Charming coastal village that ‘feels like Paris’ with a historic castle

This Northumberland village has been compared to Paris because of its popular patisserie and the ruins of an old medieval castle.

You might not think of Northumberland when you picture Paris, but a little village there is getting compared to the French capital.

A lot of this is thanks to a well-loved patisserie and the remains of a medieval castle. Beyond famous beaches like Bamburgh and landmarks like Alnwick Castle, Northumberland – and the whole North East – has many hidden gems that deserve more attention.

Image credit: Photo © Iain Smith (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Warkworth is one of these special places, getting praise not just across Britain, but even around the world. The famous travel magazine Condé Nast has included it in its list of the best beaches near Newcastle.

Warkworth shares this award with other favourites like Druridge Bay and King Edward’s Bay in Tynemouth, but it also shines a light on lesser-known beaches like Old Hartley and Hauxley Haven.

As well as mentioning the beach, Condé Nast praised Warkworth’s Cabosse patisserie, saying it “brings a taste of Paris to the North”.

Image credit: Photo © Andrew Curtis (cc-by-sa/2.0)

One happy visitor left a glowing review on TripAdvisor: "In the heart of Warkworth, this little shop is a dream for chocolate lovers. I found it when I was on holiday in the area last year."

Another excited customer said: "This beautiful little shop has a lovely choice of homemade chocolates and pastries, pretty gifts, and most importantly, the best hot chocolate in the whole world!"

Warkworth Castle also adds to the village’s charm. The impressive ruins of this old fortress sit high above the River Coquet, watching over the village below.

Remember - LeaveNoTrace!

As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!

Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.

Download the official APP!

Gain access to over 1,600 hidden gems and their co-ordinates all over the UK when you download our app. Add gems to your bucket-list and tick them off as you go along, as well as earn rewards/badges when you visit a certain amount.

Users will also have acess to over 9,000 parking spots across the UK as well as over 1,600 staycations in the UK.