We had a wonderful time staying at this charming country cottage. From the second we arrived we knew we had chosen the right place for our holiday - the location is perfect for exploring, and easy to find following the directions provided and a mile down the road straight off the A1 - but you would never know it as it is lovely and quiet. The views heading back to the A1 are something off a postcard, with panoramic views of the beach, Holy Island in the sea, and if you catch it at the right time of day you can even see the causeway! We did not realise how close it was until then, but if you just head straight over the A1 then you are right there on the causeway! Parking was very convenient round the back of the cottage, right in front of the door - we have a Tiguan and had plenty of space to maneuver and park up. And the views from the second we stepped out the car are Beautiful!The cottage itself has excellent amenities - the kitchen had everything we could have needed. We like to cook and often have to make things ourselves due to dietary restrictions and for once we were not restricted by lack of pans, utensils, or cutlery. The first thing to note is that the cottage is definitely bigger than it looks in the pictures, so there was loads of space in all the rooms, to cook and eat in the kitchen, to relax in the living room, as well as handy shoe racks and coat pegs for those muddy boots and coats after a day out and about. Whilst we spent most of our time out exploring, everything about the cottage was excellent, it was so clean and tidy, the owners have left very comprehensive notes explaining all the quirks of this classic country cottage. The garden area looks lovely, and I am sure would be great in the summer to relax. There was a selection of books and games free for use, as well as the TV and a selection of family friendly DVDs too which was so lovely as you often forget to bring back up activities for bad weather days. The Wifi was also great all through the house and we had no issues streaming our favourite shows in an evening. Our favourite thing about this cottage by far is the Wood Burning Stove - it is fantastic and the best way to get cosy and warm. The petrol station at the top of the road by the A1 had everything you needed for the fire too - very handy being so close!We did our "big shop" in Alnwick on our way up which was very handy as there is a big supermarket just off the A1 and it is around half an hour down the road, but there are a couple of local shops and we didn't find ourselves struggling to find anything. Places to eat - Lindisfarne Inn off the A1 had a good atmosphere and decent food. We also looked at the Black Bull in Lowick and Bluebell Inn Crookham - looked lovely, we just ran out of time to visit! You never struggle to find places to go out to eat.Our Highlights - Bamburgh castle - truly amazing place to visit, the scale is breathtaking - not too expensive to get in. We really enjoyed the Christmas decorations, as well as the fab sausage rolls and cuppa! Lovely walks but steep if going from car park which is reasonably priced.Seahouses - lovely little local shops to wander round, and a great beach which you can walk on up to Bamburgh. We went on a boat trip round the Farne Islands which was Fantastic! We got to see the seals and their pups, and get so close which was amazing! But you do need to wrap up warm!!! Pub was a definite must visit to warm up after boat!Dunstanburgh Castle - amazing walk, best fun, free parking but out in the middle of countryside, so on wet days be prepared to get muddy boots. There is no real car park but we didn't have any issue parking in the designated area there, although if it was busy I think turning the car round might have been a challenge. Alnwick - highlights for us were Barters Books - well worth a visit, the castle and gardens - it was a shame we missed Christmas lights as that would have been lovely to see. Overall the whole countryside is just breathtaking, there are amazing views on every drive making the whole experience so enjoyable! Beautiful sunsets and moonrises. Overall 10/10 stay - looking forward to coming back.
