Northumberland Castles & Coast

The history and natural beauty of Northumberland are admired by residents and visitors alike, but the property market still offers some excellent options for a variety of budgets, says Sam Gibson.

The Northumberland coastline is genuinely dramatic – amongst others the iconic castles of Warkworth, Alnwick and Dunstanburgh built as costal fortresses reflect 9,000 years of history and the region’s important Roman and Christian heritage.

All along the coast of the Northumberland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty there are vast expanses of unspoilt sandy beaches, many backed by sand dunes and home to a wide variety of wildlife. Despite the huge number of visitors to the region, particularly in the summer months, many beaches remain uncrowded and it is very possible to find a spot to walk in glorious isolation.

The UK’s friendliest port, Amble –which was also historically an important trading port, is a popular destination today with its marina, excellent variety of high quality restaurants and pubs, serving wonderful seafood.

House prices have risen dramatically in many Northumberland villages in recent years. Amble still has a good range of options with properties to suit most budgets.

Further up the coast, Warkworth has another dramatic castle, now owned by English Heritage and one of the most visited attractions in the north of England. The town of Warkworth and its surrounding countryside offer a wide range of modern and historic properties, with traditional stone-built properties among the most desirable.

Alnmouth, further north again, has rows of pretty coloured houses and benefits from a mainline train station with direct services to London and Edinburgh. Alnmouth, unlike many coastal towns in the UK, retains a great community spirit and local vibrancy, making it a wonderful place to visit and indeed to live as a permanent resident.

Bamburgh won Which? magazine’s best seaside destination in the UK last year, for the second year in a row.

Thousands of visitors ranked it above all other coastal resorts for its sheer beauty, with its sweeping sandy beach overlooked by an imposing clifftop castle. It is widely considered as the heavy weight champion of the Northumberland coast.

Northumberland combines the beauty of its unspoilt natural scenery, an unrivalled place in the history and heritage of the nation and a superb quality of life, while still being within easy reach of Newcastle.

Properties situated directly on the coast, or with a good sea view, generally command a premium of about 30 per cent and are reliably in demand on a perennial basis, even when other types of investment may suffer from market turbulence. n

For advice on buying or selling on the Northumberland coast please contact us: hexham@galbraithgroup.com

Sam Gibson

07769 687 978 sam.gibson@galbraithgroup.com

Now on the market:

The Beaches (pictured).

Guided at offers over £595,000. An attractive three-bedroom apartment, very well presented and enjoying stunning views of the sea and right down the coast.

The Beaches occupies a stunning location overlooking the beautiful Northumbrian Heritage Coastline with its miles of sandy beaches and directly looking out onto Coquet Island, a vibrant seabird sanctuary. The bustling coastal fishing port of Amble lies a few minutes’ walk away, with its picturesque marina situated on the mouth of the Coquet River Estuary. As well as lovely walks straight from the doorstep there are water sports, boat trips, great restaurants, pubs, and shops all within easy walking distance with schooling for all ages in Amble. Unusually, this is an unrestricted property so it is possible to live here 365 days of the year, offering great flexibility for the purchaser to use as a holiday home or as a permanent home.

Recently sold:

Apartment 14 Coble Quay, Amble, Morpeth, Northumberland. This lovely third floor apartment with open plan living/dining/kitchen with balcony; two bedrooms (master en-suite); family bathroom and enjoying beautiful sea views. The property was on the market for Offers Over £500,000 and sold well earlier this year.

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