On our recent trip to Northumberland, we decided to skip a hotel and book in to a cottage. There were a couple of reasons for this – firstly, I was with my parents and wanted to have communal space for socialising and secondly, we wanted the freedom to do our own cooking given we were staying on the coast far away from any restaurants.
It was such a great choice and we truly had a wonderful time in our beautiful accommodation. If you’re looking for somewhere nestled in nature, close to a gorgeous coastline and near to the main sites – then look no further!
Location
You can read my full Northumberland Itinerary Post: HERE.
The cottages are situated in North Eastern England, a few miles in-land from the Northumberland coast line, in the middle of a rural area. It is close to a train line, however to explore the area you will need a car (and be prepared for those English country lanes)!
The cottages are situated around a 15 minute drive from Alnwick, Dunstanburgh, Warkworth and Craster, and around 25 minutes from Seahouses and Bamburgh. It is also possible to visit Lindisfarne (Holy Island), Northumberland National Park and even Hadrian’s Wall on day trips. The closest major city is Newcastle.
Accomodation
The accommodation at Brunton House and Cottages is lovely. We stayed in the cottage called Brunton Lake, a 2 bedroom cottage with a large kitchen/diner and sitting area. The décor was warm and inviting, and we arrived to some lovely little touches.
For example, we were left an arrival basket which included a newspaper, bread, some coffee and tea, and there was milk in the fridge. In addition, there was a large visitor book with local walks, recommendations etc.
The bedrooms were also beautifully finished, and both were en-suite. One had a large freestanding shower, and the other had a shower over a bath – perfect for relaxing in to after a long day of walking!
Obviously there is no room turn down service, but we were provided with a fresh towel each, plus a number of hand towels. If you stay for longer than a week, you are provided with a change of bedding and fresh towels. Also within the property is a dishwasher, washing machine and huge boiler cupboard which houses a vacuum, ironing board, mop, etc. Overall it was beautiful accommodation with lots of amenities available.
Finally, there was also an outdoor patio which had a table and benches, plus a firepit. It was particularly beautiful when a rainbow came out over it!
Amenities
The highlight here is the grounds, which easily provide a day of activities in the form of long walks, without even doing any day trips.
The site is on an old 13th century working mill, and you can explore the local woodland, orchards, fields and rivers throughout the property. There’s also a little lake with picnic tables, perfect for a lunch spot on a nice day!
It’s totally quiet and we didn’t see anyone else on our walks, so you’ll spot a lot of nature. On one short evening walk we saw hares, deer and swallows (plus of course lots of sheep and cows). If you’re really lucky you’ll spot some rare red squirrels. It was really lovely to just get away from it all.
Important note: The house and cottages are dog friendly. If you’re allergic to dogs or pet hair, then a stay may not be for you.
We found it to be a really charming self accommodation option for visiting Northumberland. I’d definitely recommend it as an option if you’re staying in the area!
And that rounds off my stay at Brunton House and Cottages. What do you think of this lovely rural property? It was a nice way to get away for a couple of days while work was hectic, without having to travel too far or catch a flight. I love exploring new corners of England, and this was the perfect base from which to do it!
Stay safe and happy travelling!
Travelling Han 
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