Christmas self catering in Alnwick. Will it work?

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Hi all I can't decide so asking you lovely lot!

For Xmas 2021 I would like to go away, self catering with 2 DC under 4. Have found a lovely looking place in Alnwick. It's a 4h drive from home. There are supermarkets and a few attractions for DC but I'm worried there's not enough nearby given they are so young and the weather might be bad. I will be bringing a car full of toys to rotate!

Will it be a lovely festive holiday or will it be an icy hell?! Please help!

Sounds like a nightmare to me. You would need to bring all the presents and cook a Christmas dinner in a kitchen you don't know. The kids will be unsettled and everything will be closed. I would warn against it.

Same, my mum is often talking about this but the idea of getting all the kids, all the presents, all the food into the car etc and then cooking the meal in a kitchen I don't know ... no thank you

We went to Wales and rented a cottage for Christmas once. It was perfect! They even put up a Christmas tree for us. We live in Northumberland and there's loads to do around Alnwick even on a cold, wet day. Barter Books is a great place to go with the kids as there's a great children's section with seats. The beach is great any day and the Aln Valley Railway or Heatherslaw may be open for Santa specials. Don't expect the castle to be open, but Alnwick Gardens has fantastic Christmas events and a skating rink in normal times, although of course, no-one can predict what this Christmas will be like.

We did it last year to Keswick. The kitchen was much bigger than I have at home including a double oven so cooking was great! Also had a proper big dining table which we don't have at home so lovely to eat together.

The kids were unsettled, yes. They don't sleep very well at home / play quietly at home anyway so it wasn't much different than I'm used to tbh.

Things being closed is one of my concerns. Keswick is quite a touristy area so lots of things were open. But Alnwick isn't particularly touristy I don't think so things won't be open. I'm also worried about the 4h drive in possibly freezing or generally bad windy or rainy weather. The drive would be hell and then we'd be stuck in the house as too dangerous to drive.

If it’s just you and kids don’t waste your money. It will be a nightmare of logistics, shopping, break in routine, absence of familiar comforts. How would your day(s) be any different?? If going mob handed as a big family group, great fun to be away at Xmas

@dalismoustache x posted!

Thanks for the tips!

I am thinking Alnwick might be better for when the kids are older say 5 and 7 it does look beautiful up there!

A friend of mine does it but they go to the same place every year, they get an online delivery to arrive when they get there so don’t have to worry about food etc.

The same amount of things will be open there than at home, sometimes a change of scenery is all you need.

We did a uk self catering holiday last summer, ended up staying in the caravan because it rained. We played cards, watched movies. DS said it was his best holiday ever!

Not sure where you got the idea that Alnwick isn't touristy! It's very touristy and heaving at the moment . You can also hop on the train to Newcastle very easily (from Alnmouth Station). It's less than half an hour away and has loads to do for kids.

It’s beautiful but it’s fecking freezing. I love going to visit family up there but it’s a big group/romantic thing to do. Christmas is fun enough without adding stress-stay at home and go at Easter.

Here's the link to the Christmas events at Alnwick Gardens: www.alnwickgarden.com/christmas/

We have just got back from a week near Alnwick it's so beautiful up there the beaches are the best I've seen in the uk but I guess it could be a bit bleak in December? Personally I love a winter beach walk but it's not everyone's cup of tea
Alnwick town is small and we found the gardens a bit disappointing but absolutely loved barter books and nearby bamburgh and lindisfarne

Sorry, just realised it looks like that link is a placemarker for the events they're going to have and they haven't filled in the proper content yet.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I found Alnwick bleak and remote in May. I would not go there in December for a break. I also found it weirdly threatening in the evening with boy racers tearing round the streets. There’s no way I would go with those ages, especially so far from home - Keswick is very different.

In case you do decide to go to the Alnwick area at any point, there's a current thread in the travel section just on Alnwick and the area www.mumsnet.com/Talk/uk/4288186-alnwick?pg=2

We’ve done this many many times. The first when DD was 10 weeks old. With friends and their kids who share our feelings about Xmas. (Which basically differs from most other people’s. No Santa, few presents, eat what we want, play games and watch films and have snowball fights.)