Itineraries

Birds by Bus - Newton-by-the-Sea

• To the Tern Colony and back: 2 hours walk
• Newton Pool is 20 mins walk from High Newton
• Craster from Beadnell  is 4-5 hour walk (including sites)

Download itinerary: Birds by bus - Newton-by-the-Sea

Introduction

The area around Newton-by-the Sea offers great birdwatching throughout the year. Breeding seabirds in summer, autumn migrants and wintering waders and wildfowl can all be seen here.

The route

If you fancy a walk, either get off the bus at Craster or Beadnell and walk to Low Newton. Follow the Northumberland Coast Path in both directions. From Craster you will see breeding seabirds at Dunstanburgh Castle and from Beadnell you can visit the tern colony in Beadnell Bay (both April to July).

From the Bus Stop in High Newton, follow the road down to Low Newton, a pretty fisherman’s square with a pub in the corner. For Newton Pool, turn left behind the Ship Inn and follow the road south past the back of the cottages, continue past the boat park, checking the field to your right for visiting wetland and coastal birds on the muddy scrape. Continue on the track past Risemoor Cottage, a former fisherman’s pub, through a small woodland path until you see the two wildlife hides on your right hand side facing into the waters at Newton Pool.

The beach at Low Newton, especially during autumn and winter is a great place to watch wading birds. Oystercatchers, redshank and curlew may be out on the rocks whilst sanderling and dunlin feed along the waters edge.

At any time of year a walk along the Northumberland Coast Path, to the north or south of the Low Newton will produce songbirds. In spring, listen for skylarks and meadow pipits and watch for stonechats perched on fences. During the autumn you may be lucky to catch migration in full swing with flocks of thrushes arriving after crossing the North Sea and coastal bushes and trees will be full of migrant birds. This is the most exciting time of year for many birdwatchers.

Bus information

Outward to Craster, High Newton or Beadnell

From Newcastle, Alnwick and Morpeth

501 Coast and Castles Connection, a two-hourly service from Newcastle, Morpeth and Alnwick. The Travelsure 401 service also connects Alnwick with Beadnell and Craster.

From Berwick-upon-Tweed and Seahouses

501 Coast and Castles Connection, a two-hourly service from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Newcastle Haymarket Bus Station.

From Ashington and Blyth

From Ashington use the 35 service to connect with the 501 in Morpeth. From Blyth use the 2 service to connect with the 501 service in Morpeth.

Return from High Newton

To Newcastle, Alnwick and Morpeth (change at Morpeth for Ashington and Blyth)

501 Coast and Castles Connection, a two-hourly service from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Newcastle Haymarket Bus Station via Alnwick and Morpeth.

To Berwick-upon-Tweed

501 Coast and Castles Connection, a two-hourly service from Newcastle Haymarket Bus Station to Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Sunday Service / Winter Service

There is a limited Sunday service which may make this itinerary unsuitable on Sundays. In winter some buses omit High Newton. 501 services terminate at Bamburgh.

Times

Allow 2 hours to walk to the Tern Colony and back with viewing times. Newton Pool is only 20 minutes walk from High Newton. To walk from Craster to Beadnell taking in all of the sites allow 4-5 hours.

Online journey planner

Please use the Traveline North East website or call 0871 200 22 33.

Food and drink

The Ship Inn at Low Newton-by-the-Sea offers a lunchtime menu of locally produced food; it even has its own micro-brewery producing real ales. At Craster and Beadnell there are café’s and pubs serving food.

There is a traditional smokehouse in Craster, L Robson & Sons, producers of the legendary Craster Kipper. Here you can purchase a range of specially selected, finest quality seafood, and also find out why this unique family business has been producing some of the world's finest smoked salmon and kippers for almost 100 years.

Credits

This itinerary has been prepared by the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership. If you have any suggestions or comments regarding the itinerary or bus travel on the Northumberland Coast please call us on 01665 511206 or email: CoastAONB@northumberland.gov.uk.

Although the information provided in this itinerary is currently correct services may be subject to change and the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership or Arriva cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies

We recommend that you check the bus and opening times of attractions before travel.

 - enlarge map. This map is included in the PDF download, the link is at the top of this page.