The car park is very large and has plenty of parking. Unfortunately, the car park is not free. Having said that, it is reasonable compared to others we have used.

The first thing we did was have a look around the gift shops. There are lots of these, unsurprising in such a popular place.

After a while, the hunger got the better of us. So we decided to find somewhere to eat. We looked at several. One stood out to us. It was quite busy compared to the others. This usually means a place is good.

The place we picked is a fish & chip restaurant called, Hook. We were very happy with our choice as the fish was what we would describe as 'lush'. The fish just melts in your mouth. We would definitely recommend it.

and the Farne Islands

Seahouses

The Farne Islands
The main thing we came here for was the boat trip around the islands. They are well known for their beauty, grey seals and puffins. So we made our way down the hill to the quayside.

At the bottom there were a few kiosks where you could buy tickets. We looked for the one that would let us see the seals and puffins.

We asked at one of the kiosks. They said the best time for puffins was around June and it's unlikely we would see any it was August at the time. As it turned out, we did end up seeing quiet a few puffins. So we were happy.

We ended up going on the Billy Shiels boat. They were very helpful. Some people came with a disabled girl in a wheelchair. They said they didn't have a ramp. But instead of turning them away, they got her carefully out of the wheelchair and carried her unto the boat and gently placed her back into her chair. We were so impressed with this. For this reason alone we would highly recommend them.

During the tour, they pointed out any puffins and grey seals so everybody had a chance to see them. The seals are impressive animals. Some laid on the rocks while others swam around in the water. The puffins were quite something too. The parrot like colours on their bills definitely stand out.

The Grace Darling story
The crew were very knowledgeable. As we passed a red and white lighthouse, they told everybody that it's called Longstone Lighthouse and it is where Grace Darling, the daughter of the keeper used to live. They explained how, in 1838, Grace Darling risked her life along with her father to save people from a shipwreck who were clinging unto rocks in the severe storm.

The islands
The islands are wonderful. One of the islands had dark rocks rising like fortresses out of the water. It was almost surreal.

Back in Seahouses
When we arrived back at the quayside, we decided to get a drink before we went home. So we walked up the hill towards the shops where we were earlier. At the top of the hill, opposite the car park, we saw a sculpture of a fisherman. So we took a photo.

We walked past and turned left past the fish & chip restaurant we went in earlier. We saw a pub called, The Olde Ship. It looked good and had a great atmosphere. However, it was a bit too busy for us. So instead, we went to the pub across the road called, The Bamburgh Castle Inn. It was one extreme to the other. We found it a little too quiet. However, we just wanted a drink before driving home. So we had a coffee and a soft drink.

Before we went home, we took this photo of the bay from the quayside. It really is a lovely place.

Our verdict

Definitely a place for a great day out. The islands are spectacular and the puffins and seals are amazing. Seahouses also has plenty of places to eat and drink.

Seahouses is a very popular place. It has many shops including gift shops, charity shops, cafe's and fish & chip restaurants. However, the main this is the Farne Islands. There are a few different boat tours you can take around the islands. These all run from the quayside which is down a short hill from the car park.

There were lots of guillemots flying around and many perched on the rocks as if they were waiting for their photo to be taken.

Alnwick Gardens

Wallington Hall

Cragside