Here are some our principal booking conditions, together with some useful information about your stay. Please contact us if you have any question.
Here are our full booking terms. Please read these carefully, as they will form the basis of your contract with us.
Please note that due to new Fire Regulations we are not allowed to provide candles or tealights in the cottage and the use of them is prohibited unless they are battery powered.
We have tried to think of everything you might require for a comfortable stay in Pepperclose Cottage.
You could be asked what the 3 words are for Pepperclose Cottage for instance by emergency services, police etc.
The 3 words are:
Why not have some wine delivered to your cottage while on holiday?
Rothbury Wines offer a brilliant personal service. They will personally deliver wines to your cottage at a time that is convenient to yourselves.
Please have a look at their excellent website at www.rothburywines.co.uk.
They they have some really interesting wines from all around the world and their prices are very competitive.
Bamburgh Area
We strongly advise you to book tables in advance. Listed here are some local favourites with phone numbers and some websites.
Seahouses has a variety of take-aways and fish and chip shops, Lewis’s (locally owned) in Seahouses being the most popular local chip shop.
There are a number of pubs and hotels in Bamburgh, all within walking distance of Pepperclose Cottage, so one can leave the car safely parked at the cottage. It will be fun for guests to find which hostellry they personally like, and of course many of you will choose to sit in the luxurious comfort of Pepperclose Cottage and enjoy your own drinks!
The Lord Crewe, Bamburgh
Telephone : 01668 214243
Very recently refurbished. A nice restaurant with a good seafood and meat menu.
www.lord-crewe.co.uk/.
The Potted Lobster, Bamburgh
Telephone : 01668 214088
This very popular local restaurant gets very good reviews with a seafood and meat menu. You definitely will need to book.
http://www.thepottedlobsterbamburgh.co.uk/.
Victoria Hotel, Bamburgh
Telephone : 01668 214431
A relaxed setting and good food in the Brasserie.
www.victoriahotel.net.
The Apple Inn, Lucker
Telephone : 01668 213 824.
Award winning country gastro pub not far from Bamburgh with a good menu. Getting good reviews..
https://www.theappleinnlucker.com/.
Castle Inn, Bamburgh
Telephone : 01668 214616
Known as “The Middle”. A nice pub on the main street with speedy food and good for families.
The School House, Lucker
Telephone : 01668 219 114
Good pizzas at lunchtime with special children’s menu. Breakfast and brunch menu too. Does afternoon tea but with pre-booking only
https://www.theschoolhouselucker.com/.
Beadnell Towers, Beadnell
Telephone : 01665 721 211
Very popular with a good menu.
https://www.beadnelltowers.co.uk///.
The Craster Arms, Beadnell
Telephone : 01665 721 211.
Very popular pub with a large beer garden.
https://www.northcoastcollective.uk/thecrasterarms//.
Alnwick Garden Treehouse Restaurant
Telephone : 01665 511 350
Very popular with a good menu. Need to book in advance.
https://www.alnwickgarden.com/the-treehouse-restaurant////.
The Whittling House, Alnmouth
Telephone : 01665 463 001
Very good menu and getting good reviews.
https://www.thewhittlinghouse.co.uk/eat//.
The Old Boat House, Leazes Street, Amble
Telephone: 01665 711232
Recently opened restaurant which is getting very good reviews. Very good seafood with an award winning chef.
The Hog’s Head Inn, Alnwick
Telephone: 01665 606 576
Country inn with traditional pub food and carvery on Sunday.
www.hogsheadinnalnwick.co.uk.
Bamburgh Castle Hotel
Telephone: 01665 720283
Marvellous views over Seahouses harbour, just opposite the Ship Inn. Totally different but well worth a visit and they serve good pub meals.
www.bamburghcastlehotel.co.uk.
The Lindisfarne Hotel, Beal
Telephone: 01289 389273
A recently refurbished pub on the road down to Holy Island offering very generous portions of tradional pub food.
www.lindisfarneinn.co.uk.
Old Ship, Seahouses
Telephone: 01665 720200
A real old nautical pub and a strong recommendation for a really authentic fishermen’s Inn. This pub is a veritable museum of old fishing paraphernalia collected by fisherman over the last 50 years and has been in the same Glenn family for 110 years. The lunches are simple but wholesome and there are some great beers on tap.
https://theoldeship.co.uk/.
The Ship Inn, Low Newton
Telephone : 01665 576262
Popular little pub on one of the best beaches. Good food and even brews its own beer in a tiny brewery next to the pub!
www.shipinnnewton.co.uk/.
The Joiners Arms, Low Newton
Telephone : 01665 576112
Very popular gastro pub and luxury 5* Inn.
www.joiners-arms.com.
The Jolly Fisherman, Craster
Telephone : 01665 576 461
Very popular pub and voted Northumberland Pub of the Year 2015. The best crab sandwiches.
www.thejollyfishermancraster.co.uk/.
Black Swan Inn, Seahouses
Telephone: 01665 720227
Recently refurbished gastro pub.
www.black-swan-inn.business.site/
The Horseshoe Inn, Rennington
Telephone : 01665 577665
A popular village pub. Children welcome.
www.thehorseshoesrennington.co.uk/.
Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel, Embleton
Telephone : 01665 576111
Good food served all day.
www.dunstanburghcastlehotel.co.uk/.
The Greys Inn, Embleton
Telephone : 01665 576983
The locals’ local! Very small, very lively pub with beer garden and home cooked food. Children very welcome.
The Fishing Boat Inn, Boulmer
Telephone : 01665 577750
Enjoy locally caught seafood with a sea view.
https://www.thefishingboatinn.com//.
No 16 Restaurant, Warkworth
Telephone : 01665 711276
A warm and welcoming atmosphere in restaurant, bar or bistro.
www.warkworthhousehotel.co.uk/.
Red Lion Inn, Alnmouth
Telephone : 01665 830584
Quaint little pub down a side lane.
www.redlionalnmouth.com/.
Bistro 23, Alnmouth
Telephone : 01665 830393
A popular bistro in a popular village.
Hardys Bistro, White Swan Hotel, Alnwick
Telephone : 01665 602109
A pleasant place to enjoy good food in the centre of Alnwick. A wide choice available for children.
Louis Steakhouse, The Grapevine, Alnwick
Telephone : 01665 606947
This upstairs restaurant serves good food in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
Lilburns Restaurant, Alnwick
Telephone : 01665 603444
Coffee shop and restaurant. Good food served throughout the day and evening.
www.lilburns.co.uk/.
The Beehive Inn, Hartley Lane, Earsdon, near Whitley Bay
Telephone: 0191 252 9352
Traditional countryside inn with fresh home cooked food. National Trust property Seaton Delaval Hall is nearby.
www.beehiveearsdon.co.uk/.
