Dunstaburgh Castle (Northumberland)

September 20, 2024

Arrival at Craster

I arrived shortly after 9am at the carpark in Craster. It was a moody morning in late September in this tiny coastal village in Northumberland. I walked down towards the small harbor, where I could see the misty North Sea beyond its walls.

I turned left, heading north along the shore. Stone cottages lined the roadway. No one was out and about yet, except for another solo walker, likely also headed to Dunstaburgh Castle.

Soon enough I reached a stone wall with a wooden gate allowing access to pasturelands north of the town. Some English Heritage signage announced this was indeed the route to Dunstaburgh. The castle would not open to visitors until 10am, but there was easily a mile of walking left to get there.

Stone huts and fishing boats surround Craster Harbor, a small coastal village a mile south of Dunstaburgh Castle.

At the end of the road, a wooden gate allows access to the footpath to Dunstaburgh Castle.

Along the coast to Dunstaburgh Castle

I was on the tail end of my road trip from London to Edinburgh. Through England and the borderlands, there was no shortage of castles and mansions to tour. But Dunstaburgh stuck out as a must-visit, in my book. The medieval stronghold sits above the North Sea, in picturesque ruins. It’s isolated, accessible only on foot. It was a hike with history!

Soon after leaving Craster, the castle’s ruins appeared in the distance, shrouded in morning fog. It sat on a prominent hill, above the rolling pasturelands.

I passed cows and sheep. Throughout my time in England, if I wasn’t in a town, there were always livestock present. The cows munched away, undeterred by my early-morning presence. They seemed quite habituated to walkers.

The ruins of Dunstaburgh Castle, seen from near the start of the walk from town.

Nature's lawnmowers. — Nature’s lawnmowers.

Approaching the gate

Eventually, I reached a broad, flat hilltop in front of the castle’s massive gates. Crows scattered as I approached. Horned sheep glanced up as they grazed the taller grasses here. I was deeply thankful I came so early, before other walkers were milling about. The place felt delightfully creepy.

Dunstaburgh was built in the 1300s at the behest of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster. The Lancaster family was the real-life inspiration for the Lannisters in Game of Thrones. Thomas was among the richest men in England, rivaling his cousin, King Edward II. He had little time to enjoy this, one of his many holdings. He was captured and executed shortly after its completion, being a leader of a group of Barons oppositional to the crown.

A century or so later, the castle’s control shifted back and forth between the House of Lancaster and House of York. This skirmish, known as the Wars of the Roses, was a real-life inspiration for Game of Thrones. The day prior to this walk, I visited Hadrian’s Wall, another major inspiration for the fantasy series. So in a way, this was sort of a mini-tour.

Birds ascend from the fields in front of Dunstaburgh Castle's ruined gate tower. — Birds ascend from the fields in front of Dunstaburgh Castle’s ruined gate tower.

Scottish blackface sheep, common in Northumberland.

Queen Margaret’s Cove

I arrived perhaps 10 minutes before the castle would open to visitors. These were state-owned ruins in an open field a mile from any town. But the English are sticklers about making sure everyone pays for parking, castles, ruins, and pretty much anything else of cultural value.

So I walked down to a rocky cove beneath the castle’s outer walls. Waves off the North Sea crashed into the rocky cliffs. Splotches of orange and gray lichen festooned the rocks.

This little inlet is known as Queen Margaret’s Cove. Margaret of Anjou, a French noblewoman, was married to King Henry VI of England and became a key figure in the Wars of the Roses. She was one of the most formidable leaders of the conflict, at times personally directing military efforts. Whether she actually landed here while fleeing Yorkist forces is uncertain and remains the subject of speculation.

Dunstaburgh Castle

At 10am sharp the castle’s doors opened. On this rainy Friday in Late September the opening crowd was slim: just myself and the aforementioned other solo walker.

The castle’s ruins were arguably worthy of the fare. The gatehouse/tower in particular was impressive, rising several stories. Stone stairways up to its higher reaches remained well-maintained and open to the public. I was struck by how much green moss lined this 14th-century ruin. The castle changed hands numerous times following the Wars of the Roses, apparently falling into further and further disrepair. By 1930, it was placed in the stewardship of the state.

A modern path along the castle's ruined fortifications. — A modern path along the castle’s ruined fortifications.

Emerald interiors of the ruined Dunstaburgh Castle.

Views from near the top of Dunstaburgh's Great Gatehouse. — Views from near the top of Dunstaburgh’s Great Gatehouse.

After touring the various ruins within the castle’s walls, I bid farewell to the attendants and began walking back to Craster. The path remained mostly empty. Perhaps a half dozen fellow walkers passed by on their way to the ruins. I soaked in the sparse landscape one last time before arriving back in town. It was time to say goodbye to both Northumberland and England. Next stop: Edinburgh.