Rubiks Cube Anti Tank Blocks

Just outside Bamburgh, you'll stumble across something genuinely odd - a cluster of colourful concrete blocks arranged like a giant Rubik's Cube. They're anti-tank defences left over from World War II, painted in that distinctive red, yellow, blue and white pattern. It's the kind of thing that makes you do a double-take walking past.

These weren't decorative. They were part of the coastal defences meant to slow down a potential German invasion that never came. Someone, at some point, decided they deserved a lick of paint rather than being hauled away as scrap, and now they're a proper curiosity. You can walk right up and touch them - there's no fence, no sign, no visitor centre faffing about.

It's quick. Five minutes maximum. But it's worth the detour if you're camping nearby at Budle Farm or Bamburgh Under Canvas anyway - just a short walk from the campsite. Families with kids often find it amusing rather than educational, which is fair enough. The novelty wears off fast, but it's free and accessible any time of day.

If you're staying in the area for the beaches and castle at Bamburgh itself, this works as a quirky addon on a coastal walk. Don't expect grandeur - it's a brief, slightly bewildering encounter with Cold War logistics that someone thought was worth preserving. Bit mad really, but that's rather the point.