Special feature: Teal House, Lemmington Cottages, Near Alnwick, Northumberland, UK

A pheasant scurries throughout the highway as we flip into the drive in the direction of Teal Home, our house for per week’s vacation within the north-east of England. We’re about 5 miles to the west of Alnwick, broadly considered one of many prime pheasant taking pictures places within the UK, and the numerous pheasants we see throughout our week within the space have survived the taking pictures season which ended just some weeks in the past.

Teal Home, one among three properties obtainable from Lemmington Cottages, all of which have been awarded the celebrated 5 star gold awarded by the Nationwide High quality Evaluation Scheme for VisitEngland, and obtainable to ebook via Premier Cottages, is a beautiful four-bedroomed property that definitely doesn’t disappoint. This L-shaped ground-floor lodging has been completed to a excessive customary and has its personal non-public backyard to the rear, with pine forests and the rolling hills of the Cheviots past.

We adopted the simple directions to let ourselves in on arrival however, must you want, the proprietor Lydia is all the time obtainable to fulfill and greet in individual, in addition to help with suggestions and native info. On coming into Teal Home you might be greeted by an inviting hallway the place the 2 sides of the ‘L’ meet. A guests ebook stuffed with glowing feedback gives instant re-assurance that you’ve arrived at someplace somewhat particular.

To the left is an extended hall off which three of the bedrooms will be discovered. To the best is a fourth bed room, and the remainder of the residing house forward.

The bedrooms will be configured as double-bedded or twin-bedded rooms. Every is furnished and adorned barely otherwise however all with fashionable but fashionable, impartial tones.

Footage from the native space cling on the partitions and there’s the occasional enjoyable reminder of the Northumberland countryside that surrounds you. There’s just one different home inside a mile’s drive so anticipate to see extra sheep than folks in case you plan for a lazy day at property.

Giant floor-to-ceiling home windows, and doorways that lead out to the backyard, imply that the bedrooms get pleasure from loads of pure gentle.

In our sons’ twin-bedded room, there have been ‘Timeout Luggage‘ on every of their beds. These are the brainchild of Lydia’s sister and kind a part of the ‘cottage concierge’ service provided by Lemmington Cottages.

Bespoke exercise packs will be tailor-made to totally different ages and are particularly common with youthful friends. They included a beneficiant array of items from books and video games to fidget spinners books and wholesome snacks, and much more in addition to – such a beautiful further particular contact.

The cottage concierge service additionally extends to a spread of added experiences comparable to breakfast hampers, non-public catering, spa remedies, bicycle rent, pony trekking and extra, so do ask in case you need assistance or recommendation with something.

All 4 bedrooms have their very own non-public en suite loos with massive, neutral-toned floor-to-ceiling tiles.

Floris toiletries are supplied – a long-established London-based model; regardless of it being the oldest retailer of fragrances and toiletries within the nation, it’s nonetheless family-owned and run to today regardless of being established as way back as 1730.

Tub robes are additionally equipped – not one thing that might usually be a ‘given’ with self-catering lodging, however sometimes seen on the larger finish of the market the place the excellence between lodge and self-catering lodging is turning into more and more much less apparent.

The primary residing house consists of an extended, open plan room with kitchen, eating space and lounge.

A big kitchen island with stools alongside one facet supplied a sociable surroundings for when cooking meals in.

And the house owners very kindly supplied us with an array of treats on arrival – a bottle of wine, espresso from Lindisfarne, milk and juice within the fridge, a bowl of fruit, a beautiful cake and even contemporary flowers.

On the far finish of the room, past an extended, central eating space with seating for as much as 10 folks, is a comfortable lounge, a wood-burning range and TV with Netflix (the televisions within the bedrooms additionally got here with Netflix).

Firelighters, matches and a basket of logs had been all supplied.

Teal Home additionally has its personal utility room, with a washer/dryer hid behind fitted cabinets, and even an armchair, footrest and TV ought to you want a bit of quiet time away from everybody else!

A lawned backyard provides a secluded and protected surroundings for kids to play out, and solar loungers and areas of decking present ample alternative for adults to calm down, too.

For older youngsters eager to get a bit of extra train, the drive to the property is simply over half a mile lengthy and sees fairly no visitors in any way provided that it solely serves Teal Home and one different property, making it excellent for a spot of impartial mountain biking.

While you possibly can simply fill your days stress-free on the lodging, it will be a disgrace to not discover the native space. Recognized in vacationer circles as ‘The Secret Kingdom’, but having fun with growing recognition, North Northumberland has a lot to supply.

Within the close by market city of Alnwick, you will have Alnwick Fort and The Alnwick Backyard. Sadly, the fortress – dubbed ‘the Windsor of the North’ and used as the situation for Hogwarts within the Harry Potter movies – was closed on the time of our go to, however the backyard might nonetheless be visited.

