Beadnell Bay C & C C Site
Beadnell
Chathill
Northumberland
NE67 5BX

Tel: 01665 720 586

Please note: Motor homes & tents ONLY, no caravans. Non members welcome

The site is on the Seahouses side of Beadnell which has two pubs, two shops and one chippy.
This site is very much the typical Camping and Caravan Site - well organized pitches, clean toilets and showers and pleasant atmosphere.
This site is for motorhomes and tents, no caravans and no hook-up. The site is mostly level but one side against the wall had pitches which resembled a roller coast ride and as usual these seemed to be given to tenters!

The B1340 which runs along part of the coast goes around the site is quite busy and fast during the summer with the result that there can be traffic noise early in the morning.
Across the road from the site is a lovely walking beach which can be explored for hours by children and adults.

Camper van and 2 people £10.30, (August 2003).

Colum Murphy. CLIC. September 2003

Dunstan Hill CCC site
Dunstan Hill
Dunstan
Ainwick
Northumberland
NE66 3TQ

Tel: 01665 576 310

150 pitches. Non members welcome

The site is located South of Embleton in Northumberland, B1340, near to Seahouses.
There are two loo blocks, both to the usual immaculate Camping and Caravanning Club standards.
Hard standing and normal pitches available, site is generally level, tenters accommodated near to main toilet block. There is a bus service to and from Alnwick/Berwick areas for back packers.
Site is located beside a belt of trees, with lots of country walks around, and to the coastal areas in the region.
Friendly Wardens (Holiday Site Managers)

Villages of Beadnell, Seahouses, Craster and Bamburgh all nearby and worth a visit. Seahouses has a selection of eat out Bars and Hotels plus two or three seaside fresh local fish "chippies" to take away or sit-in. A little bit of "kiss me quick" atmosphere also. Bamburgh Castle very well worth a visit, about £5.00 per head or around £16.00family ticket. Near to Berwick, Holy Island (Lindisfarne) check the causeway crossing times at Seahouses Tourist Information office before visiting Lindisfarne, tidal causeway road.

Mel & Ella Evans. CLIC. April 2004

Review by Mel at www.xetronella.com, site visited and stayed in April 2004.
Use of this review is limited to the undernoted clic-uk group websites, and copyright remains with xetronella.com

Haltwistle Camping & Caravanning Club site
Burnfoot Park Village
Haltwhistle
Northumberland
NE49 0JP

Tel: 01434 320 106

Beware - narrow and steep approach to site.
None members admitted.

Small site in a large field bordered by a river on one side and woods the other sides.
50 pitches. Small, older style facilities block with showers, dishwashing, laundry, etc, looking a little tired although very clean. Good dog walks through woods - river very fast flowing and deep when we were there (after 2 weeks of rain).

Fishing available from site. Only short drive to Hadrian’s Wall and the roman museums.

Haltwistle small town with a few shops, Carlisle less than 20 minutes drive away.

A good night halt when travelling south or north. Peaceful.

Jan Bain. CLIC. October 2004

Honeysuckle Cottage Caravan Park
Old Felton Lane
Widdrington
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 5DR

Tel: 01670 761 286

Open January to November

Current fees - Contact site for details

If you're looking for peace and quiet away from the rat race then this little site has it in bucketloads. Situated about a mile off the A1068 it's practically in the middle of nowhere - there's a couple of houses next door and that's it, nothing else except fields for quite a distance. There's no reception but the very friendly and helpful owners, Les and Susan, live in the adjacent bungalow so you just knock on the door - if there's no-one in when you arrive you'll find a note directing you to your pitch and Les or Susan will come across to see you later on. The main part of the site has ehu pitches for caravans and motorhomes round three sides, accessed by a gravel track, and a pleasant grassy area in the centre where you can pitch a tent if you want ehu and/or the site isn't too busy. The caravan pitches over the far side are sheltered by tall trees and beyond the trees is the main tent field - much of this is sloping but you can find some flat areas if you're not too fussy about which way your tent faces.

Just by the site entrance is a small play area with a timber climbing frame, slide and a couple of swings, which will keep younger kids happy for a while. At the top end of the site is a pleasant little enclave of a dozen static caravans and the toilet/shower block is situated in this area. There are currently three single occupancy toilet/shower units which, although fairly basic, are always spotlessly clean - there's always plenty of hand soap and loo roll provided, and the showers are roomy and free. Access is by Yale key - given out when you first book in - so to avoid the potentially embarrassing situation of another camper walking in on you don't forget to bolt the door while you're in there. Unfortunately there are no pot washing facilities so you will need to do any washing up in your own unit, but the owners have plans for some improvements to the site and this issue is one which will probably be sorted out.

There are a few hens, a cockerel and three turkeys which all roam freely round the site, and though they aren't exactly tame they will come close if you throw some bits of bread out for them. For anyone who likes star gazing this is an ideal place to do it as there is no light pollution at all; there are no lights on the lane and just one by the site entrance, other than that once it goes dark it's really dark. Just across the lane is a large pond which you can walk part way round and it makes a good dog walk, but it's unfenced and deep so any kids need to be supervised. Across the fields is a section of the East Coast main rail line so you do hear some train noise occasionally, but they go past in seconds so it's not enough to be disturbing.

