Amble, sometimes known by its other name Warkworth Harbour, is a small town that developed on the northern edges of the Northumberland coalfield. It's main purpose was exporting locally mined coal, a trade that declined after the war and dried up completely in the 60s. It's an attractive place for the sailor with Coquet Island just offshore, good coastal scenery and the historic Warkworth close by.  The Pan Bush shallows in the approach mean the visiting yachtsman or motorboater needs to take care.

It is nowadays host to a small fishing fleet and a sizeable number of pleasure craft based at the Marina or on drying moorings.

For the small boat navigator the harbour is easy to identify from seawards because of the above-mentioned island, but this can cause it's own the navigational hazards as can the shallow patch Pan Bush lurking more or less in the harbour approach. In strong onshore conditions or heavy swell seas break over Pan Bush and in the approaches to the harbour. In these conditions small craft need to keep well clear. ... read more

Trinity House, a good few years back, removed all the coastal buoyage from the Northumberland coast, which have made the approaches to Amble (especially from the South) somewhat more tricky. Any kind of approach from the South involves dealing with Coquet Island.

The petrified mariner (who generally lives to be an old petrified mariner) will set his course well to seawards of Coquet Island, before making his turn inwards to the harbour. He will also allow plenty of clearance to the rocky ledges and shallow patches projecting from the north of the island.

Full pilotage directions now follow: ... read more

The first length of quay you come across on your port side is used by fishing boats, this is followed by the inlet to a small drying dock for local cobles. Next on your port side is Radcliff Quay followed by the entrance to Amble Marina. Full details and visitors prices are now provided:

Amble Marina is entered between a red can buoy (leave to port) and an easterly Cardinal beacon. Here you will be able to lie afloat, and the water is kept in the Marina by a cill... the depth over the cill is shown on the tide gauge at the entrance. Vessels drawing 1.5 m can normally cross the cill 3 1/2 hours either side of high water springs, and maybe four hours either side of high water neaps. ... read more