The centrepiece of the backyard is the Grand Cascade, a collection of fountains and the most important of its type within the UK. However this modern up to date backyard has far more to supply and is arguably one of the thrilling gardens to have been created in Europe within the final 100 years.

One of the vital current additions is a hillside stuffed with picket swings that look down on the lake under, some devoted to the reminiscence of family members, that present a calming method of passing the time in one of many much less busy areas of the backyard. In all honesty, the timing wasn’t excellent for seeing the gardens at their greatest, however it’s nonetheless nicely price a go to at any time of 12 months.

For days when the climate is much less beneficial, a go to to Barter Books makes for a singular morning or afternoon out. Housed in Alnwick’s outdated railway station, this is likely one of the UK’s largest second hand bookshops and a vacationer attraction in its personal proper, attracting an estimated 350,000 guests per 12 months. You should purchase books right here however, because the title suggests, a barter system that permits prospects to change their books for credit score towards future purchases can be potential. Barter Books additionally rose to fame in 2000 when a never-issued 1939 World Battle II poster with the phrases ‘Hold Calm and Carry On’ was present in a field of outdated books purchased at an public sale, however has since resulted in a global phenomenon with the phrases seen on posters, mugs, T-shirts and extra.

While we additionally visited close by Alnmouth and loved a stroll alongside the seashore there, a number of the space’s different treasures will be discovered additional north alongside the coast.

In addition to visiting cities and villages comparable to Beadnell, Seahouses, Craster and Embleton, we walked alongside the dunes and seashore at Dunstan Steads from the place you possibly can get pleasure from beautiful views of the 14th Century Dunstanburgh Fort. As soon as one of many largest forts in northern England, it modified palms a number of instances in the course of the Wars of the Roses within the mid 15th Century and regularly fell right into a state of disrepair. In the present day, it’s owned by the Nationwide Belief and managed by English Heritage.

Slightly additional up the coast lies the equally spectacular, and far more intact, Bamburgh Fort which you would possibly recognise from plenty of tv and movie appearances, together with each the 1971 and 2015 display portrayals of Macbeth. It too noticed appreciable harm in the course of the Wars of the Roses however was correctly restored within the 19th Century when it got here below the possession of Lord Armstrong and stays within the Armstrong household to today.

While I’ve been to the realm many instances earlier than, and even stayed in Bamburgh a number of instances previously, I had by no means truly been contained in the fortress, so this time we took the chance to do exactly that. By far the grandest room throughout our go to was the King’s Corridor which might have been the fortress’s primary social reception and banqueting room.

Additionally of word had been Cross Corridor, the billiard room, the scullery, armoury and the numerous collections of art work, porcelain and furnishings.

There’s a mock-up of the dungeons in the direction of the tip of your go to which could not be to everybody’s style, particularly if you’re travelling with younger youngsters, however it does give you a stark reminder of what instances might have been like previously. Additionally price noting is that the guides all through the fortress had been welcoming and educated, and the views from the fortress partitions are improbable, notably if the climate is beneficial.

Bamburgh can be well-known for its connections with the nationwide heroine, Grace Darling, who – collectively together with her father – risked her life by rowing out in stormy climate to save lots of the stranded survivors of the shipwrecked SS Forfarshire steamship in 1838 which had struck one of many Farne Islands when attempting to take shelter from a storm. Grace sadly died of tuberculosis 4 years later on the age of simply 26 and is buried together with her dad and mom on the picturesque St. Aidan’s Church in Bamburgh.

Close to to their modest grave is a really elaborate memorial which depicts Grace holding an oar by her facet. The same memorial will be discovered contained in the church, in addition to an outline of her in one of many stained glass home windows.

Throughout the highway from the church is a small museum devoted to Grace’s heroics, and you may see the very boat used to carry out the courageous rescue. Though small, the RNLI Grace Darling Museum actually brings her story to life. The museum is free however donations to the RNLI, who depend on volunteers and have saved greater than 140,000 lives since their inception in 1824, are in fact very welcome.

Keep on north previous Bamburgh and also you quickly come to the turning for the Holy Island of Lindisfarne – one of the necessary websites of early Christianity in Britain, in addition to the location of Britain’s first Viking assault in 793 AD. It is a tidal island so that you do must verify the tide tables earlier than planning a crossing. In the event you cross the causeway at one of many earliest crossing instances, you’ll get not less than a couple of hours through which to see the island’s primary sights.

There’s a delegated automobile park through which to park in an effort to preserve visitors out of the village. Round 160 residents dwell on the island, virtually all of which dwell within the village. We parked up and walked the 20 minutes or so to Lindisfarne Fort. Initially in-built 1550, across the time that Lindisfarne Priory went out of use, this Tudor Fort was transformed into a vacation house for Nation Life proprietor Edward Hudson by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1903. Extra just lately, the fortress underwent a serious renovation (2016-2018). Do you have to nonetheless have the power after climbing the hill as much as the fortress, you possibly can tpay to take a tour of the fortress which is now owned and managed by the Nationwide Belief.

