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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Northumberland - is 2 weeks too long?

32 replies

verylapsedrunner · 27/04/2009 11:21

Finally we're going to make it to Northumberland this summer (been on my hit list for some time). Would a week near Bamburgh/Lindisfarne to do the beaches/castles followed by a week right beside Hadrain's Wall be overkill? We would be self catering, enjoy the outdoors and will have the dog in tow. DS(6) heavily into castles & Romans. I don't really want to base ourselves somewhere between the 2 as would rather have the full on castle/beach/Hadrians Wall experience without having to do full day trips.
Am I mad?

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Lilymaid · 27/04/2009 11:31

It's a big area, so, provided the weather's decent, there's plenty you can do over two weeks. You would be better off having two bases.
We were in Bamburgh last summer and plan to go back again (and again)

Original poster
verylapsedrunner · 27/04/2009 12:02

Thanks Lilymaid (I seem to have created this post twice by accident!). Yes, I've already booked what I plan to be the second week in a cottage right by Hadrians Wall and I reckon there is easliy enough in that area alone for a week. I have my eye on a place near Bamburgh as well.

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BettyTurnip · 27/04/2009 12:04

Northumberland is my home county and it's lovely

Threadworm · 27/04/2009 12:05

Can I recommend the National Trust property Cragside while you are in Northumbria. WE went there yesterday and had a fabulous time. Huge wildish parkland to romp in with dog, and a really interesting house filled with period bits-and-bobs that even my feral sons found absorbing.

BettyTurnip · 27/04/2009 12:11

Alnwick Gardens

Original poster
verylapsedrunner · 27/04/2009 12:16

Thanks everyone, keep them coming....but is 2 weeks too long?

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Lilymaid · 27/04/2009 12:41

Lindisfarne; walk walls of Berwick on Tweed; Dunstanburgh; trip to Farne Islands; beach days anywhere down that bit of coast; Alnwick Gardens and Castle (need a day and try to fit in a trip to Barter Books as well); Cragside, Rothbury and the Simonside Hills; Ford & Etal and the little railway there; Housesteads; Vindolanda; Upper Tees Valley - including the waterfalls; Allendale ... could go on and on ...

hairtwiddler · 27/04/2009 12:44

day trip to Newcastle too - seven stories centre for children's books, discovery museum, new great north museum opening in may.
I think you'll find plenty to do...

Also - whitehouse farm centre near morpeth.
Fish and chips on the beach at blyth.
Once west trips to hexham, corbridge, kielder.

Plenty to do.

Flibbertyjibbet · 27/04/2009 12:50

We went to bamburgh two years in a row for a week at a time. Could have easily stayed another week each time. We didn't even go there just mooched on the beach with the ds's each day, wandered into the village, seahouses, berwick etc etc. Oh and those villages at Ford and Etal, and the little railway there, the flour mill I think at Etal (stocked up for the breadmaker).

My mother is a geordie and it was lovely to take my kiddies to all the places we went to on daytrips from Wallsend when we stayed at grandmas.

Sooo many castles and things to do and see - I'd go back like a shot but there are other parts of the world to see and at the moment we can only afford one week away a year.

Original poster
verylapsedrunner · 27/04/2009 12:58

Thanks everyone, I'm beginning to think my two centre two week holiday is not such a bad idea after all

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SandyChick · 27/04/2009 13:40

Hello, im a geordie. Im from Gateshead but my hubby is from Northumberland (newbiggin by the sea). Tynemouth has a lovely beach and fab fish and chips! If weather isnt too good and you need indoor activities There's Blue Reef Aquarium

SandyChick · 27/04/2009 13:43

We live in Durham so if you have time you should try to visit Durham. Its 10 mins on the train from Newcastle.

Threadworm · 27/04/2009 14:18

Dunstanburgh Castle is lovely and the walk to it from Craster is great. Exposed and poss chilly, though. If you walk past the castle there is a lovely golden beach with a great sand dune to run down.

GooseyLoosey · 27/04/2009 14:22

Warkworth Castle is nice too and not nearly as expensive as things like Alwick.

