Seahouses Tourist Information

Seahouses is a village on the North Northumberland coast and is known as the Gateway to the Farne Islands. It is situated between Alnwick and Bamburg.

Originally a fishing village in the 1800s, it is now a popular tourist destination.

During the 1770s the area was known for its limestone quarrying and lime kilns can still be seen in the area. The quicklime was shipped from Seahouses to Scotland to be used as fertilizer.

The small harbour was also used for shipping corn from the area with as much as 1000 tons being exported in 1846.

The lime kilns closed in 1860 when herring fishing became a more lucrative industry and for a time Seahouses prospered. The harbour was expanded in 1889 to accommodate the huge fishing fleet. An independent railway was built as part of the North Sunderland Railway which linked Seahouses with the East Coast Main Line.

In its heyday Seahouses had 10 herring yards and a kipper processing factory which was run by Woodgers. The fishing continued unabated through the world wars but finally the herring shoals were fished out.

Present Day Seahouses

Seahouses still retains its old world charm which is so popular with holidaymakers. It has miles of sandy beaches which are ideal for playing or walking on.

The village has plenty going on with small shops in the town and local businesses lining the harbour. There are always plenty of pleasure boats to see in the harbour along with yachts, dive boats and fishing vessels.

The former railway station is now the main car park for the village and the old track is a public footpath.

The village has a festival each summer which began as a small Sea Shanty Festival. It is now a popular cultural event which attracts many visitors. In August Seahouses is the starting point of the charity bike ride for Cancer Research, the Great North Bike Ride.

Things to Do Around Seahouses

The harbour at Seahouses is still a working fishing port. It also offers fishing trips and charters and day trips to the nearby seal and bird colonies on the Farne Islands. Visitors can also take diving trips to the many shipwrecks in the area.

Trips include commentaries about local heroine Grace Darling who rowed out from the Longstone Lighthouse with her father to save the survivors of the SS Forfarshire wreck in 1838. The current RNLI lifeboat at Seahouses is named after her and can be seen on open days.

The sandy beach is ideal for families and is popular for walking, watersports, sailing, windsurfing, sea canoeing and waterskiing.

The Northumberland National Park is a nearby attraction offering scenic walks and drives.

Slate Hall Riding Centre at Seahouses are local riding stables which offer lessons, treks and scenic beach rides.

Further afield Holy Island, better known as Lindisfarne, is a popular day trip. It can be accessed across the causeway at low tide. As well as visiting the abbey, the island is a haven for birds and wildlife.

The area has several golf courses including the local Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Course which has great scenery.