places

The Iron Age defended settlement known as “Craster defended settlement” is located on Craster Heugh. A walk in Craster ends with a view of Craster Tower. Craster Tower is a country house with a medieval tower thought to date from the 14th century. The tower is believed to have served as a fortified refuge where local people could seek shelter during border raids. The settlement on Craster Heugh and the probably medieval tower thus represent different historical periods and forms of fortification.

Practical information

There is a pay-and-display car park for Dunstanburgh Castle before the village of Craster. Parking rules and fees may change; check the latest information before travelling. Alnmouth (Alnwick) is the nearest mainline railway station for Dunstanburgh Castle, with services to Edinburgh and Newcastle. Train services and station information may change, so check the latest details when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Mindrum, Cramlington, Haltwhistle, Kirknewton, Powburn, Coanwood, Seahouses, Morpeth

For the main travel overview: Northumberland.