Seafood takes centre stage in this outdoorsy trip filled with unspoilt beaches and romantic ruins

Sand dunes roll on towards the horizon, while above them stands Bamburgh Castle. This hulking fortress is surely Britain’s greatest, having stared down at the sea for more than 1,400 years. On our visit, its halls were filled with sets of armour and muskets, and my children loved hearing tales of marauding kings. As we stood admiring a case of bejewelled fans, a member of staff told us that waving a fan in a particular way sent signals across the room. Cue my daughters spinning about, pretending that they, too, were at a ball. Our nearby lodgings had their own sense of grandeur. At the (newly renovated) 19th-century Gardener’s Cottage, set beside a walled garden on the Twizell Estate, rooms are plush, with period fireplaces, wood panelling and giant vases spilling blooms.

The country house here was once owned by Prideaux John Selby, a gentleman naturalist, and one of the cottage’s many chandeliers is from the main house. Marbled quartz gleams in the kitchen and, up a central staircase, a copper tub shimmers in the main bathroom. Tucking into a Sunday roast while deer grazed beyond the dining room’s extravagant silk curtains felt particularly special.

Blustery strolls are easy to come by along Northumberland’s many unspoilt beaches. To get to know the wildlife better, we tried a Seashore Safari at Seahouses, booked through Crabtree & Crabtree. ‘Look, I’ve found the devil’s toenails,’ said Jane Dixon, who runs a beach school, showing my daughter razor-clam shells and how to wear them as fingernails. Under her guidance, we also gently inspected hermit crabs and a scorpion fish. After walks, we’d get cosy in pubs steeped in smuggling history. One of the best is The Ship Inn in Low Newton-by- the-Sea, serving local seafood. A stottie – a soft white roll – was stuffed with crab, rocket and tomatoes, while herring pâté was smoky and moreish. Or for something more substantial, chips in beef dripping came with the steamed mussels at The Jolly Fisherman in Craster.

It was the coffee that stood out on Lindisfarne, the Holy Island that’s better known for its mead (brewed using a method monks might have followed in early Christian times) and oysters (sat in beds not far from the tidal causeway that takes you to the island). At Pilgrims Coffee House and Roastery, the Holy Grail blend was fruity and slightly sweet, while a wickedly stodgy scone pudding made a fortifying snack before we wandered around the 7th-century ruined monastery and past upturned fishing boats to Lindisfarne Castle, perched atop a lonely crag.

At Alnwick, we channelled Harry Potter as we toured the castle that represents Hogwarts in the films. Opposite, Alnwick’s modern gardens are at their blossom- filled best in the spring, but here we also found Lilidorei, an elf-themed adventure playground. Here myths were brought to life, as the children climbed sky-high walkways, whirled down helter-skelters and ran from the automated sounds of grumbling trolls.