We are looking at renting a cottage in Northumberland for a week or two this summer. Can anybody recommend an area for us to search?

We want…
Reasonably sized picturesque village/town with pubs and shops
Close to the sea
Close to other attractions
Kiddie friendly (parks etc)
Grandparent friendly (not in the middle of nowhere)

Bum. Wrong forum.

Amble?

Avoid Amble if you can not really a nice holiday spot.

http://northumberlandbikebreaks.com/

Are very good run by a friend it's fantastic coast is bit further way but still only about 20-25 mins away.

On the coast look at Embleton, Bamburgh, Alnmouth or Beadnel area it's Northumberland though so shops aren't in a huge number but pubs a plenty.

If your wanting the shops then look at Alnwick, it's where the nice people live. 😀

The only place that I can think of that ticks all those boxes is Alnmouth – a nice mix of everything.

I'd avoid Amble, it a working town really.

Warkworth is a nice village with a modest range of shops and eateries.

Inland Alnwick is the obvious choice.

Seahouses is nice enough, and probably has everything you need, but not what you would call picturesque.

The whole area isn't very commercial (which may or may not be a bad thing for you), and if you don't like visiting castles other sorts of attractions are thin on the ground. If the weather is shite you'll struggle to entertain the kids for a fortnight.

Great beaches and very relaxing though!

hey drac, i emailed that place as per your recommendation before christmas, never heard anything back, are they away this time of year?

Seahouses is too much like a mini Blackpool visit it but don't stay there.

There's other attractions than castles but as you say spread about a bit, plenty of hiding places worth visiting. Play are with homemade ice cream for example is Morwick Farm near Warkworth makes the best ice cream.

Hiya riding,

Try again they had a long break over Xmas for obvious reasons I couldn't mention that in the earlier thread. Tim will answer is he gets the email.

ok, cheers, just resent query

Alnmouth. Small and very pretty. Good food (Red Lion – you can stay there too). A short (10 minutes) drive to Alnwick, where you can take the kids to the castle (where Harry Potter was filmed).

This summer, Mrs North and I shall be holidaying up there and, if BigDummy and Handsomedog of this parish are up for it, riding the Coast & Castles route at some point (if we don't do the C2C).

I love that part of the North East.

Try Rothbury, Armstrong's country house – cragside – is close by and you can wander up to the Simonside Hills, Selby's Cove and Ravensheugh, lots of nice walking.

Shhh! Stop telling people how good it is.

Ashington or Blyth should be the ticket.

Alnmouth and Red Lion very seconded. (Alnwick – also looks good)

(*FYI hope and Anchor in Alnmouth USED to advertise on ebay)

Visit Lindisfarne (but walk round to pier etc)

Howe, that'll be mint howe.

GEDA – Member
Ashington or Blyth should be the ticket.

lol

I saw some lovely looking log cabins on the south side of Kielder Water when I was last up there.
Not the sea, but Europe's largest man made reservoir (?).
It looked very peaceful with lots to do but you might be a little out on a limb up there.
Not sure, try Google as I may be selling the area a little short.
Fab' scenery and of course there's loads of mountain biking and across at Newcastleton which is one of the 7 Stanes.
See tomorrow's MBUK for more pictures (5 page spread).

There's **** all else around Kielder though.

I would not go on a holiday at Kielder. Day trip yes. Holiday no. Unless you like trees and migs. They should of spent all that money on the Kielder trails somewhere near a big population centre that would benefit tourism (Like Rothbury) not in the middle of nowhere where you drive in and out and spend nothing to support the local economy.

+1 Alnmouth very nice. Hard to get lets there though.

Or Bamburgh of course too.

Plenty of places. Even Amble isn't too bad – a lot cheaper to get a place in "high season" than somewhere like Bamburgh.

However all the coast is accessible so inland places are good too.

I do miss living up there and my favourite beach Duridge Bay.

The Alnwick area is great – striking distance to the sea, Edinburgh if you want, the Borders area, inland to the Cheviots and Simonside and South to Newcastle and the coast from North Shields, through Tynemouth & Cullercoats up to Whitley Bay. You've got a Wet & Wild there too if the weather bums out and the kids need wearing out. Newcastle has the Life Centre and a couple of good museums too.

