Sandeel Beds

The Sandeel Beds stretch along Northumberland's coast near Belford, a stretch of sand that shifts with the tides and the weather. It's one of those beaches where you genuinely feel like you've stumbled onto something proper - wide, quiet, and utterly unspoiled. The main draw is exactly what the name suggests: the sand eels that feed here during summer months, which in turn brings seabirds and seals. If you're into marine life or birdwatching, it's genuinely worth a visit, particularly between May and September when activity peaks.

Walkers love this stretch. The foreshore is accessible for miles, and there's something oddly meditative about tracking along the sand with nothing but dunes and sky. Families with younger kids might find it a bit bleak out of season - there's no café, no facilities, just you and the beach. That's either brilliant or a bit of a letdown depending on what you want.

It's free to access, naturally, and you can spend as little as an hour poking about or half a day if you're proper into it. Timing matters though - check the tides before you go, or you'll end up cut off.

If you're camping nearby - Haven Haggerston Castle is only 4.8 miles away, Bamburgh Under Canvas a bit further - the Sandeel Beds work well as a quieter alternative to the more famous beaches. Belford itself is the nearest town for supplies, though it's small. Don't expect crowds or queues. This is coastal Northumberland in its rawest form.