Northumberland Beaches You Can Visit
While staying at Pepperclose Cottage for a luxury self catering holiday near the coast, why not sample some of Northumberland’s finest beaches?
The coastline in Northumberland is some of the most spectacular in the UK. Unlike many parts of Britain, there are still uncrowded, room-to-breathe and unspoilt beaches in Northumbria – often stretching for mile after mile, with hardly a soul in sight.
Bamburgh
The sight of red-sandstone Bamburgh Castle, standing on a rocky outcrop above a magnificent beach of clean white sand, is breathtaking. The walls and rocks below form a 150-foot precipice. Most of the visible parts of the castle were built in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was used as a boarding school to train servant girls. The first fortification was built in AD 547 by King Ida and was rebuilt by the Normans. The castle is open daily, mid February to end October and weekends only November to mid February. North of the castle a cliff-top lane leads to a small lighthouse. The sandy beach, stretching southward to Seahouses, is studded with rocky reefs, but there is safe swimming away from the rocks.
The village of unpretentious and charming sandstone houses is best known for its heroine, Grace Darling, who was born in 1815 in a house opposite the church and died of tuberculosis at the age of 26 in a house that is now a gift shop. At the height of a storm in 1838 Grace rowed an open boat to the rescue of shipwrecked sailors. The 21-foot boat in which (with her father, a lighthouse keeper in the Farne Islands) she saved five people from the wreck of the steamer Forfarshire is displayed in the Grace Darling Museum, which is open daily from Easter to the end of September.
Embleton Bay, Northumberland
One of England’s most breathtaking beaches and only ten miles from your cottage, this is undoubtedly one of the finest beaches in the country. With apricot-coloured sand, towering dunes and views to the dramatic medieval ruin of Dunstanburgh Castle, you will rarely find such a dramatic setting.
Its giant dune system shelters some quaint thirties summer houses; indeed Embleton seems lost in a time warp, and is still totally un-commercialised thanks to the protection of the National Trust. It’s magical!
There’s also an intriguing collection of wartime pillboxes, which remain only because access across the adjacent golf course was denied to the demolition gang.
Holy Island Sands and South Fenham Flats
Together these offer about 10 square kilometres of beach. They are wonderful areas for wildfowl, bounded on the north by the coastal dunes of Holy island. Six species of birds that spend the winter here are of international significance: pale-belied Brent geese, redshank, bar tailed godwit, and greylag gees. And in the sheltered areas of fine sand around the southern end of Holy Island, look out for fawn, heart-shaped urchins densely covered in yellow spines and pink, stripy, translucent sea cucumbers. (This is the beach called Ross Sands in the file.)
Boulmer Haven, Northumberland
Arm yourself with a tide timetable to plan the best time to visit this small sandy beach sheltered by about three kilometres of rocky reef running parallel to the shore, which is exposed at low tide. It has deep gullies and pools and many overhangs, and is thickly grown with all the most familiar inter-tidal seaweeds and rich in every kind of marine invertebrate – especially animals that are permanently attached to the rocks, such as sponges, bryozoans, sea firs and the soft coral, dead-man’s fingers, aconitum digitatum.
Other Beaches to visit
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Enclosed by the best surviving Elizabethan town walls in Europe, Berwick is attractively situated on the northern shore of the wide mouth of the River Tweed. But it is the three bridges spanning the river that catch the eye. The present Berwick Bridge was begun in 1611. It carried the Great North Road until 1928, when the graceful concrete arches of the Royal Tweed Bridge were built alongside. Upstream are the tall, slender arches of the Royal Border Railway Bridge, opened in 1850 as the last link in the London to Edinburgh railway. Between 1147 and 1482, in the border troubles between England and Scotland, the town changed hands 13 times. Its walls, over a mile long and 22 feet high, have been preserved intact since they were completed on orders from Elizabeth I, circa 1560.
On the seaward side of the pier is a sandy beach sheltered from the waves by a rocky reef. The reef continues northwards for about a mile to a cove where there is another sandy beach, behind a stone breakwater, and a swimming pool on the foreshore. Soft white sands on the southern shore of the river mouth are exposed by the tide. Here salmon fishers, using distinctive blue rowing boats with spoon-shaped bows and wide, flat sterns, set their nets across the river. There is a sailing club, and a lifeboat and inshore rescue boat serve the area. Swimming from the pleasant sandy beach at Spittal, south of the river mouth, is safe except for an hour each side of low water.
Ross Links
Access by path across links grazed by cattle and sheep to a spectacular sandy beach with safe swimming and little more than a farmhouse within three miles in any direction. North of Belford, with Bamburgh Castle at one end and Lindisfarne at the other, this has been called the most spectacular beach in England. It is well worth the effort to visit Ross and it is only 20 minutes drive from your cottage. The views are spectacular and there is a mass of birdlife to see. This is some of the most protected coastline in the UK with numerous SSSI’s and when one visits it is easy to see why.
Holy Island
This low-lying island, whose ancient name was Lindisfarne, was the cradle of Christianity in England. St Aidan founded the first English diocese here in AD 635. The castle, on a knoll near the foreshore, was built c.1550 and restored as a private dwelling in 1900. Owned by the National Trust, it is open between 10.30am and 4.30pm, subject to tides (except Fridays) from April to October (Wed only in June) and on certain other days indicated by a flag hoisted above the castle. The ruined 11th-century Lindisfarne Priory is open daily.
The village is on the south-west point of the island. Below it is a sheltered bay where a tiny pier protects the small fleet of fishing boats. Swimming is safe, but the beach is pebbly at low tide. The grassy shore of the bay is dotted with the upturned hulks of herring boats which have been cut in half, propped up, covered with black tar, and turned into fishermen’s huts. (Be warned the island is usually very busy during the summer months.)
Budle Bay
This shallow estuary fills with water only at high tide, when the sea flows around the sand bar at the entrance. Swimming is extremely dangerous here. The marshes are frequented by many types of wildfowl and are part of the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, which protects the dunes and wildlife in the area of Holy Island. East of the hamlet of Waren Mill, on the B1342, is a grassy roadside area, fenced by white rails. From it there are views over the marshes where birds, such as duck, pink-footed goose and oystercatcher, can be seen feeding.
Farne Islands
A fantastic experience in the nesting season. This trip has made a big impact on some visitors. The National Trust allows visitors to land on Inner Farne and Staple Island between April and September. This is a world-famous seabird sanctuary and has the largest grey seal colony in England.
Seahouses
Fishing village with a busy harbour from which regular boat services run to the Farne Islands during the summer. The fishing cobles go mainly after lobster, crab and prawns. The harbour and cottages date from the last century but are now surrounded by modern houses. Swallow Fish is an excellent place to buy fresh fish and crustaceans. The Old Ship Inn above the harbour is an excellent pub with very high standards and is full of character. The beer is kept very well and the genuine fishing memorabilia is a joy.