Set back off the A1068 across the road from the lane leading to the site is the Widdrington Inn - it was recommended to me as a great place to eat but to be honest I found it dreadful. The meal I had there must have been the worst one I've ever had anywhere and the service was abysmal. About five miles south of the site is the town of Ashington, which has most of the usual shops and a large Asda for any food, fuel and provisions you might need. A couple of miles up the A1068 going north is Druridge Bay country park which leads onto the beach and is great for dog walking. The car park there is a pay-and-display, but if you go past the signposted lane and take the next lane on the right this leads down to two free parking areas right next to the beach. The little harbour town of Amble is about five miles north of the site and just beyond Amble is Warkworth Castle which is well worth a look round - it costs £3 to park and £4.95 to get in, but your parking fee is refunded when you buy a ticket for the castle. For eating out the Mason's Arms in Warkworth itself gives friendly service and provides very good meals, and if you fancy some city centre shopping then Newcastle is only a forty minute drive south.

l can only think of one minor downside to Honeysuckle Cottage and that's the current lack of dishwashing facilities, other than that it's a nice little site in a very quiet rural area, and it makes a great base for exploring the many towns and villages on or near the Northumberland coast. Would I return? - most definitely!

Eunice Ratcliffe. CLIC. November 2013

Springhill Farm
Seahouses
Northumberland
NE68 7UR

Tel: 01665 721 820
Fax: 01665 721 820 Julie & Sarah Gregory

E-mail: enquiries@springhill-farm.co.uk
Web: www.springhill-farm.co.uk/

C.C. CL. page 395 in 2001/2002 book

Site visited August 2002.

Entrance - easy, through farm entrance & farmyard, along bumpy farm road.
First impression - untidy, with old farm implements around edges.
Facilities - W.C., Shower, Washing M/C, Electrics.

Price - from £5.50 + electrics

Nearest pub - one mile.
Nearest shops - 1 1/2 miles.
Nearby attractions - Beautiful coastline, sandy beaches. Bamburgh Castle 3 miles. Boat trips to Farne Islands from Seahouses. Five fish restaurants in Seahouses (1 1/2 miles)

Site itself is well kept with grass regularly cut, views, seawards, over Farne Islands, Northwards to Bamburgh Castle, inland to the hills of the Borders.
An excellent touring centre.
Only saw site full over Bank Holiday weekend, otherwise quiet.

Eric Ward. CLIC. September 2002.

Wansbeck Riverside Camping and Caravanning Park
Green Lane
Ashington
Northumberland
NE63 8TX

Tel: 01670 812 323

£11:50 per night including electric

After a nightmare 8 hour journey 320 miles from Berkshire to Northumberland, in the line of duty (mother-in-law’s 70th birthday) we arrived at 1900 at the campsite; which is approached down a single track road. The site of 44 pitches is on two levels, following the sweep of the road down to the rivers edge. Reception is situated at the bottom of the hill and the road circles in front of it to allow easy turning.

The wardens were lovely, they opened up for us even though Reception/Shop was closed, they had seen us coming and we had also phoned ahead to say we were stuck in Easter weekend traffic. They quickly signed us in and directed us to our pitch.

All the pitches are bordered on 3 sides by 6 foot hedges, the pitch was spacious and flat (which was good as the roof of our folding/expanding caravan fails to meet if the ground isn’t exactly level , we have very little room for adjustment!) Not all the pitches are this flat, I would say most are gently sloping. The hedges added a lot of privacy and we could even open the curtains to let the sun in whilst lying in bed without worrying that we would put someone off their breakfast.

We were issued with a key for the toilets/showers and the laundry room and for the barrier which is locked at 10pm. The facilities are all located in a large ‘portakabin’ building and were spotless, there were 6 loos for the ladies, 4 showers and 6 washbasins. I didn’t venture into the mens, but the husband says they were fine too. Indeed he was really pleased with how hot the showers were but did comment that the shower cubicle was a little on the small side but still perfectly adequate.

The site is next to the River Wansbeck, hence the name Riverside!! It is very very sheltered which is good for the rugged North East. There is a public car park for the river which uses the same access road at the top but splits off before you reach the barrier to the site. The barrier for the car park is locked at dusk. There is a childrens play area next to the public car park with a large slide, swings, see-saws etc and a paddling pool which wasn’t filled for Easter ( not surprisingly as it was below freezing on a couple of occasions) TV reception was fair but there was a good signal for our Orange mobile phones.

Not all the pitches have access to electric. The site is owned by Wansbeck District Council and is open all year.

Overall an excellent sheltered site, ideal location for exploring Northumberland.

We will definitely return next time we visit the in-laws.

Tamasine, Chris and Freja Woods. CLIC. Easter 2001

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