The walk to Dunstanburgh Castle is beautiful from start to finish. You’ll follow the gorgeous coastline with the incredible castle as your backdrop every step of the way. It’s distinctive shape and position creates a dramatic atmosphere and if you choose to walk around sunset time, the golden light makes it extra special.
The walk to the castle is easy and well worth doing whether or not you plan on going inside the castle itself - which is more like an empty ruin than a castle really. We chose only to view it from the outside and it didn’t disappoint.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle Walk.
The Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle Walk
The stats
Distance: 1.1 miles (1.7km) each way
Elevation gain: 30m
Difficulty: Easy
The trail
The walk to Dunstanburgh Castle begins in the village of Craster (parking details below). As we started the walk in the evening we were able to park within 20m of the trailhead, another perk of walking late - especially in the summer holidays when the castle can get busy.
You’ll head through the gate, where the castle is signposted, and then pass through a second gate less than a minute later. From here the path is a mix of either a dirt track between the grass, or a grassy path.
There is the odd bit of uneven or stony terrain, but nothing difficult by any means and most people will find it a very easy trail.
You’ll have the sea on your right and fields of green on your left, with the castle peeking out from its lofty position on the hill ahead of you. It doesn’t look all that far away, but it is actually just over a mile, which I was surprised by as it really does look much closer than that.
As you head along the flat path the castle becomes more and more prominent. After 750m you’ll come to a third gate and if you don’t want to complete the full walk then this spot offers a really beautiful view.
However, if you can, it’s well worth continuing to see the castle up close.
At the 1.2km mark you’ll pass through the fourth and final gate. From here you have the only part of the path that isn’t flat.
It’s a very gentle incline, briefly on a stony track before it becomes a smooth grassy path once again. The fields are dotted with plenty of sheep and you’ll start to heard the shrill call of the terns, who gather around the rocky cliffs close to the castle.
The path continues on a gentle incline right up to the castle gate, which you’ll reach 1.7km, or just over a mile from the parking area.
Dunstanburgh Castle
Unless you’re an English Heritage or National Trust member, you’ll need to pay an entry fee to enter Dunstanburgh Castle. We didn’t realise that NT members could also visit for free as the sign was branded as English Heritage, but looking more closely at the photo afterwards it does say NT members go free as well.
At time of writing it’s £9.50 for adults and it’s worth noting that the castle is not always open (we’ve included the opening times below). The castle is a ruin and really impressive from the outside.
There’s not too much to see on the inside, so if you’re neither a member or a real enthusiast, you may not feel the need to go in.
We were walking at sunset which was obviously after hours, but having heard from Joe’s mum and dad - who had gone in - that there wasn’t an awful lot to see, we didn’t feel we missed out.
It was wonderful to see it from the outside in the beautiful sunset light and with no one else around.
In terms of history, the castle was built in 1313 by the Earl of Lancaster, cousin of King Edward II. The earl was a staunch opponent of the king and it was said that the castle was built as much as a display of power and wealth as it was a means of protection.
The castle went into decline in the 16th century and was later sold into private ownership.
The walk back
Before heading back to Craster, it’s worth looking at the rocky cliffs to the right of the castle. There are quite a few seabirds, including a large number of noisy terns and some slightly more tuneful oyster catchers, which combined with the dark outline of the castle at sunset created a mysterious atmosphere.
It might not have quite the same feel during the day, but in the evening it was a fantastic spot to really take in the whole setting.
When you’re ready to leave you simply retrace your steps back to the car park. There is a longer circular walk via Embleton you can complete (9.5km), but as we were visiting for sunset we walked back the same way.
Dunstanburgh Castle entry fee and opening hours
Rather than write out all the details as it is a bit more complex than your average opening times, we thought we’d just slot the photo in so you can see at a glance whether it’s open when you’re hoping to visit.
You can visit the castle for free if you are either an English Heritage or National Trust member.
Getting to and parking for the Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle Walk
The walk to Dunstanburgh Castle begins in the village of Craster. There’s no official car park for the walk, you simply park in the village. We parked along Dunstanburgh Road (postcode NE66 3TT).
The parking was free and time is not limited, but please remember to park respectfully as it’s a residential area. If you can’t find a spot here, you can park at Craster Quarry car park (postcode NE66 3TS).
If you’d rather arrive by public transport you can hop on the X18 Max bus from Alnwick, which stops in the middle of Craster. The bus takes about 30 minutes.
Craster is located roughly a 20 minute drive from Alnwick, a 35 minute drive from Rothbury and Morpeth, and just under an hour from Newcastle.
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