Beadnell
Village of holiday houses built on a low-lying headland, with a rocky eastern shore and a delightful bay of sheltered water and sparkling clean sand to the south. The ruins of limekilns built c.1790 and now owned by the National Trust overlook a tiny stone haven, which accommodates a handful of fishing boats called cobles. Swimming is safe though the beach becomes exposed further south. A large caravan park is well concealed behind the beach south of the village.
Newton Haven
An offshore reef creates an almost perfect natural harbour for a few fishing boats and shelters a sandy beach backed by dunes. Low Newton-by-the-Sea is a quaint square of terraced fishermen’s cottages with a public house.
Embleton Bay
A mile-long sandy bay with paths leading over the golf course to the foreshore: swimming is dangerous at high tide but there are many picnic spots among the low sand dunes fringing the high-tide mark. The ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle are an imposing sight to the south, and this is one of the best beaches on this coastline.
Craster
The tiny harbour of this historic, unspoilt village was built in 1906 to export whinstone, a hard rock used for road-metal. It used to accommodate a herring fleet, and Craster kippers, smoked in curing sheds, are a speciality. The few cobles still using the harbour now land lobster and crab. Good crab sandwiches in the Jolly Fisherman pub. From the village – an absolute must in my view – walk along to Dunstanburgh Castle.
Dunstanburgh Castle
The impressive ruins of the great early 14th-century fortress look down on a rocky inlet that once sheltered Henry VIII’s navy. The castle (open daily), changed hands several times during the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century and has been a ruin since 1538. Coloured quartz crystals, known locally as Dunstanburgh Diamonds, can be picked up on the shore beneath the castle. If it is closed, just climb over the field gate to gain entry. The National Trust are quite aware of this practice and have made no attempt to stop it.
Longhoughton Steel
Sandy cove set in extensive rocks that skirt the headland and are exposed at half-tide. Access to the cove is by road from Low Stead Farm. This is a private little beach well worth a look.
Boulmer Haven
Sandy beach and natural harbour for cobles sheltered by a half-mile-long rocky reef with only one seaward entrance. The small village of grey houses is next to a former airfield just inland which is the base for air-sea rescue helicopters, and a local rescue boat is also based at the Haven.
Just south of Seaton Point there is a bay of clean white sand where swimming is safe. This beach, which is backed by low, sandy cliffs, can be accessed from the car park of
Alnmouth
Northumberland’s oldest port, granted a charter by King John in 1207, this village of red-roofed houses has a good beach running north from the estuary.
Warkworth
Bounded on three sides by a loop of the attractive River Coquet, and centered on the ruins of the 12th / 14th century castle mentioned by Shakespeare in Henry IV, this quiet town of grey stone houses is one of the most attractive in the North East. Half a mile up-river from the castle (open daily) is a 14th century hermitage and chapel cut into the cliff; it can be reached by hired boat. A boat trip on a warm day is great fun. Incidentally, the old bridge in Warkworth, built in the 14th century, is one of the few remaining fortified bridges in the country.
Amble
Built as a coal port in the 19th century, the harbour area has been attractively restored and now has one of the county’s largest fishing fleets. Between May and August boat trips operate from the old harbour.
Coquet Island
Low-lying rock-girt island with a lighthouse. Until the 16th century the island was a refuge for monks and hermits. Although monks have not died out, there are very few hermits left and none here. It is possible to hire a boat to go around this island on private bird-watching trips.
Druridge Bay
Nearly five miles of magnificent beach backed by low sand dunes. It is a vast deserted bay and a good place for a long walk with firm sand and few natural obstructions. That’s it: a definitive guide to the main beaches of Northumberland; there are some excellent beaches, as good as any you would find anywhere in the world.
Bamburgh Castle Golf Club
A course for the photographic golfer, for no other course offers such views over a 360-degree panorama – a total of five castles can be seen from the 15th hole! This course is less than a mile from the cottage down The Wynding which terminates at the golf club house, making this the perfect holiday course on your door step. The golfer in the family can sneak away for a quick 9 wholes whilst the family play on the beach, offering guilt free holiday golf!
Six par threes and nine hidden holes test not only your golf but also the forces of nature, with gorse and whinstone often the victors.The clubhouses, built in1904 (the same year as the courses were laid out), offers light snacks over which to contemplate unrivalled views.
Seahouses Golf Club
This small, but perfectly formed, course has twelve links holes and six parkland holes each with their own character. No hole is more daunting than the fearsome 10th, a par three over the liquid fairway of the old quarry. Short enough to play all day, the course and its clubhouse amply repay the time spent, even if some of it is spent gazing at the splendid views of the Farne Islands.
Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Course
If there is one reason for golfers to come to Northumberland this James Braid classic is it! Lying on the coast at Embleton, only three miles from your cottage, nestling in the crook of silver sanded Embleton Bay with the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle as a constant spectator, this course weaves its own magic.
Rolling links, plateau greens and fair – but only just – fairways bring to the fore the reason why golfers took up the game.
It offers a most welcoming clubhouse. Its well-presented food plays host to an international membership within the club.
Goswick Golf Course
A James Braid masterpiece of links golf construction. This course is everything a golf course should be, lovingly tended by green keepers who pamper every little hill and hollow to make this one of the finest links course you will ever play. Little pot bunkers penalise the greedy whilst the undulating greens reward the studious and the breeze demands attention.
An excellently stocked pro shop and driving ground complete all golfers requirements, with the clubhouse providing quality to match the course.
Alnwick Golf Course
Set high above the Ducal town of Alnwick with its Castle and Garden now a world-class destination is Swansfield Park, the home of Alnwick Golf Club.
Part mature parkland and part heath this course is sure to please, with the possible exception of the 14th, a monster par 5 known as ‘The Lang Wang’.
Friendly unpretentious clubhouse with super soup!
Alnmouth Golf Club (Foxton Hall)
An interesting curiosity – a seaside parkland golf course. Hosting many county events, this course is manicured by the most attentive green staff, who always present the course in immaculate condition.
The old Foxton Hall serves as a most dignified clubhouse, where relaxation after a round is a reminder of how thing used to be.
Small pro shop and quality changing rooms for visitors.
Active 4 Seasons
Get active with Ollie Jay. He has helped Robson Green on his wild swim to Holy Island and can introduce you to new sports like kayaking.
Developing A Desire for Adventure! Thats what he does – he is available for made to measure coaching, guiding and expeditions.
Telephone: 07941 450064
email: ollie@active4seasons.co.uk
Footsteps – Walking the Beauty of Northumberland
Why walk on your own, when you can walk with a guide on your visit to Northumberland; youll go further, discover and see more and youll never get lost.
