Bamburgh Lighthouse
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Bamburgh Lighthouse

A working lighthouse on The Wynding with benches and sea views, marking a quieter stretch of coastline just beyond the castle.

Address:

The Wynding, Bamburgh, NE69 7DE

Hours:

Map

Good to Know

Bamburgh Lighthouse stands on Blackrocks Point, at the end of The Wynding just beyond the castle. The small white lighthouse dates from 1910, and is said to be England's most northerly land-based lighthouse.

Stag Rock

Just below the lighthouse, a white stag is painted on the dark rocks above the high-water mark, and the spot has been known as Stag Rock since at least the late 1800s. Nobody knows for certain who first painted it, which has left plenty of room for stories. One says a stag leapt into the sea here rather than be caught by hunters chasing it from Spindlestone. Another links it to St Aidan, who is said to have saved a hunted stag by making it invisible to the hounds. A third credits Italian prisoners of war held nearby during the Second World War. Whatever the truth, the stag is repainted every so often, often when the lighthouse gets its own fresh coat.

Why we like it: it's a peaceful spot with benches, rocks and wide views out to the Farne Islands and Holy Island, and a quieter alternative to the main beach. Birdwatchers love it too, especially in autumn and winter, when sea ducks, divers and purple sandpipers gather offshore.

Worth knowing: it's a working lighthouse, so you can't go inside. If you carry on north along the coast path, watch out for golfers on the links, and continue on to Budle Bay for a longer walk.

Our Time at Bamburgh Lighthouse

We walked here the long way: from the Seahouses end of the beach, past the castle and on to Blackrocks Point, straight into a 31mph north-westerly. By the time we arrived we were hot, breathless and thoroughly sandblasted. Meg thought it was wonderful.

It was worth it. The white stag on the dark rocks is one of those curious little bits of Bamburgh you'd walk straight past unless you knew it was there. Not a grand monument, just a stag on a rock, looking out to sea.

And then there's the lighthouse. Freshly whitewashed, compact and almost comically neat, it looks less like a serious piece of maritime engineering and more like a character from a children's television programme. We ended up laughing as we photographed it, and half-planning an animated series with a friendly lighthouse, a couple of talking puffins and a rather opinionated seal.

Heather & Sand verdict: A quiet, quirky corner of Bamburgh with big sea views and a lighthouse you can't help smiling at.

  • Good for: Walks · Dogs · Photography · Birdwatching
  • Don't miss: The white stag on the rocks just below
  • H&S tip: Check the wind before walking up the beach from the south. A north-westerly turns it into hard work. On a wild day, start from the village and walk out along The Wynding instead.
  • We'd go back: On a calmer day, with fewer layers.

Read the full story from our visit: Gone With the Wind. Almost.

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