Alnmouth Beach

Alnmouth beach sits in a wide sandy bay at the mouth of the River Aln (hence the name!). On the north bank of the river, behind the beach is the pretty little village of Alnmouth, a clutch of elegant red-roofed houses that almost spills down to the sand.

The village was once home to an important harbour but all this changed after the great storm of Christmas Eve, 1806. Such was the power of the storm that the course of the river was changed leaving Alnmouth’s harbour stranded.

These days the village is all about the beach, and what a beach. You will be equally happy if you came to build sandcastles or gallop along the shoreline on horseback. Curving off into the distance on both sides of the river estuary there is always room at Alnmouth.

Swimming at Alnmouth is not generally recommended and it is particularly dangerous towards the estuary mouth on a dropping tide. In fact there are signs warning against even paddling near the river mouth let alone attempting to cross.

Whilst the beach in front of the village is seldom busy, the beach to the south of the estuary is often empty. Backed by vast expanses of dunes there is a wealth of birds and wildlife to be seen here. As part of the Northumberland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty the scenery won’t disappoint either.