A Footsteps guided walk can take you to the wilder side of the Northumberland Coast, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. They go deep into the hidden valleys and to the summits of some great hills in the Northumberland National Park. They explore its countryside, discovering places like St. Cuthberts Cave and the wonderful Ros Castle, one of the best view points in the County.
Footsteps offer guided walks throughout the year. This is because the seasons are all so very different, in spring and summer, the wildflowers bloom and the birds, the summer visitors are everywhere in the fields and hedgerows. In autumn and winter, the winter migrants arrive and the coast provides a home for tens of thousands of ducks, geese and waders; its quite a sight and on a Footsteps walk, youll see the best of the wildlife spectacular.
There are heather moors that glow purple from the end of July to the end of August. Golden beaches, blue seas and skies light up the coast and you find yourself walking further, discovering more; you never know what the next great view is going to be.
Patrick Norris
Telephone: 07847 506399
email: Patrick.norris@footstepsnorthumberland.co.uk
Pedal Power Ltd
When in Northumberland, make the most of the beautiful scenery and breathtaking coastline, take in some fresh air, hire a bike and see all the fantastic views up close.
Here at Pedal-Power we specialise in the hire of Giant bikes and offer an unrivalled service. We have adult and child bikes as well as tandems, child seats and tag-alongs.
Our hire package includes helmets, locks, repair kits and maps.
We are based in Amble on the coast in the heart of Northumberland and ideally positioned for all the coasts resorts, castles and tourist attractions. We can arrange to take bikes to somewhere that suits you.
For further details and prices, please visit our website at www.pedal-power.co.uk or telephone 01665 713 448.
BHS APPROVED RIDING SCHOOL, TRAINING CENTRE & LIVERY YARD
Expert 5* tuition and 5* indoor facility to match.
The Centre is the ONLY BHS Approved Riding Establishment in North Northumberland.
Lessons for all abilities, available for 4 year olds and upwards.
You can have Lessons on your own pony or horse too.
Adult Riding Club Tuesday and Thursday Mornings.
Contact Details
Kimmerston is one of the best known horse riding centres and stables in the North East of England, near the breathtaking Cheviot Hills and the enigmatic Holy Island in beautiful Northumberland. If you ride here you can experience exhilarating horse riding that you will never forget.
Chose from Hill Rides with breathtaking views on the Cheviot Hills or beach rides along Holy Island’s amazing expanse of beautiful beach.
All skill levels and group sizes are catered for, with experienced instructors for instructional rides if requested .
Contact Details
Bamburgh Beach
Walk out the door and down a grassy path to one of the most spectacular beaches anywhere in the British Isles and just take in the shear magnitude of the wonderful Bamburgh Castle, probably the finest castle in England. It is perched on a basalt outcrop on the very edge of the North Sea commanding stunning views of the Farne Islands and Holy Island.
Visit the Farne Islands
If you are staying in the spring or summer; this starts on boats from Seahouses and there are so many different operators, trip times and boats available that one can pick and choose whether to land or not, how long a trip to go on, etc. Be sure to prepare to get splashed on occasion. But the sight of hundreds of grey seals, puffins, guillemots, terns and a myriad of other sea birds is exceptional. The views back to land are also stunning with Lindisfarne Castle to the north, Dunstanburgh to the south and Bamburgh in the middle with the backdrop of the Cheviot Hills in the distance, a memorable experience.
Walk to Dunstanburgh Castle
You can walk from either Craster or from Newton by the Sea. The Ship Inn at Newton is a great little pub with simple lunches and more elaborate dinners. If one starts at Craster, there is the Jolly Fisherman, a pub with lovely crab sandwiches. Opposite is the famous Robsons Craster Kippers smokery where one can buy freshly smoked kippers at source.
Visit the world-famous Alnwick Gardens and Castle
The gardens are a great hit with children with water features that often result in happy but wet children! The garden is more a pleasure ground than a garden in the conventional sense in parts but the whole site is a remarkable achievement in ingenuity and design. The castle is a Norman stronghold from the outside and an elaborate palace internally and is full of remarkable treasures amassed over 700 years of ownership by the same family, the Dukes of Northumberland.
Visit Barter Books
When in Alnwick or as a trip on its own that is worth doing anyway, you must visit Barter Books situated in the old Victorian Railway station in the centre of Alnwick. This is a remarkable place by any standards with a wonderful selection of books on every topic and up to any value! On my last visit, their most expensive book was £18,000! Of course there are thousands of books at £3 or less. What is so extraordinary about Barter Books beyond the books is the attention to detail that has been lavished on this remarkable building with old waiting rooms turned into reading rooms with fires burning. A small café is a recent addition and there are commission are works throughout the building that are tied to the history of the building as a railway station. If you are at all interested in books I urge that you visit this special place.
Visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne
This island is accessible across a causeway that is covered by the tides twice a day. Please check the tide table that you will find on the cottage information (TouchStay site) as it is essential that one does not stray out of the fixed (and changing times) as many visitors to the island have found to their peril, inevitably through their own stupidity. The castle is well worth a visit especially for those interested in the work of Lutyens, who re-modelled the building in 1904. It looks down on a small garden by Gertrude Jekyll set in a stone enclosure to the north of the castle, but it is the unusual nature of the island, its role in the history of Christianity in the north through St Cuthbert and St Aidan.
Visit Cragside
This National trust property is set on the outskirts of Rothbury and coincidentally also previously in the ownership of the Armstrong family who own Bamburgh Castle to this day. Cragside was designed by Norman Shaw and built from scratch is a series of stages; it is highly stylised and full of amazing treasures from the Victorian era. Lord Armstrong became wealthy through developments such as the first hydraulic crane and later in the manufacture of armaments that were sold worldwide. Cragside was the first house in the world to be lit by electricity using incandescent bulbs developed by a friend of Armstrong, Sir Joseph Swann. Power was provided by a hydraulic system driven by a series of lakes set above the house and for those of a technical mindset, The Power Trail laid through the estate is a fascinating tour showing the massive ingenuity of this most amazing entrepreneur.
Wallington Hall
A visit to this Georgian mansion house run by the National Trust, and set in wonderful gardens, is also a must. Although it is probably 45 minutes from Bamburgh, it is well worth the trip as it is a dramatic contrast the rugged setting of Cragside and the house itself has a wonderful dolls house collection and a hall decorated with world famous Pre-Raphaelite wall panels.
Visit the Scottish Borders
Start at Berwick on Tweed, a town that is now set in England but was previously in Scotland. From there, one can journey inland and take in Kelso with Floors Castle and Mellerstain House, both worth a visit in themselves. If time is available, Melrose with its wonderful Abbey and nearby Abbotsford, previously home to Sir Walter Scott, are also highly recommended.
