Northumberland + Edinburgh

Poppycat

We fancy a holiday in early August 6th I think and stay in Northumberland around Holy Island area.

Bar Holy island and the castle near by any other places to go?

We fancy a day out to Edinburgh too. Am I right in thinking theres a park and ride, we love to go to the castle too.

Felix

Yup, theres a park and ride. Off the top of my head theres one next to the airport and another at Newcraighall. Heres a map http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/transportedinburgh/roads/Rides/ride.html

Poppycat

Thanks Felix. Much rather use the car and park outside and not have to worry about how much time is left in the meter plus its better for enviroment, traffic flows.

Hunnymonster

Give us a clue Poppycat - what comprises your clan ?

I'm useless at this stuff because it's on my doorstep and has been for the last 30 years - so it's one of those things you kind of ignore

There are miles of unspoiled deserted beaches - the North Sea is rarely warm though.

Lots of castles etc. - remnants of the wars over the border.

The town walls in Berwick are the most expensive single item that the English government bought during the reign of Elizabeth I

You can park & ride into Edinburgh city centre (or just park and get the train from Drem, Longniddry or Prestonpans - I do this rather than P&R @ Newcraighall because the trains are shuttles between Edinburgh & North Berwick, rather than starting in Dunblane to Newcraighall and are less likely to be delayed severely/cancelled) - but the Zoo is quite a way west of the city centre - so personally I'd not try park & ride for the zoo (mind you I wouldn't go to the Zoo anyway - because I think they have some horrific enclosures in Edinburgh Zoo - especially the Polar Bear that's pacing up and down constantly http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=951&id=2175622005)

The Royal Botanic Gardens https://www.rgbe.org.uk (Arboretum Place) in Edinburgh are very nice, and usually it's possible to feed the (sadly grey) squirrels there - which the kids usually love.

edit: North Berwick - Scottish Seabird Centre - forgot that one lol

Looking south - there are museums and galleries galore in Newcastle & Gateshead (the Baltic (free entry) https://www.balticmill.com - you might hate modern art - but the viewing platforms offer a great view point for the riverside), the Gateshead Millennium Bridge (check https://www.gateshead.gov.uk for tilting times). The Discovery Museum in Newcastle (free entry) http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/discovery has the first steam turbine driven ship, and a large host of hands-on type exhibits. Beamish Open Air Museum https://www.beamish.org.uk is about 10 miles south of Newcastle and I don't think you can do it justice in a day.....

In the Borders: Manderston House - the setting for "the Edwardian House" on TV, loads of Walter Scott-related stuff. Union Chain Bridge (near Horncliffe) - When it opened in 1820 it was the longest iron suspension bridge in the world with a span of 450ft. Today it is the oldest suspension bridge still carrying road traffic. Next to that is Chainbridge Honey Farm - producing lovely honey

Poppycat

I live near North sea, lol in Scarborough. There 5 off us 3 adults and two kids 13, 14.

Would like to have a day at a theme park but I couldn't find one. We plan on going to Edinburgh, Holy Island, the castle nearby, Newcastle maybe Gateshead.

Plans are at an early stage, haven't booked cottage yet. After awful holiday last tear and Cleethorpes, never again, and park was noisy we want to place safe. We normally spend holidays in Devon, but its a little to far for use these days.

Thanks for your help.

Hunnymonster

Nearest themepark to Newcastle is either Lightwater Valley or Flamingoland - very poor....

There is one in central Scotland somewhere I'm sure - I just can't think of the name of the place right now..... somewhere near Motherwell I think - so a decent couple of hours drive from (say) Berwick.

Another attraction I just thought of in the area - Heatherslaw Mill (makes proper flour for breadmaking - but definitely not moneysaving) & narrowgauge railway, Ford Model Village https://www.fordetal.co.uk

Oh and if the brown signs on the A1 are to be believed - there's a cement works in Dunbar that makes a tourist attraction..... undeniably there's a cement works, but I don't think it's much of a tourist trap

Poppycat

Argh they close to me, only been to Flamingoland though many years ago its near Pickering 20 miles away.

Hunnymonster

Poppycat wrote:

Argh they close to me, only been to Flamingoland though many years ago its near Pickering 20 miles away.

LOL - I was probably there the same year - it was still called Flamingo Park Zoo when I was last there.... and Lightwater Valley was a PYO fruit farm with a few roundabouts to keep the kids quiet. :rolleyes:

edit: http://www.secretkingdom.com/ is the most complete tourist website for North Northumberland

Becles

In Northumberland:

There is a priory and a castle on Holy Island.

There are numerous castles in Northumberland, but some are ruins. The best two are Bamburgh (furnished with lots of nice collections) and Alnwick (another furnished one that gets good reviews, although I've not been for years. If you have kids, Harry Potter was filmed here and it's got a massive tree house!).

You must visit Seahouses! It's a traditional sea side down, with some lovely little shops to wander round. They also sell the best fish and chips in the world, and it's best to buy some and eat them in the harbour straight out the paper - mmmmm :drool:

My secret: Ross beach is one of the nicest beaches I've ever been to. You need to park up in the hamlet of Ross, then walk about a mile over farmland and a protected nature area in the sand dunes. Your reward is a sweeping strech of fine golden sand, which you often have all to yourself as not many people can be bothered to walk there.

The Grace Darling museum in Bamburgh is very interesting. She was a young woman who lived in a lighthouse on the Farne Islands. During a fierce storm she noticed a ship in trouble on the rocks. She managed to row across to the other island and rescue the men from the ship. A great strength shown and incredible bravery. Both my children really enjoyed learning about her in history at school.

If you like sea life, you can get a boat from Seahouses over to the Farne Islands. Some just do a round trip, others allow you to get off on the island(s). You should see masses of different sea birds and loads of seals. The seals are quite friendly and bob round the boats. You'll see what Grace Darling had to row across too. St Cuthbert lived on one of the islands too, and although the islands don't have people living on them, there is still a church there in his memory.

Further afield, there are more castles, stately homes and Hadrians Wall.

I love Northumberland. It's got fantastic scenery and some smashing beaches.

Poppycat

Thanks I was looking at sea houses to stay at we looking for a cottage/house. Bamburgh castle was the place I was thinking off, looks beautiful castle it was on Coast tv series along with our castle, Scarborough.

Hadrians is an idea forgot about that, never been there. I remember hearing of a modern reconstructed Roman fort they made around that area.

Hunnymonster

Poppycat wrote:

I remember hearing of a modern reconstructed Roman fort they made around that area.

Arbeia in South Shields has the reconstructed gate, Segedunum in Wallsend has the outline of the fort exposed.