This year, we made a return trip to Haven's Haggerston Castle site in Northumberland. We'd previously stayed here in the spring of 2014 and thought it was time for another visit. Due to our stay at Primrose Valley in July, we had qualified for Haven's Freedom Trail loyalty club, meaning we had a £25 voucher and 10% off our next booking. So our 4 night stay at Haggerston ended up costing us £6.30 in total. You really can't argue with that! Haggerston is one of the biggest sites that we've stayed on and there's plenty of opportunities for exploring and spending time outside. Add in lots of play parks, a nature trail, not to mention the swimming pool and all the activities on offer, and you have a great location for a family holiday. We were very lucky for some amazing weather to go with our bargain break, so we made the most of the sunshine and had a good look round. The best bit about saving on our campsite fees was being able to treat the girls to a horse ride. They couldn't believe their eyes when these big horses, Casper and Jack, were led out for them and I think their smiles said it all. After a half hour ride round the park and an hour of stable management (ie filling haynets and brushing ponies), they were very happy girls. They even got a certificate and a photo from their afternoon of fun. Whilst at Haggerston, Tommy took advantage of a calm afternoon and cycled across to Lindasfarne, which we visited as family back in 2013. I was a bit jealous when he returned with these lovely photo, until he said the cycle was a bit of a nightmare. Totally worth it though! Haggerston was such a lovely relaxing stay and after our 4 nights away, we weren't ready to go home just yet. So we booked two nights at Templehall CL, just up the road near Coldingham. We stayed in Coldingham back in 2014 and again in 2016 as we just love the beach and vibe here. The CL has been moved slightly along the road since our last visit, and the new field is huge, with loads of room for up to 5 units and views across the North Sea. We were the only ones there and were spoiled for choice for where to park up. And this is why we keep returning. Coldingham Bay is a stunning spot, beautifully clean and clear. The local hotel, St Vedas, run a surf school and is great for a post-beach beer or hot chocolate. But first we had some digging and exploring to do. Tommy took off on his bike again early the next morning, to visit St Abbs Head and the lighthouse there. The girls were moaning about going for 'another' walk so we chilled in Bodhi while he enjoyed the peace and quiet. When he returned, we walked down to the beach again and along the coastal path to St Abbs. It's a beautiful fishing village, popular with divers and day visitors. It's stunning on a calm day but really dramatic when the weather turns stormy and waves crash over the harbour walls. We treated ourselves to a cake from the harbourside cafe, nosed around the boats and houses and then went for another play on the beach at Coldingham Bay. Despite heading rapidly for their teenage years, our Tornado Twins are still suckers for a bucket and spade! And before we knew it, it our time was up. Overall, this 6 night break cost us less than £200 (including campsite fees, fuel, horse riding and even some takeaway pizza). Owning a Hymer is such an amazing opportunity to spend precious time together. Previous visits to Coldingham Bay and St Abbs.
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