Swallow Fish
This shop in Seahouses, set in back lanes behind the harbour, is a great place to buy fresh fish of all sorts; buy something and bring it back and barbecue it on the terrace at Pepperclose and enjoy the best of produce in the comfort of the cottage; what could be better! When in Seahouses visit the Ship Inn, a wonderful pub set above the harbour; this is a treasure trove of memorabilia from the bygone days of the fishing industry. These have been donated by the fishermen, who for centuries have used the Ship Inn to relax after the hardships of their days at sea.
These are just ten suggestions of things you might try; some will not appeal but there are masses of other things to do.
Northumberland: A Twitcher’s Paradise
Hot sunshine, sudden white-out: the sea fret poured over the cliffs like dry ice. I parked the car in a lay-by on the road between Seahouses and Bamburgh, opened the door on to poppies and cow parsley and walked across dunes to the beach.
In the pearly light of the sea fret the sand was now glassy, now iridescent. In patches it was speckled with lugworm casts and, in occasional channels, it looked like a sand sculpture of a mackerel sky. No one else was here. The beauty of the sand, the surge of the surf and the emptiness were head-cleansing.
Are there wilder, more exhilarating beaches than these? Certainly not in England. The wide, sandy crescents that stretch from just below Berwick-upon-Tweed in the north to Druridge Bay in the south enjoy the double accolade – and protection – of being part of both an officially designated Heritage Coast and of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
At Druridge Bay I met Tom Cadwallender, the AONB’s natural and cultural heritage officer and an enthusiastic ambassador for the birdlife and beauty of this coastline. Standing among the marram grass on the dunes we gazed on near-emptiness in either direction. “It’s basically seven miles of sand, a classic Northumbrian coastline of rocky promontories holding the sand in,” he said.
At the foot of the dunes were the remnants of concrete blocks from the Second World War that were supposed to act as obstacles to an invasion. Out on the flat sands were a handful of people and two sprinting border collies. “Apart from really sunny Sundays, this is about as busy as it gets,” said Tom.
A day after I arrived – from glorious sunlight on the Cheviot Hills, which felt like the heathered roof of the world – mist still enshrouded the coast. But the pale coin of the sun was just about visible above us, and Tom was optimistic. “The prevailing weather here is westerly,” he explained, “while the dominant wind is northerly.” This accounts for the relative lack of rain. “We rate as one of the two or three lowest rainfall counties in Britain.”
“It’s the cold sea reacting with the warm air, so they can be regular,” he admitted. “But generally the sun burns them off.” The sea mist had certainly made for an interesting trip out to the Farne Islands the day before. These 28 dolerite extrusions, lying between two and five miles off the coast east of Bamburgh, are hotel and maternity ward to 100,000 breeding seabirds.
Tom, a serious birder, reckons a visit there is “one of the top 10 ornithological experiences in the world”. I had been looking forward to going for years.
I had my doubts as I joined 40 other cagouled optimists on the open deck of the Glad Tidings VII at Seahouses. Would we see a thing, or freeze to death in the trying? In fact, the skippers of these sightseeing boats are highly skilled. Ours kept up a knowledgeable running commentary and beat the fret by holding the boat close enough to sheer rock faces for us to smell the guano and feel like intruders on an avian world.
Gulls, terns, kittiwakes, guillemots, the occasional razorbill and, of course, puffins in their many thousands have created shrieking, reeking cities out here in the North Sea. It’s a sight so awesome you even forget the razor-edged northerlies.
On Inner Farne island, sometime home of St Cuthbert, we landed for an hour and I met one of the National Trust wardens there, Neil Forbes (the NT owns all the islands). He scanned the rocks with his binoculars. “We have one nesting pair of roseate terns,” he said (the roseate tern being Britain’s rarest breeding seabird). “That’s what I was just looking for. If we get a second pair that would be fantastic.”
The following day Tom pointed out that on Coquet Island, off Amble, there were 100 nesting pairs of roseate terns last year – “the biggest colony in Britain. We’re really proud of that.
This coastline is a place for birdwatchers and wanderers, kite flyers and dog walkers, colonised by unpretentious towns and villages. These communities offer fish and chips, catches of the day and boat trips; and through them all, as tangible as the sea frets, runs an undercurrent of sadness due to the passing of fishing as a livelihood.
The fishing boats of Seahouses once followed the annual southward migration of the herring shoals, from Shetland down to Lowestoft in Suffolk, but the industry died out in the 1930s. The hamlet of Low Newton is a perfect example of the traditional square of fishermen’s cottages, which provided shelter for the fishermen to mend nets and bait lines.
Boulmer was once notorious for smuggling and now has a kind of virtual fame as a name in the BBC Shipping Forecast, where it features in “Coastal Reports for Inshore Waters (Boulmer, Bridlington, Sheerness…)”.
In the Fishing Boat Inn in Boulmer I came across a dialect poem by Katrina Porteous, a local poet, about the decline of salmon fishing, printed on card and propped against a window:
Plenty lang a winter,
Naen salmon i’ the bay.
An’ lang enough asleep lad,
When your livin’s rived away.
On the bar wall was a photograph of the traditional Northumbrian coble, shallow-drafted for beaching on the sand and, with its covered front end, looking (the barmaid’s description) “like a shoe”. There used to be fourteen in Boulmer; now there are three, setting lobster and crab pots. “It’s like everything,” said a drinker gloomily, “it’s not what it was.” A few yards along the coast road I had come across a beautiful coble, a bonny green lass called Violet Stephenson, pulled up on the beach.
After a quick pint I took the well-worn path from Craster (home of both the oak-smoked kipper and the London kerbstone) to the ruined castle of Dunstanburgh, one of the iconic sights of this coastline. This is a clifftop walk for beginners, on a band of springy, daisy-strewn turf with the sound of skylarks in one ear and crashing surf in the other.
As Tom had promised it would, the mist suddenly lifted and the picturesque ruin of Dunstanburgh, looking oddly like a pair of melted binoculars, appeared as if spotlit by the afternoon sun. This is the most popular walk of the entire coast.
The following day, I followed Tom’s instructions and left the Holy Island crowds behind to find one of the least known beaches. Cheswick Beach, between Holy Island and Berwick, is part of the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve. Rare marsh orchids and helleborines grow in the dunes in summer, while the pale-bellied Brent goose winters almost exclusively here.
“Beware of quicksands and unexploded ordnance,” says a sign – which might, admittedly, partly account for how few people were treading this vast expanse of sand. In bright sunshine – not a trace of mist this morning – I followed the solitary trail of footprints near the water’s edge made by my predecessor of half an hour ago. Dogs’ pawprints formed glissades and infinity symbols in the wet-cement sand.
I counted eleven people on the several miles of Cheswick Beach, all of them ant-sized. Slowly, four of them, in Lawrence of Arabia style, coalesced into galloping horses and riders who passed in an eerie silence, the sound of surf and wind drowning out the drumming hooves.
