A PUB overlooking the sea, once labelled the best beach bar in the country, has impressed visitors with its views, its food and most of all its pints.
A cold beer on a hot summer’s day is one of life’s great joys – and there’s plenty of pubs in the country where you can combine the two with a view of the sea.
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However, the best of those pubs is apparently the Ship Inn in Low Newton-by-the-Sea, in Northumberland.
It once claimed top spot in a list of the best beach pubs in the country put together by Conde Nast Traveller.
They said of the Ship: “Low Newton-by-the-Sea is one of the prettiest spots on the Northumberland coast. It’s here, looking out towards the vast sandy beach, that you’ll find The Ship Inn.
“The tiny pub sits in the middle of a horseshoe of whitewashed cottages set around a village green where a cluster of trestle tables face the sea.
“Order a pint of Sandcastles at Dawn or Dolly Daydream, just two of the 16 brews made at The Ship’s on-site microbrewery. As well as being entirely self-sufficient in beer, the pub has a menu with ingredients stocked by local farms and fishermen.”
The pub’s owner Christine Forsyth believes the bar and its location are both “special and unique”.
She wrote on the Ship’s website: “The sea and landscape continues to delight.
“To stand on the beach on a moonlight night and hear the seals calling from the rocks, to watch the path of the moon on the sea and see the fingers of Dunstanburgh castle stand black against the sky or to watch the sun rise over the sea on a glorious summer morning.
“These are the things that make Low Newton the very special and unique place it is. And make people return time and again.”
Its locals agree too, with one writing on Google Reviews: “What can I say other than superb?
“Whether it be the stunning location, the on-site micro brewery or the exemplary food. Life doesn’t get much better than this!”
The location isn’t only great for humans either, with dolphins also frequent visitors to the sea nearby.
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A TripAdvisor review of the nearby Dunstanburgh castle, which sits at the opposite end of Embleton bay, described an encounter with the animals.
It reads: “A stunning location and a very impressive ruin. We were so lucky to be walking round just as a pod of dolphins decided to explore the bay below.”
The bay itself is also extremely well-regarded, with a an overall score of five stars on TripAdvisor from more than 300 reviews.
One wrote: “The most amazing, natural & beautiful beach you could ask for – stretches for miles in each direction.”
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Another said: “Beautiful, exhilarating beach any time of year, loved by dogs and people alike. “
A third added: “Fabulous beach just north of Dunstanburgh castle. White sand backed by high dunes make this one of Uk’s best beaches.”
If the pub were anywhere else, the nearby castle would likely be listed as one of the main attractions in the area, but that particular stretch of coastline in Northumberland is home to several amazing ruins.
They also include the castle at Bamburgh, a town recently voted the best seaside spot in the UK by consumer experts Which?.
Walkworth castle is another impressive structure in the vicinity, while Lindisfarne castle, and the holy island, also make great family days out.
However, the nearby town of Alnwick is perfect for families with youngsters, with Alnwick castle used as Hogwarts for several scenes in the Harry Potter films, including where Harry and his classmates learned to fly broomsticks and play Quidditch.
It was also the place where Ron crashed his dad’s flying car, as well as the route to Hagrid’s hut and the Forbidden Forest.
Kids can even take part in broomstick training on site at the castle, with 25 minute lessons teaching them how to fly on a stick of their own.
Meanwhile, Alnwick Garden is home to the world’s largest play structure, Elfwin Drin, which opened in Northumberland this year.
One of Europe’s largest second-hand book shops, Barter Books, is another attraction crammed into the area around the coast.
It’s reasons like that why Northumberland is an increasingly popular staycation destination, making the Ship the perfect place to unwind after a busy day’s exploration.
Hotels in the area start from £32.50pp per night, however camping is also an option, with pitches available from around £20.
Meanwhile, this UK seaside town is almost like visiting a Greek island.
And you can watch dolphins from a music festival at this UK destination.
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