Location guide
Jeremy Walker explains how to reach this striking medieval castle on the Northumberland coast
jeremy Walker offers up his expertise for shooting dunstanburgh castle on the Northumberland coast
Dunstanburgh Castle is a large ruined castle on the Northumberland coast situated on a rocky headland between the small villages of Embleton and Craster. The castle was built to take advantage of the landscape and sea cliffs, and this has led to it being in a spectacular and prominent location for photographers and artists alike. For the purposes of shooting, the best views are from outside the castle along the coast and on the beaches.
There is no vehicular access but there is public parking at Dunstan Steads, which is north west of the castle, and at Craster, south of the castle. Dunstan Steads is slightly nearer but I have always preferred the walk from Craster as you see more of the castle in profile and it is a far more interesting angle and shape to photograph as the massive gatehouse dominates the view. There is also more opportunity for interesting foreground in the approach from the south, with rocky outcrops and tidal pools for interest. On the Embleton side of the castle is a fantastic boulder-strewn beach with a view of the cliffs and Lilburn Tower but from this angle you do not see much else of the castle ruins.
Whichever direction you approach the castle from, you will be on a public footpath and there is plenty of scope for different angles and views. The southern approach is a gentle slope, while on the north side of the castle there are cliffs reaching to almost 100ft (30m).