Doxford Hall Hotel and Spa

THIS LOCATION HAS FEATURED IN DOGFRIENDLY MAGAZINE ISSUE 54 – This is the full review

When a big birthday looms, where

you go and how you spend it

seems to attract a lot of interest

from friends. Having skirted past my last big

birthday ending in ‘0’, I was in no

hurry to draw attention to the

next decade’s milestone. I

opted instead for a quiet

break with my husband

at a dog friendly,

luxury hotel, about

an hour and a half’s

drive from home.

During our stay

at Eshott Hall last

autumn, fellow guests

recommended Doxford Hall

to us as the perfect place for a

special celebration. Friends of ours also

recommended it and, as it sounded so good,

we thought we would book a two-night break

there for my birthday.

With unseasonably sunny weather for

December, we made the most of the first day

of our mini-break by stopping off at Bamburgh

beach, where we breathed in the sea air while

Tilly and Henry ran about like puppies.

The beaches in Northumberland are such

a treat: unspoilt, quiet, and largely litter-free.

They are also a beacon for dog walkers, so

there are always interesting new friends for

Tilly and Henry to meet.

Unfortunately for us,

Bamburgh Castle wasn’t

open in December, but

while we were in the

area, we did learn that as

of 1 April, the grounds

were becoming dog

friendly. (We’ve been

back since and we can

highly recommend it as an

interesting day out. Although

the castle is inhabited, there

are 14 rooms open to the public, so

there’s plenty to see – from antique porcelain

and furniture to a dedicated Aviation Museum.

And, the view from the ramparts is stunning.)

For lunch, we headed to The Saltwater

Cafe – a dog friendly cafe in Beadnell whose

mouth-watering food photos on Twitter

tempted us to visit. We were not disappointed.

The atmosphere was warm and welcoming,

and the food was scrummy. If like me,

you have a sweet tooth, I can recommend

the buttermilk pancakes with berries and

maple syrup. Or, if you’re looking for local

delicacies, try the locally