Drac – Member
Shhh! Stop telling people how good it is.

🙂

No, you don't want to go there 😉

Any rumours of me going there this year may be true, can't wait 8)

Shhh! Stop telling people how good it is

Yes, you're absolutely right. It's terrible. I was mistaken in what I wrote earlier.

I mean, it's The North(tm) fer gawd's sake. Nothing good has ever come out of The North(tm). Stay in cramped Manchester and don't dare venture where the sky is big…. Oh damn, there I go again.

😉

still no reply 🙁

GEDA – Member
I would not go on a holiday at Kielder. Day trip yes. Holiday no. Unless you like trees and migs. They should of spent all that money on the Kielder trails somewhere near a big population centre that would benefit tourism (Like Rothbury) not in the middle of nowhere where you drive in and out and spend nothing to support the local economy.

+1 for that view. I don't personally rate the riding at Kielder so think it is even more of a waste.

Beadnell?

I live in Amble – its improved quite a bit and lots of holiday makers week talk too love it – however I wouldnt holiday here really.

Alnmouth, Beadnell, Bamburgh, Low Newton, Embleton, Craster

They will all require a 15min drive to Alnwick for shops but most have convenience stores and pubs. However the North Jesmond brigade are taking over most of the pubs to gastro monstrosities. Nowt worse than a posh Geordie!

Beaches – Druridge in the South, Warkworth/Alnmouth/Longhoughton in the middle, Bamburgh/Budle Bay/Goswick in the North.

still no reply

He will, Tim never sits still he's always busy and know he's doing more work on the house. He don't sit on a computer all day like me.

Another vote for Rothbury and N. bike breaks. Lovely cottage, we have stayed there, lovely people and some of the best natural riding in England as well as lots of things to do with the nippers.My missus' family are from Morpeth and she never passes an opportunity to get back to her roots!

Northumberland is the most fantastic place for a family holiday, and there is loads to do with a family apart from castles and the most beautiful beaches in England.

We were up there again last Easter – staying close to the border this time – and there were lots of small local attractions that filled half a day fairly cheaply. You are also close enough to the border to hop over to somewhere like the Jedbugh willife park (can't remember it's proper name), or even go into Edinburgh – we did Britannia one rainy day with our two (then aged 5 and 2)

Just don't keep going on about how great it is or it will get too busy….

Weather cannot be guaranteed – actually we've not had good weather there yet, but that is less important. If you can find a decent cottage on a farm, go at lambing time and the kids have ready made entertainment on tap – our two learned a huge amount this Easter, seeing the whole life cycle from birth to death as not all the cute fluffy things make it, sadly.

Don't do Amble, Seahouses or Kielder. Seahouses is tacky and crap, Amble's for locals although there is a good chippy and Kielder is a midgey fest. Anywhere else in striking distance of Alnwick, Rothbury, Bamburgh, Newcastle and Tynemouth should be good if there's amenities (pub). Craster/Embleton area.

Sounds like Alnwick to me.
Berwick Upon Tweed has a certain down-at-heel charm.
Rented a cottage on Holy Island a couple of times. Total chill out. Not too remote as long as you pay attention to the tide tables.

still nowt from tim@northumberlandbikebreaks.com better go and check on him Drac!

I've got this place booked in May. Good price

Handy for the surf at Beadnell n Embleton

http://www.northumbrian-cottages.info/property-details.aspx?qs=productid_e_200187

We went in October and had a great time. Such a beautiful part of the country with incredible beaches – Druridge bay in particular. Warkworth, Alnmouth, Alnwick were all nice places to stay. The best part is accomodation up there seems relatively cheap.

There's a really nice kid friendly italian restaurant in Amble (Zecca) as well, and another "restaurant" (more of a cafe with great food) in Warkworth. Everyone raves about Amble's chip shop – our local is better!

I did a wee 2 day bike tour (Alnmouth to Lockerbie) in Oct – lovely area, wasn't really near the coast though. Hexham seemed nice.

Crell – which chippy was it you went to in Amble? We have 4 – 3 good 1 bad.

cheers Drac, deposit sent,start saving for the welcome parade

I have been following this one with interest too and have just booked a cottage in Beadnell for a week in July through that northumbriuan cottages site -)