Northumberland self catering cottage
| country: | England |
| location: | Nr Holy Island, NorthumberlandSee map here |
| price: | From £285 - £519 for the cottage per week (sleeps 4), depending on season. Low season (Jan-Feb) from £285, mid season (Sept-mid Dec, March-early July) from £300-£375, high season (Mid July-Aug, end Dec) from £450-519 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
description
This unique stone cottage, near Holy Island, has been lovingly restored to offer an environmentally-friendly holiday. It stands in a tranquil old-fashioned country garden. The light, pretty living room has a traditional atmosphere with exposed beams and an old range. The cottage has two sunny bedrooms; one has a double bed, the other two singles. Guests can enjoy the luxury of unbleached organic cotton towels and bedding.
It sits in a small, traditional family farm, built on a rise above the Low Burn. Beyond the buildings the Low meanders through the Denes, where sheep graze and native wetland plants grow. To protect this peaceful countryside, which is so special to us, we have introduced many conservation measures on the farm. Visitors can explore our work for wildlife on the Farm Trail. Barn owls nest close to the cottage and there are often roe deer and hares in our fields. Skylarks, grey partridge, tree sparrows are among our thriving farm bird population.
We breed rare breed pigs on the farm and there are sheep, a few goats and an odd mixture of hens, geese and peacocks. We believe it is important to protect the wonderful natural world on our doorstep. At the cottage we use only green energy and natural products which hold no threat to our environment. Visitors can explore the Cheviot Hills, Northumbrian castles and deserted sandy beaches without leaving behind an environmental footprint.
An “Outstanding Business” Jon Proctor, Green Tourism Business Scheme
The causeway is the perfect place to paddle with lots of tide-washed pools and squidgy mud-sand – so remember to bring your wellies! A boat trip from Seahouses to the Farne Islands to see seals, puffins and nesting birds is always a great adventure.
There are many lovely walks through the wild Cheviot Hills and along our beautiful sandy coast. Our family particularly enjoy walking on Bamburgh beach in the moonlight with the great illuminated castle as an impressive backdrop. Northumberland has bustling market towns, picturesque villages, castles, stately homes and museums.
Walking and Cycling: The cottage is an ideal base for walkers and cyclists. The National Cycle Network Route 1 runs past the farm road-end and the St. Cuthbert’s Way passes 2 miles from the cottage. Cycles can be stored safely in a lockable, brick outhouse.
It sits in a small, traditional family farm, built on a rise above the Low Burn. Beyond the buildings the Low meanders through the Denes, where sheep graze and native wetland plants grow. To protect this peaceful countryside, which is so special to us, we have introduced many conservation measures on the farm. Visitors can explore our work for wildlife on the Farm Trail. Barn owls nest close to the cottage and there are often roe deer and hares in our fields. Skylarks, grey partridge, tree sparrows are among our thriving farm bird population.
We breed rare breed pigs on the farm and there are sheep, a few goats and an odd mixture of hens, geese and peacocks. We believe it is important to protect the wonderful natural world on our doorstep. At the cottage we use only green energy and natural products which hold no threat to our environment. Visitors can explore the Cheviot Hills, Northumbrian castles and deserted sandy beaches without leaving behind an environmental footprint.
An “Outstanding Business” Jon Proctor, Green Tourism Business Scheme
special things to do and see here
This dramatic county has inspired us to protect our natural heritage. It’s a wonderful area to explore! The cottage is only 5 miles from the causeway of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Here you can discover the land of St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert. In the stillness of an evening the voices of seals resting on sand banks, drift across the water to the island.The causeway is the perfect place to paddle with lots of tide-washed pools and squidgy mud-sand – so remember to bring your wellies! A boat trip from Seahouses to the Farne Islands to see seals, puffins and nesting birds is always a great adventure.
There are many lovely walks through the wild Cheviot Hills and along our beautiful sandy coast. Our family particularly enjoy walking on Bamburgh beach in the moonlight with the great illuminated castle as an impressive backdrop. Northumberland has bustling market towns, picturesque villages, castles, stately homes and museums.
Walking and Cycling: The cottage is an ideal base for walkers and cyclists. The National Cycle Network Route 1 runs past the farm road-end and the St. Cuthbert’s Way passes 2 miles from the cottage. Cycles can be stored safely in a lockable, brick outhouse.
rooms, food and facilities
The light, pretty living room has exposed beams and an old ‘Tweed’ range with side ovens which create a traditional atmosphere. A useful ceiling airer will dry your clothes and a viewing panel shows the sheep’s wool insulation we’ve used in the wall. There’s a wide screen television, DVD and video player, a CD/radio/cassette player and a telephone.
We’ve carefully chosen energy efficient appliances for the kitchen; dishwasher, built in hob and oven, fridge/freezer, washer drier and microwave. A new double ceramic sink is reminiscent of the farm worker’s old pot sink and there’s a plate rack and pan hanger above the table.
There are two bedrooms in the cottage; a double bed in the pink room and two singles in the blue. All the bedding is unbleached organic cotton. Enjoy a night’s sleep on an organic wool pillow. We’ve included a shower above the bath to save water and a dual flush toilet. Hand towels are organic cotton and sets of similar towels are available for hire.
