Lakes Accommodation

[pete h]

Myself and a few mates are looking to take a short 2 / 3 day trip within the Uk in March / April and we've sort of decided that the lakes / northumberland area is somewhere we've not really explored despite it being within 100 miles of us.

We've done camping, and none of us are getting any younger so we're looking at b&b or hostel type accommodation, not having been up that way before does anyone have any personal recommendations ?

Asked the same for my trip to france/luxembourg earlier this year and was really impressed with some of the places we stayed that had been recommended by people on here, so hoping for more of the same.
thanks

[PHILinFRANCE]

Hi Pete
Lived in and around Carnforth for 40 odd years and never stayed in accom. in the lakes but seen them all i, m sure you,ll find loads of BxB and the likes in March KESWICK CONISTAN and WEST COAST are well worth a look.
Have a good one and i hope you get some dry weather!!!!!
Phil

[Austin]

I stayed at the Demense Bunk House in Bellingham (pronounced Belling-Jam) a couple of years ago.... jeez I just thought about it and it was actually nearly 4 years ago. Anyway it is ideal for exploring Hadrians wall area, kielder forest and parts of the North Pennines and Cheviots. It was brand new when I stayed (2nd visitors) so perhaps not a good guide but I was very impressed - clean, well equipped, nice furniture, and crucially for a February visit warm, with a nice big log burning stove. Although Bellingham and Keilder was a bit quiet in February.....like most pubs shut until 7pm or later, limited food (if any), many tourist places shut and so on. It depends what you are going for - we walked a lot in Keilder and Tyne Valley and a tiny bit of off-roading in Keilder in the Land rover I had at the time. I also managed to park the LR under cover at the bunkhouse so bikes almost certainly kept out the weather too (it snowed, a lot).

I have been up the Northumberland coast as well early in the year and a lot of that is closed too - which is good in some respects, but limiting in others. Anywhere from Amble northwards in Northumberland is brill for scenery and if you want quiet (empty) well maintained roads get inland a bit around Wooler, Coldstream, Yetholm, Kelso etc - the roads round here must be one of the best kept secrets in the UK. You can even visit Blackadder where the original Lord Blackadder came from (Honestly, I have been there). I have always camped and its been a long time since I did that up there too, but there seems to be several Hostels springing up in or near the main centres, but they could well be closed still in March.

Have great trip the scottish borders and the northumberland coast are one my favourite areas in the country.

Oh and I just remembered several peeps stayed at a bunkhouse/B&B near Haltwhistle on their way North for the Longest Day - search the TLD2008 threads.

[cookingfat]

YHA, great hostels, good food, fair prices.

UP THE WORKERS!

[pete h]

cookingfat,

I've not stayed in a hostel since i was in the scouts many many many years ago.....what are they like with bikers turning up, I've discounted them in the past in case they had a bit of a pro rambler / anti motorised transport attitude, given the prices they seem to be good value and I'd be more than happy for someone to tell me they'd welcome us with open arms.