Close to Amble marina and harbour, Amble Links beach is mostly sand with some shingle and rocks. It lies near Amble town, which still has a small fishing industry, and has been the recipient of numerous regeneration grants in recent years.
Amble Links is a popular destination for bird watchers due to Coquet Island, which is situated about a mile from the coastline and an important breeding ground for about 40,000 seabirds including the UK’s only colony of rare roseate terns. Managed by the RSPB, the tiny island is also home to puffins, common, Sandwich, and Arctic terns, eider ducks, and oystercatchers. A grey seal colony resides on the island all year round, and they can often be spotted lazing on the rocks on the east of the island or bobbing about in the sea.
Although it’s not possible to set foot on the island, you can take a boat trip from Amble to get a close-up look at the wildlife. The trips run all year round subject to weather conditions.
The annual Amble puffin festival which takes place in May celebrates the Coquet Island puffins and includes guided nature walks, local history talks, exhibitions, arts and crafts stalls, and of course bird watching activities.
The island has a lighthouse built for Trinity House to the design of civil engineer James Walker in 1841. A square tower of sandstone with a turreted parapet, the first keeper was William Darling, the brother of Grace Darling who participated in the rescue of the shipwrecked Folarshire in 1838 and which brought her national fame. There are also the remains of a medieval Benedictine monastery as well as cottages and storerooms.
Amble Links is ideal for a variety of watersports including sailing, power boating, canoeing, surfing, paddleboarding, and kayaking. The Coquet Shorebase Trust, a charitable organisation that works with the community to make watersports accessible for all, is based near the marina and offers courses for all ages and abilities. It also has a base on Ladyburn Lake at nearby Druridge Country Park where you can try your hand at windsurfing and sailing.
The beach is a great location for a family day out. Pack a picnic and spend a day flying a kite, building sandcastles, or simply strolling along the sand. Swimming is not recommended but paddling is fine, although be aware there are no lifeguards on the beach and little ones should be supervised.
At low tide, rockpools are exposed which are great fun for kids to explore and discover the sea creatures such as sea anemones, small crustaceans, and fish, that live in them. And with dogs allowed on the beach all year round, your four-legged friend needn’t miss out on all the fun.
Amble harbour village consists of 15 wooden retail ‘pods’ that house independent businesses selling a range of gifts, food and drink, arts and crafts, and accessories. The Northumberland Seafood Centre offers fresh, locally caught fish, a lobster hatchery, and an informative visitor centre.
Cool down with a visit to Spurelli, located on the waterfront, which produces artisan ice cream and sorbet made using milk and cream from a nearby farm’s pedigree herd of Ayrshire and Short Horn cows. And head to The Fish Shack, a fairylight-adorned, rustic wooden eatery, which serves traditional fish and chips, steamed mussels, and locally smoked seafood.
For walkers, the 6 mile circular walk from Amble to Warkworth along the Northumberland Coast Path passes by Warkworth Castle which is well worth a visit. See how the Percy family, the powerful Dukes of Northumberland lived and explore the cross-shaped keep which was built over 600 years ago and still remains largely intact.
Behind the beach is Amble Links Coastal Holiday Park which has a range of luxury holiday homes, with facilities that include a swimming pool, gym, spa, children’s play area, and on-site restaurant.
There is free parking in the car park on the top of the cliffs by the beach. There are further car parks and roadside parking in Amble. Toilets are also available by the beachside car park and disabled facilities are available at the Tourist Information Centre.