A walk around the town walls in Berwick is also quite good.

Agree that the walk from Craster to Dunstanburgh is lovely. Take a picnic up with you though as although there is a tiny shop there which sells coffee, there is not much else and it is a fairly long walk with children (although dd did it at age 3).

Original poster
verylapsedrunner · 27/04/2009 20:12

Thanks everyone

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Original poster
verylapsedrunner · 27/04/2009 20:16

Just one other thing, has anyone stayed at the Mizen Head Hotel Bamburgh?

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jalopy · 28/04/2009 22:03

We always do a two centre two week holidays in the UK. Many advantages. Would go stir crazy in one place.

Original poster
verylapsedrunner · 28/04/2009 22:04

Thanks jalopy, at last someone whose does what I am planning

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LaDiDaDi · 28/04/2009 22:18

I don't know. Is 31 years? .

We were at Cragside on Sunday too . I felt that the price for the gardens alone was a bit steep so if you think that your dc are old enough to appreciate the house (which is lovely) then I would pay for that.

Alnwick Castle and Gardens are a must and could easily be a whole day with a walk around the town.

Bamburgh is beautiful.

I love Warkworth, my favourite castley village. Lovely walk along the river and a nice beach too. Great icecreams at Morwick Dairy just along the road from there.

Other cool castles at Etal, Ford and Norham. Ford holds many happy memories of school residential trips for me; GCSE History and Geography and then again for A level Biology .

Alnmouth is lovely, there were a couple of Spring Walks published in the Times on Sat, one was around Alnmouth I think and the other around Hadrian's wall.

Morpeth is a pretty market town and Whitehouse farm is good.

There is a colliery musuem at Woodhorn Village which I've not visited but is meant to be v.good.

I would do a day in Newcastle to see the Millenium Bridge and walk around the Quayside. There is a nice cafe at the Baltic and the Pitcher and Piano on the quayside is ina good spot for a lunch too (kids are v. welcome) and Piccolinos is also around here and yummy. You could combine it with a trip to Segendum ?sp, a Roman site in Wallsend.

Tynemouth is great too, lovely beach and the Priory.

I'd also definitely recommend a trip to Durham, fab as you come in on the train.

If you like Indian food I'd also recommend the Valley in Corbridge or it's sister restuarant in Hexham.

Original poster
verylapsedrunner · 28/04/2009 22:37

Very comprehensive LaDiDaDi

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foxytocin · 28/04/2009 22:56

while in newcastle, ds would like the roman museum [segedunum (sp)] at wallsend - directly across from swanhunter shipyard.

cartrip up the little B road that parallels the A69 and from time to time you travel within feet of the wall, it appearing and reappearing at different sides of the road. but not big and impressive so you need to have an eye for that sort of thing.

If you go to Housesteads, the museum there is v. good and a lot of ruins to see. there is a great little walk along the wall, going west. If you go for about 1.5 miles you come to the Robin Hood Tree. It is a short car drive to Vindolanda and looking back out of the car windows will give you a fantastic panoramic view of Housesteads and the surrounding countryside.

LaDiDaDi · 28/04/2009 23:01

Do you think I could get a job for the tourist board? .

Tigerbear · 28/04/2009 23:10

2 weeks prob not enough! I'm a Geordie, live in London now.
Family still live in Newcastle, and there are loads of places I still haven't visited up there. Northumberland is stunning, and there will be plenty to do for a DS who loves castles!
Have a lovely time!

gibbberish · 28/04/2009 23:13

I am so !

We went to Northumbernland for 5 days last year and it wasn't long enough - we loved it. We are definitely going to go back with the children.

No you are not mad. There seems to be loads to do and 2 weeks is not too long. Enjoy!

dweezle · 29/04/2009 09:08

Barter Books in Alnwick - great for a rainy afternoon. Fish and chips at Seahouses. Doddington dairy ice cream. Craster kippers . Howick Gardens are lovely.

Walk along beach between Warkworth and Alnmouth - have a look at the cobles in Alnmouth harbour.