Amble
On the North East coast lies a historic port called Amble, situated on the estuary of the River Coquet.
The town is the southern gateway to Northumberland's heritage coast, with fine, quiet, sandy beaches to the North and South of the town.
There is evidence at Gloster Hill that Roman's once settled in Amble.
Picturesquely situated at the mouth of the river Coquet. Amble was little more than a hamlet before the construction of its harbour (which was previously known as Warkworth Harbour) between 1838 and 1839.
The town owes its growth and prosperity to the 19th Century coalfields from which it used to ship coal to southern England and the continent, but as this declined so did the fortunes of the town.
The town has been rejuvenated with the development of an award- winning marina on the site of the former straithes, bringing in new life to the town.
Nowadays, Amble is Northumberland's most important fishing centre north of the Tyne with leisure facilities becoming more important.
The town has some natural beauty spots from Warkworth castle to nature reserves. There are walks along the River Coquet to Warkworth and south past the harbour and Little Shore following the coastline to Hauxley with views of Coquet Island. There are nature reserves at Hauxley and Druridge Bay.
Lying a mile offshore is Coquet Island and its 80ft tall lighthouse (pictured on the left), which was built on the top of the ruin of a medieval tower. It is a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve for thousands of puffins, terns, eider ducks for the roseate tern (one of Britain's rarest seabirds).
One of the longest beaches in Northumberland is probably Druridge Bay. It is 6 miles of curving, golden interrupted beach backed by steeply rising, flower filled sand dunes containing around 300 species of wild plants.
