Why not do something different?
Experience REAL Northumberland and create memories to last a lifetime ....
There is so much to do, see and experience in Northumberland that you will be spoilt for choice - in fact many guests just HAVE to return to try to fit in all the places to see and things to do that they couldn't fit in during their first holiday!
When you arrive at your cottage, you'll find a small library of tourist information to browse through, along with one or more visitors' books which are filled with previous guests recommendations and ideas for great and memorable days out. We know many of our guests spend their Friday evenings or Saturdays mornings planning the weekend and following week to ensure they fit in as much as they want to.
Look on our "Families Welcome" page for specific days out for the family, although the vast majority of places to go and things to do are great for the whole family.
As well as castles, beaches, historic houses, quaint villages, interesting towns, stylish cities, national parks, great walks, cycling, boat trips and all the rest, you could actually chill and do something inspirational or totally relaxing.
Walking our wonderful coastline and countryside
You just can't visit Northumberland without walking at least one of the routes the county is famous for, such as the breathtaking scenery on the short walk from Craster fishing village to the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. Every one of our cottages has several books detailing walks of all levels of length and ease - including walks specifically aimed at enjoying with children. If you want to plan a walk or two before you arrive however, there are several websites to guide you, a Google search on "Walking in Northumberland" will present several really good ones. Walking Britain is one to start with.
Lifestyle Photography
Alison Groves is a renowed photographer in the North East and although she is famed for the latest fashionable Boudoir photography, she is possibly best known for her Lifestyle photography and the Northumberland coastline is the perfect backdrop for capturing those special moments for a lifetime. Alison's pictures are never posed, but are natural and impulsive. Whether you're a couple enjoying a romantic break, a family enjoying a special seaside holiday away or an extended family getting together to celebrate a momentous occasion, Alison can capture the moment forever on location. That location can be anywhere you choose - in the luxury of the cottage, at one of the many dramatic and dreamy castles on our beautiful coastline or simply on the beach and before you leave for home, you'll be invited to a slideshow viewing of your images, allowing you to relive the experience and choose your favourite pictures in a relaxed and informal environment. Contact Alison direct on 0191 222 1309 or email her at enquiries@alisongroves.com to arrange your own personal photo-shoot.
Wildlife Safari
Northern Experience Wildlife Tours provide exclusive natural history excursions with an enthusiastic, experienced and friendly leader, who has an intimate knowledge of Northern Britain. When you visit Northumberland, if you want to see whales, dolphins, otters, seals, Black Grouse, Goshawks or even Gatesheads' famous Red Kites, they'll be your guide to the spectacular wildlife of this beautiful area of the country. They offer half and full day trips - collecting you from your cottage in their specialised safari Landrover and even include packed lunches if required.
An exciting Safari Day itinerary on the coast could start with a boat trip across to the Farne Islands to enjoy the seabird colony and the Grey Seals which make the islands their home, followed by a Landrover safari up the coast and across the causeway onto Holy Island, viewing many areas of excellent wildlife habitat on the way.
Inland safaris usually involve a short walk, followed by a picnic lunch, and then a longer walk in the afternoon. Whatever the time of year, they can advise you on the best location within the area; in March, April and May, Kielder and The Cheviots really come into their own, particularly for birds of prey or, for a slightly longer day out, the wildflowers and waders of the North Pennines in May and June is difficult to beat.
They will collect you from your holiday cottage and return you there at the end of the trip. Typical costs are; 2 people £60 per person, 3-4 people (booking together) £55 per person, 5-6 people (booking together) £50 per person. Call Martin on 01670 827 465 for more information and to book your safari, or email him at martin@newtltd.co.uk.
Fishing
Fishing is very popular in the area. Permits are available to buy from the Village Store in Warkworth Village for around £5 per day. More information and day permits are available from The Northumbrian Anglers Federation. There are many stretches of the River Coquet around Warkworth where you can fish, including the area directly in front of Coquet View and Sunny Cottage, but all our properties are within a minute's stroll of this section of the river. Please check when the season ends, it's usually around the end of October, after which you are not permitted to fish until the Spring. See below for more information on fly fishing in the area.
Fishing from the riverside directly in front of Coquet View.