The cottage is centrally heated by an energy efficient air source heat pump and has solar panels to heat our domestic hot water. There’s a picnic bench in the lovely cottage garden so you can relax and enjoy the quiet surroundings. Feeders encourage garden birds and we’ve planted fruit bushes so you can harvest some gooseberries or perhaps later, apples. A compost bin waits for your kitchen organic waste and flowers make the area a haven for butterflies.
By plane: Newcastle airport is the closest to the cottage. From there you could hire a car or take a train to Berwick upon Tweed.
By bus: A two hourly bus service runs from Berwick Rail Station (Service 505) to Beal. It is a 2 mile walk from Beal to the cottage. Follow the directions above.
By bicycle: If you cycle from the station take the A1 South and then follow the directions from Beal.
We’ve carefully chosen energy efficient appliances for the kitchen; dishwasher, built in hob and oven, fridge/freezer, washer drier and microwave. A new double ceramic sink is reminiscent of the farm worker’s old pot sink and there’s a plate rack and pan hanger above the table.
There are two bedrooms in the cottage; a double bed in the pink room and two singles in the blue. All the bedding is unbleached organic cotton. Enjoy a night’s sleep on an organic wool pillow. We’ve included a shower above the bath to save water and a dual flush toilet. Hand towels are organic cotton and sets of similar towels are available for hire.
The cottage is centrally heated by an energy efficient air source heat pump and has solar panels to heat our domestic hot water. There’s a picnic bench in the lovely cottage garden so you can relax and enjoy the quiet surroundings. Feeders encourage garden birds and we’ve planted fruit bushes so you can harvest some gooseberries or perhaps later, apples. A compost bin waits for your kitchen organic waste and flowers make the area a haven for butterflies.
how to find us
By rail: The nearest station to the cottage is Berwick upon Tweed. You could then cycle, take the bus or a taxi. If you ring in advance it may be possible for someone to collect you. By plane: Newcastle airport is the closest to the cottage. From there you could hire a car or take a train to Berwick upon Tweed.
By bus: A two hourly bus service runs from Berwick Rail Station (Service 505) to Beal. It is a 2 mile walk from Beal to the cottage. Follow the directions above.
By bicycle: If you cycle from the station take the A1 South and then follow the directions from Beal.
how this holiday makes a difference
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At the cottage we believe it is important to protect our environment and the wonderful natural heritage of Northumberland. The cottage was designed around the research of a teenage environmental group The Northumberland Eco Wild Team.
The team wanted to create a home where visitors could discover the pleasure of a green lifestyle whilst enjoying a wonderful holiday, exploring the beautiful natural heritage of Northumberland. The project was a great success. The team won the UK Volvo Young Environmentalists of the Year Award and travelled to an international youth conference in Sweden where they gave a presentation about the cottage. Two of the team attended a UNEP Youth Conference in Bangalore and Meg Burn addressed international delegates on the subject of sustainable lifestyles. Fiona Hall, our local MEP, kindly performed the Grand Opening of the cottage in May 2006. An energy efficient electric air-source heat pump provides the heat for our central heating system and we have put solar panels on the roof of the cottage. Our electricity company is Ecotricity, they supply power to the grid from wind turbines. We’ve chosen ‘A’ rated energy efficient electrical appliances for the kitchen and used energy saving light bulbs. We hope you’ll join us in saving electricity by switching lights off and not leaving the television on standby! The cottage is well insulated. You can view the sheep’s wool insulation through a viewing panel in the living room. All the paints and wood oils used in the cottage are free of harmful solvents. We’ve used untreated European larch in the restoration work and have tried to buy solid wood furniture. The electricians have installed low smoke and fume wiring (non PVC) and we’ve chosen natural fibres, such as wool rugs, wherever possible. Classic unbleached organic cotton bed linen, towels and organic wool pillows provide a pure, simple luxury we’re sure you’ll enjoy. To save water we’ve installed a shower above the bath and a dual flush toilet. The cottage garden is watered with rain water collected in a barrel and natural spring water. A 3 part kitchen bin is great to help you recycle and don’t forget to compost your garden rubbish. It’s important to use recycled products so you’ll see we have recycled glasses, paper, toilet rolls, tissues and pens. Everything for the cottage is bought with consideration for the environment – so you’ll know food and drink, bathroom toiletries and cleaning products will be gentle to the environment and to you. We support local producers and buy locally where possible. We welcome cyclists and walkers to the cottage and hope that everyone who visits will share eco friendly ideas. We care passionately for our local countryside and farmland wildlife and have introduced many wildlife conservation measures. As Wildlife Watch Youth Leaders we have enjoyed working with young people on the farm to protect wildlife. The teenage team have designed a farm trail leading through the peaceful surrounding countryside which describes this conservation work. We believe it is necessary to encourage the young people of today to discover their natural heritage and explore ways they can make a positive impact on the environment. We want the next generation to responsibly manage our environment and lead towards a greener future. |
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