8 FREE Things to Do in Bamburgh

 This post was published in January 2025. As always, please check with venues direct before heading out for the most up to date info (especially opening hours) as info can change over time. 

Bamburgh is a lovely day out with a fabulous castle, one of the best beaches in the UK, a lovely playground and some fantastic restaurants too. It is possible to spend a fair bit of £ in Bamburgh however there are some lovely free things to do in the village too. 

This post is going to share some of the free things to do in Bamburgh - you could do them all and fill a full day or choose one or two to extend a day out in the area. 

Getting to Bamburgh 

There is a bus stop in Bamburgh Village and the Arriva X18 Newcastle-Berwick bus stops here as does the 918 Borders bus. Do check with operators for up to date timetables. 

There are several car parks in Bamburgh (including some free car parking spots if you're lucky - try Bamburgh Beach Car Park NE69 7DD). I'm a creature of habit though and always park in Links Long Stay Car Park (NE69 7BJ) which is just around the corner from the heart of the village / opposite the Castle.

There are always spaces here and there are public toilets available. It is fairly pricey though at £6.50 for 3 hours /£10 all day.

8 FREE Things to Do in Bamburgh 

1. Grace Darling Museum 
2. Grace Darling Memorial 
3. St Aidan's Church 
4. The Crypt 
5. Bamburgh Playground 
6. Bamburgh Beach 
7. Walk Bamburgh Castle Walls 
8. Stag Rock & Bamburgh Lighthouse 

RNLI Grace Darling Museum 

This is a fantastic free museum in Bamburgh Village. It is managed by volunteers and although small, packed with lots of information about Grace Darling's life. Opening hours do vary so please check these when making plans. Last minute closures will be published on the museum's Facebook page. 

The Grace Darling museum shares information about Grace's life and is fairly interactive with little challenges to try, buttons to press and various audio-visual displays alongside real artefacts. 

This replica lighthouse is in the heart of the museum and you can use it to discover how Grace lived alongside her siblings and parents. 

There's an audio story to listen to which shares the timeline of the famous rescue as well as a replica boat. 

Plus a decent collection of real items that were washed up after the rescue mission or from Grace herself. 

I really enjoyed the section dedicated to Grace's life post-rescue and how she turned into a major celebrity and that boats would leave Newcastle packed with people hoping to get a glimpse of her on the island. 

Most Primary Schools in the region cover Grace Darling as a topic and sometimes the museum is busy with school trips. If you do happen to stumble across one, I'd recommend popping back in 30 minutes or so as it's a small space and much easier to explore the museum when it's quieter. 

It's genuinely one of the most interesting museums I've visited. You leave getting a real feel for the person Grace Darling was (and you can't help but have huge admiration for her too). 

Find out more: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/museums/grace-darling-museum

The Monument to Grace Darling 

Cross over the road from the Grace Darling Museum and enter the grounds of St Aidan's Church. Here you'll find a beautiful memorial to Grace Darling which looks out to sea. 

There's an information board about her life to read and it's just a really beautiful monument to her life. 

St Aidan's Church 

Please don't overlook a visit to St Aidan's Church. Even if you're not religious it's worth popping in and there is so much history here. Oh and it's dog friendly. 

First of all, it's really beautiful and has been a focus of pilgrimage for many years. There is a simple shrine within the church (which dates back to the 12th Century) to mark St Aidan's death. 

The church is really intersting for all ages and you can learn all about Saint Aidan and his life with information boards and audio-visual displays. 

You will also find statues of 16 Saints of the North and can pick up an info leaflet to read more about each Saint. My fave was Saint Tosti who lived as a hermit on Holy Island. 

The core opening hours are 10am - 4pm, just open the door and pop in. We had the place to ourselves when we visited and I found it to be a really open, welcoming and interesting place. 

You can find out more: https://www.staidanbamburgh.co.uk/what-to-see

The Crypt 

Find the steps down into the Crypt just to the side of the Church (externally). It's free to visit and generally open 9am-dusk. 

I had not visited anywhere like this and found it fascinating. The Crypt is the last resting place of people who lived in Bamburgh during the 'Golden Age' - 1400 years ago! Their bones were discovered in a 'Bowl Hole Graveyard' in the sand dunes and dozens were excavated between 1998 and 2007.

They were carefully analysed and have now been laid to rest in the crypt in special Ossuary Boxes. 

The Bamburgh Bones project carefully analysed the bones before placing them back to rest and some of the stories they discovered are fascinating. 

The stories of some of the people who lived and died here 1400 years ago are projeted onto the wall in the crypt. It's done really well and transports you back in time in an immersive fashion. 

If you'd like to learn more, you can read the full analysis of the bones and what it all means here: https://bamburghbones.org/ossuary/digital-ossuary/

You can just about see the Ossuary Boxes containing the bones behind this gate when you visit the Crypt. 

Maybe it is a little morbid thinking about skeltons and dead people but actually, I feel like it's more of a fitting tribute to these people's lives. 

Find out more: https://bamburghbones.org/

Bamburgh Playground 

There's a lovely public playground in Bamburgh with fantastic views of the Castle. I'd say it's best suited to under 8s with a pirate ship, tractor, see-saw, basket swing and more. It's in really good condition and fully enclosed. 

You can read our full review of this playground and see lots more photos here: https://www.northeastfamilyfun.co.uk/2024/01/bamburgh-playground-all-you-need-to-know.html

Bamburgh Beach 

Bamburgh Beach is absolutely stunning and needs no introduction. The sandy beach goes on for miles and is all set to the backdrop of the castle. There's no better place for a beach walk and it's dog friendly too. 

Walk Bamburgh Castle Walls 

You do have to pay admission to visit inside the Castle but you can get a decent view from the outside without spending a penny. 

There's a path which runs alongside the castle walls (village side) and has some info boards and there's a war memorial to see too. 

The views across the village are pretty spectacular too. 

Stag Rock & Bamburgh Lighthouse 

Credit with permission : Andrew Curtis

Nobody really knows how or when this Stag appeared but it is re-painted every now and then and is a point of interest I think. Use postcode NE69 7DD and head towards the lighthouse to see it.  

Bamburgh Lighthouse can not be visited inside but if you stand next to it, you get a cracking view of the coast and castle. The lighthouse was built in 1910 and is the most Northernly land-based lighthouse in England. 

This area is fantastic for bird watching and you might spot Sandpipers, Sanderling, Plover, Sea Ducks and even Guillemot. Bring your bird spotting book and binoculars if you have them. 


Lots of people visit Bamburgh for it's Castle and I 100% agree it's worth a visit and is one of the most spectacular castles in the UK. However, it is definitely worth exploring some of these sometimes overlooked landmarks too, especially if you fancy a day out in Northumberland on a budget. 

Other posts you may like: 

20 Things to do at Bamburgh, Seahouses and Beadnell 

9 Playgrounds to Visit along the Northumberland Coast 

30 Things to do in Amble