WILD RYE - sleeps 4 guests in 2 bedrooms

Handily close to Bamburgh village, this terraced cottage has chic, spacious interiors and far-reaching sea views.

The perfect base from which to roam Northumberland's Heritage Coast and explore castles, beaches, islands and seafood

Behind its simple red door, Wild Rye is airy, smart and scenic. Sea views, with old Farne Lighthouse visible across fields where sheep graze, emphasise the bucolic location, yet you're only a few minutes' drive from shops or sights.

A rustic exterior betrays Wild Rye's history. Along with two adjoining cottages - Lyme Grass and The Rushes - it once housed workers on the nearby farm. That humble façade, however, gives no indication of the spacious and elegant interiors now awaiting within, courtesy of a recent refurbishment.

Spread over a single floor, the two-bed home revolves around a sitting room whose high ceiling ensures light and space around two double sofas. French windows help, too, leading to the large garden, while a log-burning stove can warm up chillier evenings from its brick-encased fireplace. To one side sprawls a combined kitchen-dining space, all clean lines and neutral colours, plus every mod-con you'll need.

Porthole-style mirrors and pretty beachgrass paintings reference the nearby Northumberland coast. A bright corridor leads to the bedrooms - a king-sized master, and another where zip-and-link twins convert into a king - and their shared bathroom with its beckoning tub. As across the home, pale pastel hues create a restful atmosphere, further enhanced here by stylish linens.

Enclosed by wooden fences, that lawned garden gazes across farm fields toward the Inner Farne group. Grabbing the eye, Farne Lighthouse stands bright and white on the isle where St Cuthbert died. A charcoal barbecue and patio seating area allow for memorable al-fresco meals facing it, or for spellbinding sunrise coffees.

Standing on a quite spectacular 180 foot high basalt crag, the skyline is dominated by the dramatic outline of Bamburgh Castle from miles around. A visit to the Castle will allow you to experience over two thousand years of fascinating history with dark tales of royal rebellion, turbulent battles, and stories of powerful legend and folklore.

The beach at Bamburgh comprises glorious curves of white sand backed by deep sand dunes, rocky outcrops and dramatic shorelines and is a wonderful spot for families, walkers and water sports enthusiasts. Surfing and windsurfing is highly rated here with waves naturally breaking to the left and right as a result of the numerous sandbars along its length, and while there is no lifeguard cover on this section, it is seen as a safe spot for swimming. Alternatively, six miles south of Shoreston Cottages, you will find excellent watersports on the golden sands of Beadnell Bay where you can launch boats, rent surfboards, wetsuits and bikes or try your hand at kitesurfing, windsurfing, sea canoeing and waterskiing with accredited instructors.

For young explorers, pack a fishing net along with a sand bucket and enjoy a spot of rock-pooling for tiny shore crabs, starfish or periwinkles at Bamburgh Lighthouse at Harkness Rocks - named by Countryfile as one of the top ten rockpooling areas in Britain. Alternatively head to The Tumblers, the rocky intertidal shore immediately adjacent the harbour at Seahouses for a happy few hours rock-pooling for hermit crabs.

As well as boasting its own magnificent Castle, Bamburgh is home to its own Golf Club - an 18 hole golf course with outstanding views towards Lindisfarne, the Farne Islands and the Cheviot Hills. Rated by Golf World Magazine as ‘quite possibly the most beautiful and beautifully situated golf course in all England' this tricky links course will both challenge and delight. You will also find tennis courts in the village which can be hired for a nominal fee.

No visit to this area should go by without a visit to the Farne Islands, and a recent accolade by Sir David Attenborough should leave you in doubt as to its credentials when he declared it his favourite place in the UK to capture nature at its very best. Charters from Seahouses harbour run every day (weather permitting) and you will be enthralled by the thousands of breeding sea-birds and seals taking up every square foot of this incredible rocky outcrop, including over 37,000 pairs of characterful Puffins. The diving around this area is also a real treat with crystal clear waters, rich marine life, and numerous wrecks to explore, including the presence of those ever inquisitive grey seals!

The whole area is bursting with things to do here, dotted by a trail of castles and fortifications interspersed with pretty seaside villages all the way up and down the coast. Cross the causeway to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne to trace the legend of St. Cuthbert, head to Craster to sample their legendary oak smoked kippers, visit the beautiful gardens at Howick Hall, or head inland to experience the medieval splendour of Alnwick Castle with its fantastic child-friendly activity programme inspired by the wizardly magic and broomstick antics of Harry Potter.

Walking and cycling in this area is a delight with an abundance of trails and waymarked routes suitable for all ages and abilities. Take a four mile circular walk from Bamburgh to Budle Bay, where you can experience amazing sunsets over the bay in early evening, or follow the Coast and Castles circular, a dog-friendly stretch involving a moderate walk of 8.5 miles taking in both coast and country. For cyclists, there are family routes, leisure routes, and mountain biking trails with everything from easy coastal stretches to high energy treks in the vast wilderness of the Northumberland National Park which can be easily accessed from Wooler.