Craster

Craster is a small fishing village on the beautiful Northumbrian coast in England. It has a very attractive little harbour and a view second to none northwards along the rocky shore to the spectacular ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. This is the nearest point of access to the castle and the approach must be made on foot as there is just a grassy path. The next village to the north is Embleton.

It has had for many years a herring-curing business and Craster kippers are well known. The local herrings are still smoked in the traditional way by the Robson family. The remains of a tower on the end of the harbour are all that can be seen now of the much taller building which was part of the overhead equipment which used to convey the local stone from where it was quarried to boats in the harbour.

Craster Tower on the outskirts of the village is the home of the Craster family, who owned the quarry and had the harbour improved for its benefit. A memorial on the harbour wall commemorates a member of the Craster family who died serving with the British army in Tibet in the 19th century.

The walk along the coast to the south is almost as spectacular as that to the north and passes by Cullernose Point, an example of the basaltic cliffs which are a significant feature of the landscape in this area.