Edinburgh: Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland and Alnwick Trip

Our new winter 1-day tour from Edinburgh explores England's stunning Northumberland coast, with stops at Bamburgh Castle, Alnwick’s winter garden, and Holy Island, home to Lindisfarne Priory.
Your Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, and Alnwick tour departs from Edinburgh City Centre in the morning, offering views of Scotland’s capital as we head towards the East Coast. As we travel east, we pass through scenic East Lothian before arriving at our first stop: Holy Island.

Also known as Lindisfarne, this unique island is connected to the mainland by a tidal causeway. The quaint village of Lindisfarne offers stunning views of Lindisfarne Priory, where the renowned Lindisfarne Gospels were created. You’ll have time to explore the atmospheric priory ruins and learn about the island’s monastic history. Lindisfarne is also known for its monks, who brew the famous Lindisfarne Mead. Take a moment to enjoy the tranquility and peace for which the island is known.

Next, we continue along England’s northeast coast to the lively market town of Alnwick, home to the beautiful Alnwick Garden. Here, you can choose to visit the Grand Cascade and the intriguing Poison Garden, or spend your time wandering the charming streets of Alnwick. Keep an eye out for Alnwick Castle, famous for its roles in Downton Abbey and the Harry Potter films.

We then head north to the majestic Bamburgh Castle, a grand medieval fortress dating back to the 5th century. Spanning nine acres, it remains one of the largest inhabited castles in the UK. With its rich history of battles, rulers, and legends, the castle still stands as a powerful stronghold. Explore its fascinating history and the many myths and ghostly tales linked to the castle. You may even recognize it from recent films, including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

After your time at Bamburgh, we begin our return journey to Edinburgh, with a comfort break along the way, arriving back in the city as the sun sets on your day of exploration in northern England.

Please note: If Holy Island is inaccessible due to high tide, the tour will visit St Abbs instead. This picturesque fishing village on the Berwickshire coast is surrounded by dramatic cliffs home to seabirds. You may recognize St Abbs as New Asgard from Avengers: Endgame.

This tour may also run in reverse.

To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.

This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 24 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 24 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.