A stunning beach in Northumberland, known to attract a famous face or two and being in the shadow of a landmark used for a number in blockbuster movies, has just been named the best winter walk in the UK.
You don’t have to tell any of us lucky enough to live in the North East just how blessed we are when it comes to beaches; with ones along the coast, from Roker to Tynemouth, and further down the region with the likes of Seaham and Seaton Carew and now a Bamburgh beach has topped a list of the best in the UK, in a new rating from well known brand GO Outdoors.
A stone’s throw away from Bamburgh Castle, the location used for films like The Last Kingdom and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the beach has been visited by Transformers star and A-list actor Mark Wahlberg, who also enjoyed a game of golf in Bamburgh during a break from filming and Girls Aloud, with the group’s Nicola Roberts documenting her visit to the coastline, as they made their way from Newcastle to Glasgow on their sold out arena tour last year,
Bamburgh is at the top of the GO Outdoor rankings ahead of other well known attractions across the UK, including Durdle Door in Dorset, which takes second spot on the list, third placed beach Robin Hood’s Bay in Whitby and ninth place Camber Sands, which was home to a Pontins resort for decades, until its sudden closure at the end of 2023.
GO Outdoors rated and ranked England’s best winter beach walks, looking at factors such as the average rainfall, temperature, daylight hours, and popularity to determine which beach landed on the list and commenting on the top 10, the company’s spokesperson, Callum Jones, said: “Although the cold weather may cause people to stay inside, there is no better time to explore the UK than the winter months.
“As crowds disperse, visitors to beaches often find themselves with miles of coastline to themselves. You may even spot local wildlife, such as seals, who return to the shore in winter months.”
Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts in Bamburgh
(Image: Instagram)
Bamburgh coming out on top in Go Outdoor’s list comes months after three beaches in the North East made the cut for The Times’ newspapers annual round up of the country’s list, with Bamburgh on there alongside Beadnell Bay and Rose Sands, located between Warkworth and Alnmouth.
Check out ChronicleLive’s best winter walks, as The Rothbury and Simonside Hills walk, also in Northumberland, was championed by The Timed as one of the best to blow away the cobwebs in 2025.