Seaton Deleval for ice cream 😀

Went passed the shop at Easter Bank Holiday Monday when I was at work, the queue was about 150yds long.

I concur with Craster to Dunstanburgh. Some amazing coastline along there.

Holy Island is pretty cool too, but it will be rife with tourists. And make sure you check the tide times before you go!

Cragside: Very pretty + great industrial heritage (Vickers-Armstrong and Swann electric lights etc).
Warkworth Castle
Bamburgh Castle
Lidisfarne castle
Bargain books
Percy Arms near Belford.

OP: If you like real ale, Belgian beers and malt whisky, the John Bull Inn in Alnwick is fab.

Drac – do you know the owners of those cottages you suggested?

Drac – do you know the owners of those cottages you suggested?

Nope just been in them through work. 😀

Are you some kind of self-catering “secret shopper”?
😉

Hahaha!

stayed here a few times a few different size cottages not sure if any just for 2 – right by beach but a bit of a walk to pub – fine by bike

http://www.linkhousefarm.co.uk/

The bookshop in Alnwick is inside the old railway station and has its own train chuffing around inside. Good for picking up bargain books.

Cragside is fantastic if you like Arts & Crafts design and the pre-raphaelites; a really stunning place to visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cragside

Lindisfarne is definitely a must; have a look at the album cover for Lindisfarne’s excellent Fog on the Tyne album and see if you can find the same doorway for a photo.

It is a great area. If you have three days it would be worth spending plenty of time near or in Berwick. The walls offer a lovely walk right around the town and down to the lighthouse on the end of the harbour. Coldingham Bay, Spittal beach and Cocklawburn beaches are great the latter offers a great walk heading towards Holy Island. Also good walks from the town along the river Tweed to the Chain Bridge and Paxton House about 5 miles each way.

If you want food for self catering the Pizzaiola has a good wood fired oven and there is an M&S Simply Food on the Spittal side of town.

We had our first trip up there over Easter. Really enjoyed it. Most of our highlights have already been mentioned above:

Holy Island / Lindisfarne – if you can, try and stay over the tide – I was put off the place a bit by the crowds when we first arrived but once the causeway is covered, the place becomes deserted and is really magical once most of the visitors have left for the day. The castle is really interesting. Crown and Anchor was good for food but make sure you book! Try to return across the causeway at sunset. Stunning. Also worth checking out the beaches on the North side of the island.

Lower Newton – lovely beach, and the Ship is great for a drink but again you need to book for food. Walk to the end of the beach for a great view of Dunstanburgh castle.

Cragside was a great day out – lovely gardens and loads of interest for kids of all ages, particularly if you have an interest in engineering.

Dunstanburgh – Craster was rammed so we parked at Dunstan Steads and walked from there along the beach, which I’d also recommend.

Low tide walk from Seahouses to Bamburgh was lovely – some great rockpools en route.

Boat trip to Farne Islands was great – we were a bit early for puffins but loads of kittiwakes, shags and guillemots and umpteen seals.

We really liked The Old Ship in Seahouses – some may find it a bit tacky as it’s crammed full of nautical stuff, but good fun nonetheless. The beer garden there has lovely view of the harbour and Farnes.

Admittedly we were there over Easter but I was genuinely surprised how busy everywhere was and how difficult it was to eat out without booking – we live in Devon, so are used to crowds in the summer around the coastal resorts here and over the Tamar but some places we visited were even more rammed than we are used to down here.

Admittedly we were there over Easter but I was genuinely surprised how busy everywhere was and how difficult it was to eat out without booking – we live in Devon, so are used to crowds in the summer around the coastal resorts here and over the Tamar but some places we visited were even more rammed than we are used to down here.

Easter was insanely busy this year the good weather helped but I’ve not seen it so busy for a very long time, even during the summer.

Vindolanda gives you a double ticket to the other place nearby, can’t remember the name but we certainly got one.

Housesteads?
Sycamore Gap is worth checking out just because you’ll never see the end of it on telly and movies
Also Lindisfarne, rife with tourists, but check the tide tables and leave it as late as possible to get back but not this late

No, it’s the Roman Army museum at Cawfields. Housesteads is English Heritage/NT but Vindolanda and the RAM are privately owned. They keep digging things up at Vindolanda. “Oh, another Roman sandal. Hey ho”

Vindolanda/housesteads/Crag Lough/the wall in general are a long, long way from Berwick. Great as they are, a 4 hour round trip seems a bit OTT on a three day trip.

el-shalimo… Have a look at poppy cottage embleton…

Welcome to Poppy Cottage | Embleton

Belongs to a friend, it’s small but lovely.

Dr_death: thanks, its booked but I’ve found somewhere nearby via one of secret self-catering shopper Drac’s links
😀

Berwick is well within reach of the borders too – eg Floors castle (kelso). But there’s probably enough to do closer than that.

Aye it’s about 1/4 mile from the Border. 😀

About 2-3 miles on my map. But who’s counting.