Adventures with my Dog in North-East England: Warkworth Beach
Sea, seals, and castles
The North-East of England is not necessarily everyone’s dream holiday destination.
However, since moving there in July 2021, I have fallen in love with this region.
As I’ve highlighted in a previous article, there is so much to see here. From Hadrian’s Wall to the beautiful Romanesque cathedral of Durham to the majestic skies of Northumberland National Park, you will surely find something to love here.
One of my favourite parts of this region of England is the beautiful Northumberland coast.
This was not something I expected. When you think of the North of England, the first image that comes to mind is not gorgeous beaches.
With miles of coast, the North-East of England is home to some incredible beaches as well as cute, typical beach towns.
Of course, spending time at the beach here is different from the South of France. You do not come here to swim in the sea or spend all day tanning.
Unless it is a very warm summer day or you are very cold resistant, you will need special equipment to swim.
However, it is an incredible place to take your dog.
I especially like Warkworth Beach.
About 30 miles North of Newcastle upon Tyne, this beach is a true hidden gem.
It is easily accessible with a free parking next to a golf course. A short walk through sand dunes brings you to a vast expense of soft sand.
It is quiet and remote. The few times we have been there, there were no more than a dozen people on the beach, which is long enough that we were able to spend our walk mostly alone.
The beach is surrounded by dunes covered in beachgrass, which reminds me of my favourite places on the Atlantic Coast of France.
We took our dog Ginny there mid-September. The wind was cold and the sky cloudy but we didn’t feel cold with light jackets on.
Ginny had the best day. She was able to run free on the sand and in the water. She chased seagulls and other sea birds and even met a seal.
Unfortunately, the waves were too big for Ginny to properly swim, which is one of her favourite activities. But she still really enjoyed running in the shallow water.
We didn't spend much time in the village of Warkworth, which is a bit further from the beach, but we did stop at the impressive ruin of the 14th-century Warkworth Castle, which dominates the landscape.
The castle was closed when we got there but it is available to visit between 10h and 17h every day.
Overall, Warkworth Beach is definitely worth a trip, especially if you have a dog. It is an incredible beach with great views and your puppy is sure to have the time of its life without bothering anyone.