Alternatively, you possibly can simply benefit from the spectacular views out to the Farne Islands and throughout to the mainland the place you possibly can simply make out Bamburgh Fort on the horizon.

On our method again, we had been fortunate sufficient to see a seal pup. The Farne Islands accounts for about 2.5% of all new seals born within the UK. The Farnes have a wholesome inhabitants of gray seals however apparently Holy Island can be house to very small numbers of frequent seals. Having learn in regards to the variations between gray and customary seals, I’m nonetheless unsure which that is, so maybe somebody can verify within the feedback!

The opposite key web site to see on the island is Lindisfarne Priory, a Medieval monastery based by the Irish monk Saint Aidan in 634 AD. Now in ruins, this necessary centre of early Christianity is right now taken care of by English Heritage. Close by is St. Cuthbert’s island, on prime of which sits a picket cross, the place Cuthbert is claimed to have first tried to dwell as a hermit.

There’s far more to see however little time to do all of it justice until you keep on the island. In the event you plan to return, make sure to not get caught out by the tides as soon as once more… there are many indicators on the island to warn you of the hazards, so actually there isn’t a excuse. If doubtful, don’t likelihood it!

As soon as we returned to the mainland, we hugged the coast for a short time; it’s not essentially the most direct method again to Alnwick however the likes of Budle Bay are nicely price seeing.

Nearer to Teal Home is the Nationwide Belief property of Cragside, the house of hydroelectricity, close to the city of Rothbury. While my spouse and mother-in-law explored the home and gardens, I went for a mountain bike experience with our boys, taking in a loop that began and completed on the property however handed via Rothbury, some open moorland and Forestry Fee woodlands.

One factor is for certain; there isn’t a scarcity of issues to do within the space! So far as eating is anxious, we loved meals at a wide range of institutions. Crab sandwiches are a should within the space and The Jolly Fisherman at Craster, winner of Northumberland Pub of the 12 months a couple of years in the past, is a full of life place to get pleasure from one – a busy pub brimming with ambiance.

Simply reverse the pub is L. Robson & Sons Ltd., a fourth technology household enterprise, and producers of the well-known Craster kipper. There’s a store there additionally.

The spotlight of our eating experiences was, no doubt, The Potted Lobster in Bamburgh, which was nicely well worth the 45-minute drive from the place we had been staying. You do must ebook forward, although. In addition to an everyday menu with staples such because the lager and lemon battered contemporary haddock with pea purée, chips and selfmade tartar sauce, there’s a specials board to select from. Pictured under are two objects from the latter – pan fried cod, sautéed potatoes, garlic king prawns and parsley butter, and pan-fried salmon on a backyard pea and prawn risotto – which tasted each bit pretty much as good as they give the impression of being!

One other place it would be best to strive (however once more it is advisable to ebook forward) is The Treehouse Restaurant at The Alnwick Backyard, located in one of many world’s largest picket tree homes. It’s an expertise if just for the décor and setting alone!

The menu was fairly restricted – simply 5 starters and 5 mains (one among which was unavailable by the point they took our order) – and much more restricted in case you’re vegetarian (through which case there would solely have been one starter and primary to ‘select’ from). That stated, the meals was good and the setting distinctive. Pictured under is the Seareys smoked salmon starter, served with horseradish, pickled cucumber and soda bread.

For my primary, I had the braised daube of Northumbrian beef with a pomme purée, smoked pacetta and child turnips.

Alnwick additionally has plenty of pubs, a lot of which serve meals. Amongst them is The Hog’s Head Inn which serves conventional pub grub. Named after the tavern within the Harry Potter books and movies, it may be discovered on the outskirts of the city and is a helpful stop-off level for anybody travelling previous on the A1. Pictured is the creamy garlic rooster: rooster breast with child potatoes and wilted greens in a creamy garlic sauce.

With no finish of locations to go to and eat out, and high quality lodging to return to every day, it’s no marvel the visitor ebook at Teal Home is teaming with thanks and compliments.

That is clearly a particular place that can entice loads of repeat friends – and deservedly so.

Disclosure: Our keep was courtesy of Lemmington Cottages and organized via Premier Cottages. In contrast to most of the very massive vacation rental web sites, Premier Cottages doesn’t add a reserving charge to the value of your vacation. This implies it can save you 15% or extra by reserving with Premier as their costs are “all inclusive” with no hidden expenses, cleansing charges or service prices. In peak vacation intervals this may end up in financial savings of a whole bunch of kilos. With Premier you ebook direct with the cottage proprietor somewhat than via a central reservations quantity and all properties have been inspected and rated four* or 5* by the nationwide vacationer board.