Long Nanny Tern Site

The Long Nanny tern colony sits on a stretch of Northumberland coastline that most people drive past without a second glance. You won't find visitor facilities or a car park with an ice cream van - this is proper birdwatching territory, accessed via a coastal path near Chathill. The site exists primarily to protect nesting terns, and if you time it right between April and August, you'll see these elegant seabirds diving and wheeling above the sandy shore.

It's not a destination for everyone. Families with young kids might find the lack of facilities frustrating, and the viewing areas are deliberately kept low-key to minimise disturbance. But if you're a serious birder or just want to stand on an empty stretch of coast watching wildlife do its thing, it's utterly worthwhile. The colony can number in the hundreds during peak season, and watching them plunge-dive for fish never gets old.

Give yourself an hour minimum, though dedicated twitchers lose entire mornings here. It's free - you're essentially just accessing a public coastal path and pausing to watch. The wind can be vicious, so come prepared. It pairs nicely with a broader Northumberland coast walk, and if you're based at Middlemoor Farm Holidays just down the road, you're perfectly placed for this and a dozen other spots along this underrated stretch of England's northeast.