Northumbrian Fly Fishing
Anyone who has ever tried Fly Fishing will tell you that fishing from the river bank in the middle of Northumberland on a sunny afternoon is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable ways to unwind from the stresses of everyday life. Whiling away the hours casting and catching anything from a Trout to a Salmon in the beautiful waters of a Northumberland river is a most rewarding experience for beginners and skilled anglers alike.
Kevin Dawson is a qualified instructor in Game Angling and offers expert tuition for a half or full day in some of the most beautiful spots of our beautiful countryside. Kevin has spent many years refining his skills on the River Coquet, where he now instructs people in a wide range of fly fishing skills. Kevin is blessed with a jovial personality, which makes your experience fun as well as relaxing and informative! Take a look on the Northumbrian Fly Fishing website for more information. Whether you are a novice or have many years experience, on your own or with pals or the family, you'll have a memorable and enjoyable day out.
To find out more about fishing on the waterways and on and off the coast of Northumberland, visit the Environment Agency website for a wealth of information on where to fish, where to purchase a rod licence and a details of our local species.
Alnwick Castle and Garden
As well as visiting the castle and award winning gardens, there are lots of different events on throughout the year which you can participate in.
Warkworth Drama Group
Warkworth has an excellent Amateur Drama Group, which presents plays and pantomines throughout the year in the Memorial Hall in Castle Street. Tickets for upcoming performances are sold in the Village Store.
We also have an excellent Playhouse theatre in Alnwick (just 8 miles north of Warkworth), that hosts drama productions and various forms of music concert throughout the year and also shows latest release films at other times. WELL worth a visit - if you can fit one in!
Enjoy painting? Want to improve your painting skills or technique?
The Coquetdale Arts Centre in Rothbury was originally set up, for the benefit of locals and visitors alike, to promote to work of local artists and provide the opportunity to learn from some of Northumberland's finest by offering a range of courses and classes in painting techniques and styles. These take place on Wednesdays from 1pm to 4pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm, which make them perfect to fit into your holiday schedule and allow you acquire a specific skill to take home with you and build upon.
An example of classes held in 2007 are "Joe Hush - Waterfalls and Turbulent Water", "Ken Spencer - Buildings and Cityscapes" and "Coastal Scenes by David Holliday".
They also have dedicated exhibition space with regular events.
Look at the Coquetdale Arts Centre website for more information and forthcoming classes and contact them directly to book a place.
Golf
There are several good golf courses locally, including Warkworth Golf Club, located on the links, just behind the sand dunes at Warkworth. Telephone for information on opening times and green fees. Tel: 01665 711596.
Take a boat trip to the Farne Islands
The Farne islands, a rocky collection of islands located 2 to 3 miles offshore between Bamburgh and Seahouses, are the most famous sea bird santuary in the British Isles. They are home to many thousands of puffins, kittiwakes, auks, gannets, razerbills, cormorants and arctic terns. In fact in 1999, there were 182 species of birds recorded on the islands. Visitors are encouraged to wear a hard hat to protect from dive bombing terns! There is also a large colony of atlantic grey seals. What makes a trip to the Farnes really special is the feeling of being immersed in the natural world. The birds don't seem to have any fear of humans but seem to accept them as "guests" for the day. Trips can be made from Seahouses and Amble. Amble is closer to Warkworth, at just 1 mile south, but the sea trip is longer than that from Seahouses. There are several good operators to choose from and each of our cottages has information on all of them, once you arrive. However, here are the details of one of the boat owners if you wish to make advance enquiries:
Billy Shiels Farne Island Boat Trips
Tel: 01665 720308 E-mail: ENQUIRIES@farne-islands.com Web: www.farne-islands.com
Boat trips to Farne Islands from Seahouses. Visit the grey seal colonies whilst listening to the commentary. All-day bird-watching trips during the breeding season. Licensed by the National Trust to land on the Bird Sanctuaries.
INNER FARNE BIRD SANCTUARY: This tour lasts approximately 2� hours including one hour spent on Inner Farne. The tour includes a cruise around all the Farne Islands, viewing the sea birds on the cliff faces, visiting the Grey Seal colonies and also follows the route Grace Darling and her father took during their heroic rescue in 1838. A full commentary is given en-route. For further details see their website.
