Berwick on Tweed is surrounded by some of the most beautiful coastline and countryside in the UK. Here are my 5 best things to do around Berwick.
Paxton House
Paxton house is a large Palladian country house built between 1758 and 1766 and located just outside Berwick. It is now a fantastic museum with amazing grounds. It has a massive kids play park and most important of all a cafe.
It is very close to Berwick upon Tweed and easy to get to by car with signposts straight off the A1. Seasonal buses run from Berwick which can be contacted here.
Paxton House tries very hard to be available to all abilities. They have installed a lift to the first floor for wheel chairs and offer ‘hands on’ tours for people who are blind or partially sighted, where furnishings and fabrics can be touched and the Picture Gallery has an induction loop in place for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
For more information on Paxton House click this link to their website.
Heatherslaw Light Railway
The Heatherslaw Light Railway is the most northerly steam railway in England.
Take a there and back trip to Ford Castle on the steam locomotives “Bunty” and “Lady Augusta” or the diesel engine “Binky” which takes 20-25 minutes.
The train ride takes you along the banks of the river Till giving you fantastic views of the Northumberland countryside and Cheviot Hills.
A short walk across the bridge from the train station takes you to Boes Cafe, Heatherslaw Corn Mill, a working water mill and heritage museum where grain is ground into flour, Ford & Etal Visitor Centre where you learn all about the attractions in the area.
For more information on the the Heatherslaw Light Railway click here
Pot a doodle do
Pot a doodle do is a family art centre specialising in ceramics painting.
You don’t have to be an amazing artist to have a great time and everything you need is supplied by the very helpful staff.
Kids and adults will have a great time and you will come away with a keepsake that will last forever. You can choose between acrylic paint that dries the same day or a glazed ceramic that you have to return to pick up a few days later.
For more information on Pot-a-doodle-do click this link
Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre
Hay Farm is now the only Rare Breed Approved Conservation Centre in the Country, which is dedicated to the Heavy Horses.
The farm is centred around the use of heavy horses before machinery but it also has British Lop Eared pigs, Sebastopol Geese and Oxford & Lincolnshire Longwool sheep.
When weather permits (the horses don’t like very hot weather) visitors can take a carriage ride around the farm.
Although it is a working farm the team have made a massive effort to make all areas accessible. The horses are extremely gentle and it has been found in the past that children with a fear of horses or a disability do benefit from meeting them.
The centre is on the road between Ford and Etal and is easily spotted by its tall brick chimney.
For more information about the Hay Heavy Horse farm click this link.
Chain Bridge Honey Farm
The Chain Bridge Honey Farm visitor centre was established in the early 1990s to allow the public to discover first hand the extraordinary tale of bees and honey.
The centre has its own observation hive where visitors can watch the bees from behind glass and plenty of information on bees and their lives.
Outside there is a bee friendly garden and a collection of vintage vehicles.
The visitor centre is well signposted from the A698.
For more information about the Chain Bridge Honey Farm click here.