Introduction
Pepperclose Cottage is a luxury self-catering holiday cottage in Bamburgh, Northumberland for a family or group of four.
It is a fully restored 18th century, stone cottage which sits next to the village cricket field below Bamburgh castle, which can be seen from the garden and through the windows to the east and south. Bamburgh beach is just two minutes down a quiet grassy path from the cottage kitchen door. Situated off The Wynding, a lane running down to the golf course, yet only a minutes walk from the centre of Bamburgh.
It is mostly on one level with a step 16 cm high from the sitting room to the corridor leading to the master bedroom and bathroom. There is a small step of 3 cm to the front door plus a 3 cm lip through the door frame and there are 2 steps 19 cm high from the kitchen back door down on to the rear patio.
For users of SatNavs, the postcode is NE69 7DB.
Road Directions: from A1 north/south, exit on B1341 signed Bamburgh. In the village, the Wynding is last road to left before castle. Pepperclose Cottage is 200 yards on right behind other cottages.
Public Transport Directions:
Nearest local station: Chathill on B1340 to Bamburgh.
Nearest main line station: Berwick upon Tweed.
If you would like further information please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to welcoming you to Pepperclose Cottage in Bamburgh.
Pre-Arrival
” We have a very extensive website with room descriptions and photographs of all the interior rooms and also exterior photographs of both the front and the back garden and also the views from the garden.
” Bookings and enquiries can be made directly from the website via email or by telephone.
” All guests are provided with an email confirmation 6 weeks before their stay which includes directions, postcode if using Satnav, arrival and departure times, door code to gain access (the 2 door keys will be in the cottage) and instructions on where the local supermarkets and shops are. They are also told we provide bed linen, tea towels, bath, hand towels and beach towels. This email is also available in different font sizes.
” The information tab on the website provides extensive information on the facilities you will find at Pepperclose Cottage, most local supermarkets will do food home delivery, wine delivery, local pubs and restaurants, the beaches of Northumberland, local golf courses, cycle hire, riding, birdwatching and suggestions for days out. All to be able to plan your holiday before arrival if required.
” The nearest bus stop is on the main road in the village of Bamburgh which is 400m from the cottage on foot. There are buses from Newcastle upon Tyne in the south, Berwick upon Tweed in the north and Alnwick. There are three main bus routes into Bamburgh serviced by Arriva, 500, 401 and the 501 travelling from both Alnwick and Berwick for bus times visit www.arriva.co.uk/northreast or call 0870 608 2 608. Sunday and Bank Holiday until the end of September Arriva Bus Service to Bamburgh from Newcastle. Bus travels from Newcastle to Gosforth and Morpeth then on to Alnwick Gardens before progressing to Seahouses and Bamburgh. This service runs every Sunday and Bank holiday Monday.
” The nearest local train station is Chathill which is 11 km by car.
” The nearest main line station is Berwick upon Tweed which is 32.7 km by car.
” The nearest airport is Newcastle which is 82 km by car.
” The nearest RADAR public toilet is in on the main street in the village 400 m away and also on Bamburgh Links 1.2 km. Keys can be obtained from 0207 250 3222.
” Local taxis: Borders Cabs 07769 515915 or Hunters taxis 01665 720174.
” Access statement is available on the website and in the Welcome File on the Touch Stay website and the link is emailed to each guest before arrival.
Arrival and Car Parking Facilities
” There is one car parking space available directly outside the cottage marked by a number 18 and we ask that you park so that the gate is not blocked and please leave room for a car for the guests staying at 14 The Wynding the other side of the gate. There is a car park for a second vehicle down the lane or in the village. There is a small step of 3 cm to the front door plus a 3 cm lip through the door frame. There is rear access to the vehicle once it is parked.
” The cottage is clearly signed with cream writing on dark grey slate with a number 18 and a separate sign saying Pepperclose Cottage. These 2 signs are on either side of the front door.
Main Entrance
” The door code to the cottage to gain entry is emailed to the guests in the confirmation email 6 weeks before the stay and 2 keys are in the cottage with the Welcome File. The right hinged side hung front door (76 cm wide x 190 cm high) is the most accessible and the only one to use on arrival as it has the key pad. There is a garden gate 100 cm wide x 93 cm high between the car parking space and the front door. There is a light switch immediately inside the front door for internal and exterior lights. Photographs on the website clearly show the front and rear entrances. The rear kitchen door is locked with the key which is inside the cottage but there are 2 steps of 19 cm high to get into the cottage at the rear.
” There is small entrance hall (131 cm wide x 175 cm deep) through the front door and there is an immediate door into the sitting/dining room (86 cm wide x 185 cm high) on the left and the 2nd bedroom (78 cm wide x 184 cm high) on the right.
” The Welcome File is placed on the dining table in the sitting room which has all the information that should be required along with an information book on how the appliances work and a guest book where guests can write about their favourite places to visit whilst staying at the cottage.
” The floor is level between the entrance and the sitting/dining room and the 2nd bedroom. The flooring in the entrance hall is mid brown rhino matting and changes to oak wooden flooring in the sitting/dining room and cream carpet in the 2nd bedroom.
Public Areas – Hall, Corridors etc.
” There is a portable push button telephone with answerphone in the sitting room and guests are asked to leave the cost of any calls they make. The cottage telephone number is emailed to the guests in the confirmation email 6 weeks before the stay.
” There is also free WiFi Broadband available in the cottage and this can be accessed by the wireless key which is in the information book on the dining table.
” There is a corridor off the sitting room leading to the main bedroom and bathroom. This has a large cupboard with the hot water tank, cleaning items and storage for items. We provide beach towels, thermos, beach deck chairs, beach cushions, cool box and also beach games for children.
Public Areas – Sitting Room, Lobbies etc.
” The door width from the front door entrance hall to the sitting room is 86 cm wide x 185 cm high.
” The sitting room/dining room is open plan has an oak wooden floor with a large rug under the coffee table between the sofa and the 2 armchairs which are moveable. This room is shown clearly in the photograph on the website. The walls are painted off-white along with the doors and wooden panelling in the dining area.
” There are 2 side lamps operated by wall switches, 2 table lamps operated by normal switch and 2 recessed spotlights.
” The seating area is placed around the fireplace which has a wood burning stove (Tested and approved to European standard EN13240) set into the fireplace. This is of cast iron construction with glass door and brushed steel handle.
” The 2.5 sofa and 2 armchairs have padded seats, back and arms covered in flame resistant fabric.
” The dining table is rectangular (L:1900mm W:950mm H:760mm) with 4 legs on each corner and is moveable with 6 chairs (W:460mm H:930mm D:450mm). Photograph on the website.
” There is a flat screen Freeview TV with remote control, DVD player with remote control and Radio/CD/iPod dock with remote control.
” The doorway to the kitchen is 75 cm wide x 180 cm high where the wooden floor now changes to light beige/blue/green glazed non-slip floor tiles for the kitchen.
