The first outing of 2016 and of course the outing for Cath’s birthday (60th!). So requirements are hardstanding and pub on-site, last year was Mickleton but this year I though we’d return to ‘The Railway Inn’ in Acklington. We’ve been here once before, but it ticks all the boxes so time for a return visit!
The site is accessible from both the A1 and the A1068 ‘Coastal Route’, so even during the winter months the site is well worth consideration as only the last mile or two is via minor roads. We had a lovely run up to the site without any problems. On arrival at the site, we pulled up and went inside the pub to check-in. We were given a warm welcome, just like last time and told to take any pitch. Paying the fees we then left and returned to the ‘outfit’ to begin selecting our pitch. There was only one lonely motorhome on the site so we pretty much had freedom of choice. Pitch #20 was free, so as this was our wedding date, we chose that one. The pitches are plentiful in size and access is fine, so an easy reverse onto the pitch it was, following which we began our ‘routines’ and soon had set camp!
The pitches are serviced with 16A EHU and water, drainage however remains at the toilet block, along with the Elsan point. Not a problem with me as I prefer a non-fully-serviced pitch, I just like doing a bit of work with the utilities, I know – a little strange, but this is caravanning to me! The site is next to the East Coast Mainline, so you will experience some noise as the trains pass, but you soon get used to it. Lets face it, they don’t stop at Acklington station which is a stones throw away, so they pass in a couple of seconds. There is also some noise from the road which is right next to the campsite, but traffic is not heavy, so again not really a problem.
Saturday followed our usual routine of food and entertainment. TV signal is good here, so no problems there, no need to deploy the satellite. Weather was being kind, quite mild for January, no rain and winds light, can’t complain!
The toilet block is perfectly adequate, complete with toilets, showers and sinks. It is accessible via a ramp, with salt and a spade being provided for icy weather! Automatic lights, hand wash, paper towels – everything as you would expect. Outside there is a sink for washing up, to cater for the ‘tenters’, and also the elsan point. Waste water is at the base of the building, accessed via a small drain which is located a little too high and has no surrounding barrier, so it can get a little flooded whilst emptying, the only slight negative.
Sunday, following breakfast we headed for Amble. A small fishing village located only a few miles away. We parked up and headed out for a walk along the seafront and into the village. Not much has changed here since we were last here, but there was some new development with small business ‘huts’ located on the harbour front next to where the market takes place. These small premises cater for a number of small and diverse businesses, it makes a pleasant addition to the village. It didn’t take us too long to cover the essentials of Amble and since we were dining at the pub when we returned, we chose not to sample any delights of the local fisheries or cafes.
Back at camp we waited until about 2.00pm before we ventured out to the pub, in order to avoid the ‘busy period’. The pub has bar and restaurant seating, so can accommodate a fair number of clients, something we didn’t notice before. We elected to take the restaurant seating and soon ordered lunch, which was served very quickly I have to say. The meal was splendid and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there, viewing the murals on the wall of the ex RAF base and squadron. Staff were very pleasant and welcoming, food was very good, prices were reasonable, nothing to complain about at all. Retiring back to the ‘van after a 30 metre walk or so, we settled into some more TV entertainment, reading, the night gently came and went.
Monday morning, winds are picking up but overall the weather was/has been very good. We set about our routines and soon were packed up ready to the leave. The return journey again was very pleasant. We soon had the ‘van back in storage and were returning home to begin the working week. Looking forward to the next outing, won’t be long!
- Date: 23rd January 2016
- Nights: 2
- Pitch #: 20
- GPS: 55.308148, -1.650764
