Dunstanburgh Castle stands on a basalt headland between Craster and Embleton, among the largest fortifications in northern England when Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, began it in 1313, a show of defiance against Edward II as much as a defence. English Heritage manages the ruin, the National Trust the coast and farmland around it, and members enter free with a valid card. There is no road: it is 1.3 miles on foot over rough ground from Craster, or 1.5 miles from Embleton, across cattle-grazed fields, so dogs stay on leads. Kittiwakes nest on the cliffs below the twin-towered gatehouse, oystercatchers work the shore, and picnic benches inside the walls face the North Sea. Reviewers say the walk is as much the point as the ruin. Tips from visitors: use the pay and display car park before Craster, as parking in the village is discouraged; toilets are there and inside the castle once you have a ticket.