” There is a 16 cm high step up from the sitting area into the corridor (70.5 cm wide at its narrowest point x 185 cm high) which leads to the main bedroom and bathroom. This is tiled in the same non-slip ceramic tiles as the kitchen.
Laundry
” There is an integrated front loading washer/dryer in the kitchen for which there is no charge. Washing liquid also provided free of charge.
” An airer is also available if required.
Outdoor Facilities
” Pepperclose Cottage faces south with a delightful south-facing private paved terrace with wooden table and 4 chairs by the front door where there is an outside light. There is a photograph on the website taken from 2 angles. There is a step down (12 cm) to the log store where the logs, beach toys, gardening implements etc are kept. The front terrace is enclosed by a picket fence and garden gate.
” The door from the kitchen down 1 steps of 19 cm high and another of 15cm leads on to a large even paved terrace at the rear (a photograph coming on the website) with a wooden dining table and parasol and 8 chairs, barbecue, mature plants, pots of flowers and herbs and a view to the coast. This terrace has outside lighting is also enclosed by a picket fence and the garden gate opens on to a grassy path running down to the dunes and beach.
” There is also a bench for 3 people on the paved terrace directly outside the kitchen. This is accessed by one step (19 cm).
Bedrooms
” Master bedroom: a short corridor (70.5 cm wide at its narrowest point) from the sitting room leads to a large double bedroom and adjoining bathroom, with a separate bath and cabinet shower. The entrance to the bedroom is 80 cm wide x 182 cm high with a right hanging door. The bedroom has a king-size bed with padded headboard, wall-hung flat-screen television, radio and walk-in wardrobe (doorway 58 cm wide x 171 cm high) with hanging space for 24 wooden hangers and 3 large shelves and 2 wall hooks. There is crisp 100% Egyptian white cotton bed linen and white bath sheets and white hand towels, 4 pillows are all non feather as is the quilt. Both the bed and the pillows have protectors. There is a dressing table (W:1100mm H:770mm D:400mm) with 2 lamps and chair (W:510mm H:980mm D:440mm) with large mirror above (W:900mm H:1000mm). There are 2 bedside cupboards (W:450mm H:610mm D:360mm) with glass tops and 2 bedside lamps. The furniture is coloured cream and the carpet is speckled cream wool. 2 cupboards are locked in this room for use by the owners and cleaners but there is also another large cupboard which guests can use. There is a large white armchair (W:730mm H:970mm D:730mm) on one side of the bed. There is a light switch by the bed for the 4 overhead recessed spotlights as well as the main switch by the entrance door. Photograph is on the website.
” Bedroom 2: through the front hall is the second bedroom with wall-hung flat screen TV and digital radio. Entrance is 78 cm wide x 184 cm high. This can be made up with either twin beds or a super-king-size double with attached padded headboards. A small fitted wardrobe, a dressing table (93 cm wide x 67 cm high) built into the window recess; an en-suite shower room with wash hand basin and loo all make this a perfect room for two adults or two children. The carpet is the same as the other bedroom, cream speckled wool. There are 2 grey coloured bedside tables (W:500mm H:630mm D:320mm) with glass tops and 2 lamps on them. The dimensions either side of the bed are 60 cm wide. There is crisp 100% Egyptian cotton white bed linen and white bath sheets and white hand towels, 4 pillows are all non feather as are the quilts. Both the beds and the pillows have protectors. There are 2 grey bedroom chairs (W:500mm H:1020mm D:500mm), one used with the dressing table. There is a light switch by the bed for the overhead recessed spotlights as well as the main switch by the entrance door. Photograph on the website.
Bathroom, Shower-room & WC (En-suite)
” Main bathroom: This is accessed by a door (75 cm wide x 176 cm high) from the corridor leading from the sitting room and next door to the main bedroom. The main bathroom has a white full size bath (68 x 168 cm) with easy to use up/down movement taps. There is a separate cabinet shower (75 x 73 cm) with easy to use handles and non-slip shower mat. The floor has non-slip ceramic tiles like the kitchen (with underfloor heating) and there is a wall mounted heated towel rail. Toilet is 43 cm high x 36 cm wide x 48 cm deep. Sink is 82 cm high x 55 cm wide x 45 cm deep.
” En-suite bathroom: This is accessed by a cabin door (65 cm wide x 198 cm high) from the 2nd bedroom which when opened slides between the walls. There is a shower cubicle (85 cm x 85 cm) tiled white with non-slip mat and the floor has the same non-slip ceramic tiles as the other bathroom and kitchen and there is under floor heating as well as a wall mounted heated towel rail. The taps on the basin are simple level up/down movement.
” The walls are tiled white with a light blue border @ 139 cm high in both bathrooms.
Self-Catering Kitchen
” The granite-topped kitchen, opening from the sitting room (75 cm wide x 180 cm high), is equipped with a modern Neff electric oven (with internal grill) and hob, microwave, washer / drier, dishwasher, large fridge/freezer and an extensive range of kitchen utensils. There is also a digital radio.
” There is a fire extinguisher and fire blanket on the wall between the cooker and the external door and a first aid kit under the sink.
” The units run in an L shape along 2 walls with one high level cupboard (212 cm high) for mugs, glasses and food storage. The oven is below the work surface and crockery is stored in a low level cupboard and so are the cooking utensils such as pans, sieves and oven plates and casseroles. Cutlery is stored in a drawer just under the granite work surface. The large fridge is at chest height with the freezer below at the end the short run of the L shape in the corner. Above the hob is an extractor fan with light. There are 7 recessed spotlights and 2 under unit lights to illuminate the work surface. There is a photograph on the website showing the layout.
” There is a mixer tap and the knobs for cold and hot are simple circular usage.
” The floor is covered in non slip ceramic floor tiles in beige/blue/green colour. The kitchen units (90 cm high x 60 cm deep) are cream in colour and the granite top is mid green.
” The door to outside is 76 cm wide x 198 cm high accessed by small step of 5 cm and then there is a 19 cm step down to the first patio level and then a second 19 cm step to the lower patio level.
” There is a row of hooks for guests’ use along the wall leading to the external door.
Additional Information
” A cot is available free of charge if required.
” A high chair is available free of charge if required.
” Churches:
” St Aidans, Bamburgh
” Open from 9 in the morning until dusk every day
” Regular Services
” Sunday Eucharist, Easter – October 11.00 am
” October – Easter 9.00 am
” There are occasional services of Iona Evening Prayer at 6.00 pm.