Cycle Hire
Why not hire bikes for the day? One of the best ways to see and experience the best of Northumberland is on a bike. The breathtaking coast, the magnificent castles, stopping for a picnic on a beach or by a river.....
1 mile south of Warkworth, in Amble is Pedal-Power, where you can hire bikes for the day or longer, for adults and kids. They also have tandems, child seats and tag-alongs, so whatever your ability level or age, there's a cycle to suit you. They will even deliver the bikes to you at your holiday property and collect them when you're done! They also provide helmets, cycle repair kits, locks and maps. We have secure storage for bikes close to all our properties, just tell us you need this when you book.
If you mention to them you are staying in one of our properties, they will give you a discount on the hire charge.
Birdwatching
Northumberland is the perfect place for birdwatchers, there are SO many places to go to see some magnificent birds - both local and migratory. Some of our cottages are located right on the riverbank, such as Coquet View and Lane End Cottage. Waterside and Riverside are not only positioned right on the riverside, but also overlook a Site of Special Scientific Interest. All of our other cottages are just steps away from the river, as it surrounds the village on 3 sides (see photo above). There are seats positioned at many places so that you can just sit - with or without binoculars - and watch the local birdlife; swans, ducks, seabirds, herons and kingfishers, but also watch for migrating birds such as terns, swifts, etc. and seals popping their heads up at high-tide. Most of our cottages have several guide and reference books for birdwatchers - and naturewatchers generally!
Just a few miles away are both Druridge Bay Countryside Park and Nature Reserve and Hawksley Nature Reserve. Both are great places to undulge in a passion for birdwatching! The Farne Islands of course are unmissable! A group of islands forming a National Nature Reserve, boat trips can be taken hourly during the breeding season from Seahouses or nearby Amble (1 mile away). Here you can see puffins, auks, gannets, razerbills, cormorants, kittiwakes, shags, terns and many more beautiful birds, as well as hundreds of seals. In Amble harbour (1 mile south), you can see many eider ducks, this is one of the few places in the UK you'll see them. There are several other special places to visit in the locally, too many to list here, but we've found a really good website which is a mine of information for birdwatchers called Fatbirder.net which gives only a wealth of interesting news and information, but more specific information regarding Northumberland.
Tourist Information Brochures
Of course there is so much to do as a family in and around Warkworth and further afield. There are lots of brochures and leaflets in each of our properties for you to choose where to go and what to do during your holiday. There is something for everyone - young and old. We also have maps and guide books on suggested walks and cycle routes in the area. See our Places To Visit page for many more ideas.
Local Events, Festivals, Theatre Productions, Workshops, Arts and Crafts, etc., etc.
Northumber is packed with all sorts of activities going on every day with something to interest everyone, from arts and crafts, to drama workshops, to village fairs and country shows, through to heritage tours and talks. Click here to link to one of the best websites around to find out What's On in Northumberland.
Why not book a long weekend break out of season?
You may not be wearing swimsuits on the beach in winter, but you can have just as much fun! We have bright sunny days from Autumn through to Spring and there's still plenty to do and see in Warkworth and further afield. Our favourite is to fly our kites from the top of the dunes at Warkworth Beach - guaranteed to make us smile and give us rosy cheeks! Our long weekends are increasingly popular out of season, especially when you can avoid using any more of your holiday allowance from work AND avoid the kids missing any school days during term-time. We have quite a few regular guests who, every year, have a long weekend in their favourite cottage in Warkworth. Everyone, Mums, Dads and kids look forward to it every year. The Warkworth Christmas Shopping Event, held on the third Friday in November every year (exact date t.b.c.) is extremely popular, when all accommodation in the area gets fully booked for the weekend (so don't leave it too late to book!). Every art gallery, gift shop, cafe, pub and restuarant is open from 6pm until late with complimentary drinks and mince pies offered in many shops to help you get into the Christmas spirit! The Christmas lights - twinkling from tree to tree the whole length of the main street, as well as on the village Christmas tree - are ceremoniously switched on at 6pm and carols are sung in the square all evening. Some of our guests have declared that they did ALL of their Christmas shopping in the one evening! Wonderful!
Returning for another holiday?
We are very happy to offer a 10% discount on the total holiday price to all guests returning for another holiday with us.
