With travel options more complicated then usual, plenty of us have been taking the opportunity to explore more of what the UK has to offer with a staycation.
So, we gave Haggerston Castle Holiday Park in Northumberland a visit to see what this beautiful part of the UK has to offer.
Arrival - registration and myHaven app
The myHaven app allows you to book activities and prepare for your holiday before you even arrive, which I found really useful. We booked dinner for the night we arrived and some swimming sessions at the pool. Particulalry with Covid still in our minds I found this very reassuring.
The app was easy to use and then I had everything I needed in the palm of my hand. You can also book activities via the website which was also really easy to do, however I found that activities I’d booked online didn’t show up on the app.
Downloading the myHaven app also meant we could check in before we even arrived on park, letting them know our vehicle’s numberplate and estimated time of arrival. We ended up running later than planned due to traffic, and I couldn’t get the app to work as we arrived so I was a bit worried as we pulled up to security, however as soon as they spotted the numberplate they confirmed our booking name and that was it – all sorted! We were given directions to the caravan (next time I’d print off a copy of the map as we still managed to get lost and the site is huge!) and our holiday could begin.
Where will I sleep?
With caravans in a range of types including standard, duluxe, platinum and prestige – some with decking - as well as Alpine inspired lodges, you can find the accomodation that works best for you. Haggerston Castle is also dog-friendly, so your four-legged friend doesn’t have to miss out on the adventures.
We stayed in a platinum 2 bed caravan with decking, with our lurcher Moss. Upon arrival a sticker on the door showed it had been cleaned, and the keys were left for us on the kitchen counter along with an arrival pack with information about the area.
We were asked to complete check in via the app, and rate the cleanliness of the caravan – which we gave five stars as it was pristine. We were both very impressed with how much they’d managed to fit into the accomodation, the kitchen was a good size, with a dining table and separate lounge area with TV and electric fireplace. In addition there were 2 bathrooms and 2 bedrooms, one twin and one double. It felt very spacious and the kitchen was well kitted out with pots and pans.
We also had a gorgeous balcony overlooking a little lake which we enjoyed having a pre-dinner drink.
One thing I hadn’t prepared for was that aside from towels and bedding, there were a few other amenities not included, such as loo roll, washing up liquid/sponge and a tea towel. Fortunately there is a little co-op on site with everything you need, but it would have been nice not to have to dash out to the shop on arrival.
What is there to eat?
As well as the restaurant on site, Mash and Barrel, there are a few options for takeaway including Cook’s Fish and Chips, Papa John’s and Burger King. For our first night I booked the Mash and Barrel. One thing I didn’t feel very comfortable with was having to walk all the way through the amusement arcade to get to the restaurant, which was packed with families and not many wearing masks. I’d have prefered to be able to go straight into the restaurant from the patio doors. The food was simple but tasty, with a pub-grub menu of burgers, steaks, pizzas and a couple of pasta options. After 7 hours on the road it was a welcome way to fill our stomachs!
The second night we self-catered, with a few bits from a local food market plus some things from the co-op. For our last night we had a takeaway – which you can normally order through the myHaven app although we couldn’t get it to work so we just walked over to order and popped into the co-op while we waited, which was no problem. We weren’t located too far from the main entertainment centre, but the park is massive so if you were situated a bit further away it could mean jumping in the car rather than a quick stroll. I read some reviews before we visited which said the on site co-op was expensive, and I had earmarked a nearby Morrisons and Asda if we needed it, but we thought it was reasonable enough and had everything we needed for our stay.
What is there to do?
There are plenty of options for activities at Haggerston Castle, from the nine-hole golf course, indoor pool and spa, plus an aerial adventure, boating lake, pony rides, bungee trampoline and tennis court. You can also hire bikes and carts to pedal around the site.
As we were only there for a three night stay and we wanted to make the most of the location to visit the surrounding area, we didn’t do many activities aside from using the swimming pool. There are two pools, both indoor and both heated. Currently you have to book time slots prior to your visit, though you can also do this on site. Both are quite geared up for kids, with fountains and slides, so if you’re wanting a calm swim stick to early morning or evening time slots.
Aside from activities on site, Haggerston Castle is brilliantly positioned to take advantage of what Northumberland has to offer. We particulaly enjoyed a visit to Cocklawburn Beach – a massive expanse of sand and rock pools. It’s dog friendly and was pretty much empty so our dog loved having a run around.
We also visitied Berwick-upon-Tweed which is a lovely historic town – we were lucky to stumble across a foodies market in the Berwick Barracks, which had some brilliant local producers, plus live music. We also had a stroll along the town walls and enjoyed a freshly prepared scotch egg sitting on a bench overlooking the golf course with a view of the sea.
A quick detour took us to Wooler, on the edge of the Northumberland National Park. It’s a very sweet town, well kitted out as a base for walkers.
I’d recommend a trip over the border to Kelso – we had a lovely walk along the river in the sunshine, and enjoyed exploring the shops and winding streets. For a spot of lunch head to The Cobbles – it’s in a great location just off the main square and the menu is amazing, five star food at a very reasonable price.
There were lots of other places we’d have liked to visit if we’d have had the time, such as Holy Island, Alnwick, Hadrians wall, plus a boat trip to see the puffins!
How much does it cost?
Prices vary depending on which accomodation options you go for. Current deals on the Haven website are offering 2022 early spring breaks for 4 nights from £71, late spring breaks for 3 nights from £69 and summer breaks for 7 nights from £275 (prices based on standard accomodation). So if you book early it can work out to be quite affordable. Activities are at an additional cost, ranging from £16-£20 and using the pool is free.
Final thoughts
I think a little welcome pack with a loo roll, washing up liquid and a sponge and tea towel would be a nice touch – just enough to get you through that first night. I appreciate this is something that would be quite costly to do in all caravans but for the platinum it would be a good thing to offer. Or make it a bit clearer what you need and don’t need to bring in the pre-arrival email – this may be on the website somewhere but I did try to find it.
I can certainly see the appeal for families as it felt very safe, there are so many activities to do and it’s very convenient to have everything on site. And as for the location I’d definitely love to return to Northumberland and explore it some more.
For more information and to book your Haven stay, visit www.Haven.com.