” Methodist Church, Seahouses
” 1st Sunday 9.30 am
” other Sundays 10.45 am
” Roman Catholic Church, Seahouses
” Sunday 10.00am, 11.30am
” Saturday in summer 4.30pm
” United Reform Church, North Sunderland
” Sunday 9.00 am (in St Pauls C of E)
” United Reform Church, Belford
” Sunday 10.30 am
” Dentists:
” Alnwick Dental Surgery – 01665 602151
” The Newcastle Dental Hospital – Tel: 0191 232 5131 – in emergencies this is excellent.
” Doctors in Alnwick & Belford:
” The Bondgate Practice 01665 510888 – next to hospital.
” The Belford Practice 01668 213738
” Chemists in Alnwick:
” Boots at 50 Bondgate Within. Tel: 01665 602388
” Hospitals:
” Alnwick Infirmary Outpatients (24 hours) 01665 626700 (opposite Barter Books adjacent to huge tall monument.)
” Wansbeck General Hospital – the regional general hospital with A & E – 0191 259 6660
Owners address:
7 Westfield Grove
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 4YA
Cottage address:
Pepperclose Cottage
18 The Wynding
Bamburgh
Northumberland
NE69 7DB
What 3 Words location of the cottage:
“initial.entrusted.vocals”.
Owners telephone: 07846 226631 or 0191 285 7699.
Pepperclose Cottage telephone: 01668 214947
Email:stay@bamburghcottageholidays.co.uk
Website: www.bamburghcottageholidays.co.uk
Grid reference:
Latitude: 55.6091788264219
Longitude: -1.7151895284652662
Hours of operation: Open all year including Christmas and New Year.
Emergency numbers:
Sarah Patterson in Bamburgh/Seahouses
Mobile: 07506 972344
Mobile: 07961 660387
Jill Hodgson in Newcastle upon Tyne
Home: 0191 285 7699
Mobile: 07846 226631
Local public transport numbers:
BY AIR The nearest airport is at Newcastle call 0191 2860966 www.newcastleairport.com
BY TRAIN The main station on mainline routes is at Newcastle, there is also a regular train service into Berwick and Alnmouth and an occasional service stopping off at Chathill. For rail enquiries call 08457 222 333 / 08457 484 950 www.nationalrail.co.uk
BY BUS There are buses from Newcastle upon Tyne in the south, Berwick upon Tweed in the north and Alnwick. There are three main bus routes into Bamburgh serviced by Arriva, 500, 401 and the 501 travelling from both Alnwick and Berwick for bus times visit www.arriva.co.uk/northreast or call 0870 608 2 608. Sunday and Bank Holiday until the end of September Arriva Bus Service to Bamburgh from Newcastle. Bus travels from Newcastle to Gosforth and Morpeth then on to Alnwick Gardens before progressing to Seahouses and Bamburgh. This service runs every Sunday and Bank holiday Monday.
Local Accessible Taxi Numbers
Borders Cabs 07769 515915 or Hunters taxis 01665 720174.
Future Plans
We plan to create more storage in the 2nd bedroom by replacing the bedside tables with cupboards with drawers. These should be in place soon.
Contact Telephone and Email Address
We welcome your feedback to help us continually improve and if you have any comments please phone 01912857699 or Email:stay@bamburghcottageholidays.co.uk
APARTMENT 10, CHALET CHESERY, 1875 MORGINS, SWITZERLAND
We also have a chalet apartment in Morgins in Switzerland which sleeps 8. The skiing is part of the Portes de Soleil ski area. Morgins is accessible from Geneva airport in about 80 minutes by car or slightly longer by public transport via direct train from Geneva Airport to Aigle and taxi to Morgins, or you can take the mountain railway from Aigle to Troistorrents and post bus to Morgins.
Photographs of the interior and exterior can be found on the following link. We have the top 2 floors with balconies on every side, which are on our ground floor, in the last chalet photograph.
Website: www.maytain.com/spip.php?article163
You can change the language to English.
Booking is done directly through the agent in Morgins and if you are interested the details are below. We have an arrangement with our friends at the ski shop for equipment hire at a discount.
The duplex apartment sleeps 8 and is laid out as follows:
Facilities
Information
The local tourist website is:
Website: www.morgins.ch
and it should go straight to the English version.
You will find all information on the village here including all activities in the summer and winter, weather forecasts and a picture gallery along with webcams. Morgins is one of the most traditional, picturesque villages in the Portes de Soleil which is the worlds largest linked ski area with over 650km of pistes. It sits on the Swiss side of the border with France, therefore Chatel over the border is only 8 minutes away by car.
Don’t forget that Switzerland is as beautiful in the summer as well as the winter and the weather is fabulous so you can follow the sun round on our 360 degree balconies on your sunlounger! There are lots of activities including mountain biking, and wonderful picturesque walks where you can take the ski lift up and walk downhill or gentler ones in the valley! And for the adventurous there is the Fantasticable in Chatel with zip wire rides from peak to peak along with a tree top adventure park at Champery. There are also thermal baths just a short car ride away at Val d’Illiez. Morgins sports centre has indoor and outdoor courts and a resident tennis professional and an open air swimming pool situated at the edge of the forest in idyllic surroundings. Water polo and table tennis competitions are organised during the summer holidays.
The main summer season is from the middle of July until the end of August but it is equally lovely at other times of the summer. The chalet is available to rent all the year round.
Morgins sits more or less on the border with France and therefore the Portes de Soleil ski area is accessible from the village. To the French side via the Corbeau lift in Morgins to Chatel and Super Chatel area and on to Torgon or Les Lindarets and Avoriaz. The Swiss side is accessed via the Foilleuses lift in the village to Champery/Les Crosets/Planachaux via Champoussin and back round to Avoriaz. The ski lifts are approximately 8 minutes from the chalet door on foot although there is a free ski bus which runs between the 2 lifts throughout the day in the winter. Morgins benefits from a completely separate and safe beginners area next to the crèche, with its own drag lift, toboggan area, restaurant and childrens snow park. The ski rental shop is literally across the road from the chalet and the best bar in the village is approximately 20 steps from the chalet front door! The pizzeria is also across the road and the other bars and restaurants in the village are all near.
The changeover day is Saturday.
Booking
The rental agency website is:
Website: www.maytain.com
and if needed, click on the English button in the top right corner
Our reference page is:
www.maytain.com/spip.php?article163
Their telephone number is 00 41 24 477 2421 or
Email:location@maytain.com
Contact:
Geoff and Jill Hodgson
Tel: 0191 285 7699
Geoff mobile: 07803 989282
Jill mobile: 07846 226631
Email: jill.hodgson1@btinternet.com
Here are some website resources that you may find of interest or that might assist you in planning your self catering cottage holiday in Northumberland.
Here are some website resources that you may find of interest or that might assist you in planning your self catering cottage holiday in Northumberland.
Here are some website resources that you may find of interest or that might assist you in planning your self catering cottage holiday in Northumberland.
Here are some website resources that you may find of interest or that might assist you in planning your self catering cottage holiday in Northumberland.