Situated about 9 miles from Alnwick and part of the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Newton Haven beach, is also called St Mary’s beach, named after the unusual church nearby. Originally built as a Mission Room at the end of the 19th century, it’s a prefabricated building made from corrugated iron with stained glass windows, and is known locally as the Tin Church.
The sheltered location means the beach is ideal for watersports including surfing, kite-surfing and wind surfing. In the 1960s, Low Newton along with neighbouring Embleton Bay, was one of the first places where wind surfing schools were set up and their legacy lives on today. The beach break, which offers both left and right hand waves, has quite consistent surf, with winter being the best time of year to visit.
Yachting and sailing are also popular, and due to the gently sloping sand and good water quality, on calm days, the sea is safe for swimming, although be aware that there is no lifeguard cover and children should be supervised at all times.
Behind the beach’s extensive sand dune system, is Newton Pool nature reserve, owned by the National Trust and an important site for birds. The reserve consists of a freshwater pond surrounded by rushes, with artificial islands and wetland areas. Look out for waders such as oystercatchers, avocets, ringed plovers, and black-tailed godwits in the wet grasslands, while swans, kingfishers, and herons can be seen on the pools. During summer and autumn, plenty of migratory birds including swallows, wheatears, and warblers, as well as some rarities, stop off. Birds of prey such as marsh harriers can also be found in the area.
There are two wildlife hides overlooking the main pond – one is fully accessible for wheelchairs, but the other has steps to climb to enter.
More wildlife can be found on the beach such as various species of gulls, and on a warm, damp evening, toads, which emerge from the sand dunes. At low tide it’s also a good place for rock pooling with sea anemones, limpets, crabs, and starfish to look out for. You might also see some seals bobbing about near the shore or basking on the Emblestones, an outcrop of hard volcanic rocks that protect Newton Haven from the full force of the North Sea.
With the bracing sea air, the area around Newton Haven beach is a lovely place to go for a walk. Start in the car park by Low Newton village where on a clear day you can see as far as the Farne Islands in the north. Follow the track through Newton Pool passing some pretty, white-washed cottages, and a former fisherman’s pub which is now a holiday home.
Carry on south past a handful of beach huts in the dunes before you reach some wooden steps that take you on to Newton Haven beach. From here you’ll be able to see the iconic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, across Embleton Bay. The 14th century castle built by Earl Thomas of Lancaster, which sits on a remote headland, was one of the largest fortifications in Northern England, and is today managed by English Heritage. It’s possible to walk from here to the castle and the small fishing village of Craster which has some excellent pubs and is famous for its kippers.
Newton Haven beach is an ideal spot for a relaxing day out with family and friends. It’s much quieter than some of the nearby beaches so there’s plenty of space for enjoying a picnic, building sandcastles, flying a kite, playing beach games, and sunbathing. You can bring your dog with you at any time of the year, but during breeding season be sure to keep it away from ground-nesting birds in the dunes.
For a bite to eat, head to The Ship Inn on the village green in Low Newton. Surrounded by cream-coloured fishermen’s cottages, it was originally known as the Smack Inn and said to date back to the 1700s. The pub now has its own microbrewery and a short menu concentrated on locally caught fish, organic meat, and a good vegetarian selection. It also hosts live music and films, and serves an evening menu several nights a week.
Alternatively, travel a short distance inland to High Newton where you’ll find The Joiners Arms, a gastro pub with an award-winning restaurant that serves home-style cooking with a Northumbrian twist. Expect ‘posh’ chippy teas, freshly-caught seafood, and a range of pub classics, accompanied by modern cocktails and an extensive wine list.
There is a small car park just outside the village about half a mile from the beach. If it gets full the verge before the car park is sometimes used for parking. Public toilets can be found behind The Ship Inn.
