Craster

Craster is a picturesque fishing village with a small harbour and views north towards the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle.

It’s famous for its smokehouse, which can often be smelt before it can be seen. If you’re partial to smoked fish, buying some kippers or fish cakes from the smokehouse is a must.

Craster also has a number of pubs and cafes to give you food and drink options. The Jolly Fisherman is a traditional pub, with good food and sea views. Muddy boots and dogs are welcome. Shoreline Cafe is also dog-friendly and gets excellent reviews – especially for its haddock chowder and selection of cakes.

There is a pay-and-display car park on the approach to Craster where you can leave your car and take the short stroll into the village. This keeps the village pleasingly free of visitors’ cars.

From Craster, you can walk along the grassy path to the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. It’s a fairly easy walk, just over one mile to the castle, with grazing sheep and cows on one side and the rocky shoreline on the other. As there’s nothing separating you from the farmer’s livestock, dogs must be kept on a lead.

If you’re looking for a longer walk, you can continue past the castle down on to the sandy beach at Embleton Bay. If you’re in a group with more than one car, a good plan is to leave a car at the car park adjacent to Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Course (accessed from Embleton) before starting the walk from Craster. That way you can go all the way from Craster, past the Castle, on to the beach and up to the car park without having to worry about having to walk all the way back.