Amble, Northumberland travel guide and Amble information

Visit Amble

Amble (aka amble-by-the-Sea) is a town situated on the mouth of the River Coquet in the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, south of Alnmouth in the county of Northumberland.

Historically an industrial town based around the coal export industrythat developed during the 19th century, Amble is now focussed predominantly on a much reduced fishing industry and tourism focussed around a new marina and the attractions of the nearby beaches and scenery.

Amble itself contains a good selection of traditional stone buildings, some bearing witness to the wealth the town enjoyed in the 19th century, with some earlier remains also visible such as the ruin of a 15th century manor house and part of an early brickworks. Visit the Amble Visitor Information Centre for details of the Town Trail that will ensure you see the highlights - and better appreciate them in the context of the history of the town

The town square is centred around a new, modernist sundial* and memorial gardens joins the two parts of the town - the seafront and the traditional village. There is also a variety of shops and pubs in the town.

*The sundial is said to have one of the biggest gnomon in Europe - until now I had no idea the 'blade' of a sundial was called a gnomon...

The coast around Amble offers scenic walks in both directions: towards Warkworth and castle to the north-west and with views across to Coquet Island (a protected RSPB Nature Reserve) towards the south-east.

The coast here is well known for the wide range of birdlife it enjoys - bring your binoculars, and also visit the Northumberland Seabird Centre in the harbour to see 'live and direct' feeds of bird activity on Coquet Island, perhaps before taking one of the boat trips from the harbour to get a closer look.

You can find more local travel ideas in the Northumberland Coast guide and the Northumberland guide.