Bamburgh Castle and Waren Caravan and Camping Park
For the end of the summer holidays, we decided to book two nights with our friends at Waren Caravan and Camping Park. The site is quite large and located on the headland above the picturesque Budle Bay Nature Reserve. The staff were quite accommodating and were able to pitch us as close to each other as possible, considering we were in a caravan and our friends were in a tent. We arrived around tea time on Friday, allowing us to settle in and then let the kids explore the play parks. There is a small play park located in the main camping field, and a larger main play area is situated on the top field, with stunning views across to Lindisfarne.
We ordered take away pizzas at The Witch and Worm takeaway. The takeaway offers dirty chips, poshdogs, doner kebabs, and a good selection of pizza toppings. In addition to the takeaway, there is a family restaurant and pub onsite, located near the outdoor swimming pool, which features a larger and more varied menu. We decided to order three pizzas and sides of halloumi bites, and we couldn’t help but notice that one of the guys serving was very straight talking with customers, which we found quite amusing! When the pizzas arrived, they were generously topped and filled us up well.
Unfortunately, we didn’t sleep very well during our stay. We were situated on an end pitch that was close to the toilet and shower block. We were woken up a few times by noisy campers lingering around after 11pm, and then again early in the morning by vehicles, possibly belonging to cleaning staff. It was quite a groggy start to our day. However, the showers were powerful and hot, which helped lift my mood considerably. Additionally, I noticed that there were also family bathrooms located in the middle of the building.
Bamburgh is just over a 5 minute drive from the campsite, and we set off early to secure parking spots on the dunes. The weather was great with clear skies and the usual breeze! The kids ran across the sand towards the castle and we promised we'd come back to play later.
We bought an annual ticket to Bamburgh Castle for the price of £65. We plan to visit during the October half term and are especially looking forward to the installation ‘A Christmas Through Time’ scheduled for later this year. We also bought the kids an activity book for £3.95. This book includes a fun outdoor trail for the kids to follow, along with a variety of stories, puzzles, and activities to keep them entertained.
The outdoor trail concluded just outside the entrance of the State Rooms, where various lawn games were out for the kids to enjoy. As we prepared to enter the castle, we firmly warned the kids not to touch anything! The walk through the castle guided us to the exhibition showcasing an array of costumes and iconic props from key characters featured in the popular Netflix series ‘The Last Kingdom.’ Sam was particularly captivated as he admired the Viking shields on display, and the next part of our tour led us to the armoury, where the boys eagerly spent some time looking at old weapons. My highlight was the dungeons!
We stopped by the tearoom for lunch.They had good options for the kids including sausage rolls, toasties, and picnic boxes, so Esme was absolutely thrilled. After our meal, we then headed back to the beach for an ice cream and a play in the sand.
Since the kids were so keen on getting into the water, we decided to head straight for the splash pool. Steve volunteered to take the kids in, while we settled ourselves by the poolside with a drink from the bar. The pool was heated, but it was not quite as warm as Sam and Noah had anticipated when they jumped straight in! They lasted half hour at most, and then needed a hot shower to warm up.
We all gathered at the tent for a BBQ and games. We ended with marshmallows and smores!
After a slightly better night’s rest, we packed up and made our way to The Witch and Worm Restaurant, eager for a cooked breakfast. An offer allowed the kids to enjoy a cooked breakfast free for each Northumbrian breakfast that was ordered. Our order arrived promptly, along with the kids breakfasts. However, our friends had to wait for over an hour for their breakfast to finally arrive, only beginning to eat after we had already finished and with the incorrect cooked eggs… There seemed to be quite a bit of miscommunication between ordering and the kitchen, which struck us as odd since we were only one of three tables at that time. Fortunately, one of the staff members adjusted our drinks accordingly and another did apologise for the wait. The cooked breakfast was good and the boys relished the black pudding. It kept us going for most of the day until we got home!
