We welcome all our visitors from Easter to October, of course.  But we don't need to have the winter all to ourselves: we don't close down !  Quite the contrary: we have our wintertime celebrations.

And on quite ordinary winter days it is good to be out and about, on the beach perhaps -

- or among the dunes.

We admit to its not being sunny ALL the time, but some folk obviously enjoy their sport in all weathers.

Unusually, the start of 2010 saw Seahouses, in common with every other part of the UK, suffering temporary whitenings.  But unlike many, our shops, schools and transport carried on regardless.  In fact, some local walks such as this one along the one-time railway track were transformed into a wonderland.

But it turned out that UK was to suffer two more bouts of snow within 2010, global warming notwithstanding.  The harbour was virtually deserted in late November, but the sun's rays could still pick out our neighbouring castle at Bamburgh.

As any plumber knows, underground water doesn't freeze.  So all the cliff-face springs continued running, reaching freezing exposure and decorating the back-shore with a selection of seasonal stalactites.

We can guarantee some winter deliveries on the Farne Islands. Newborn 'grey' seals are coloured by the Wardens to distinguish who's been counted from who hasn't.  This one was beginning to explore the world in November. Boat trips from Seahouses harbour to the Farne Islands continue through the winter, but on request rather than to a preset timetable.

Have you had a look at the web pages of SEAHOUSES ROCKS and SAND and SAND DUNES?  Nearly all those photos were taken in winter, between December and February.

Then there are the country walks, perhaps more sheltered than the beaches, certainly with less traffic than in high season.

Wayside wild snowdrops.

Seahouses Golf Club course has the good fortune to be on free-draining sandy soil.  Water-logging is almost unheard-of.  So with ground frosts rare and snow only coming with each blue moon we can pretty well guarantee a full playing circuit whenever you feel like a game.

Coastal lowlands are usually excused any snowfalls occurring further inland, especially on higher ground.  But the Cheviots, seen here from Seahouses golf course, can be visited by those for whom snow presents opportunities.

But December 2010 proved that this is not a universal truth.  The golf course was given over solely to walkers, particularly those with four-feet drive, for several days.  And when the thaw arrived the snow melted while the soil was still frozen, enabling the golfing facilities to play host to a different class of visitor altogether.

Holiday homes don't have to be restricted to being summer-holiday homes.  Seahouses' houses' insulation is just as cosy as anyone else's !  Mobile homes' too !!

We live here happily all year round of course, so all the essentials are always available: it's only a tiny minority of shops that have restricted opening times 'out of season'.

The Seahouses Tourist Information Centre on the main (Seafield) carpark is open during the winter months from 11am to 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

• Enquiries can be made at any time through the NorthEast Tourist Team on 0191 375 3010 (fax 0191 386 0899).
• The Alnwick Tourist Information Centre is open all year, 01665 510665; alnwick@alnwick.gov.uk, or at 2 The Shambles, ALNWICK, NE66 1TN

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