Gibbs Hill Farm

Dogfriendly Magazine Review

Read our comprehensive review of this listing printed in our bi-monthly magazine.

Gibbs Hill Farm, Bardon Mill
Review by: - Scott Antcliffe

Northumberland is without a doubt one of my favourite counties in the UK. Steeped in history, with the most castles per county (70) than anywhere else in the world, it really is a fascinating place with so much to see and do.  The Northumberland coast is also home to some stunning beaches – many of which are dog friendly all year-round too.  With the car loaded up, my wife Lorna and I took our obligatory holiday selfie, featuring Drift (our ageing yet exuberant Border Collie), a tradition we started on our first UK holiday together back in 2014, before embarking on our 175-mile journey from Derbyshire.

We couldn’t check into the property until 4pm so we decided to call in to the lovely, quaint village of Corbridge – known for its vast array of independent shops and amazing eateries – many of which are dog friendly. Corbridge lies just four miles to the east of Hexham and 16 miles west of Newcastle, making it an ideal place to visit, away from the hustle and bustle of its busier neighbours.

After doing a little loop of the village with Drift, we decided that Spokes Kitchen would be our cafe of choice for a mid-morning brunch. ‘Spokes combines a passion for coffee and locally sourced food with a focus on local community, families, bikes…and dogs’ was the message on their website and they weren’t just paying lip service.

It was clear to see this was the case the second we walked through the door, with great service and beautifully fresh, wholesome food. The staff made a fuss of Drift and without being prompted brought her a water bowl and a handful of treats, much to Drift’s delight and approval.

Fully refuelled, we made the short 20-minute journey to The Sill: National Landscape Discovery centre – A hub of local tourist information, but which also contains the Once Brewed Cafe and Sill shop. Sadly, this building isn’t dog friendly, which meant Lorna was on ‘walking Drift duties’ while I gathered a few leaflets and spoke to friendly locals about things to do in the area.

One friendly local recommended the pub next door, the superb Twice Brewed Inn. Not only a warm, inviting pub but also home to The Twice Brewed Brewing Co brewery. It would have been rude not to have sampled a couple of the local ales while gazing out to stunning views of Hadrian’s Wall.

We then proceeded to our accommodation which we found through Vrbo, the cosy and intimate Felbridge Cottage within the grounds of Gibbs Hill Farm. Our host was Valerie Gibson, a lovely, friendly lady whose son David (fifth generation) now runs the farm.

Val showed us around the property and was on hand to answer any questions that we had.

Our first impressions of the property were great. It was small and cosy, but really inviting. It has an open plan ground floor with a living room and well stocked kitchen.

There was a nice little welcome booklet full of helpful information of things to do in the area and where the local amenities are.

The upstairs consists of a large bedroom with a double bed and the bathroom has a shower/bath

combo, the shower being surprisingly powerful considering the remote location. The only real downside we found was that there was a lack of phone signal within the immediate area and we had to drive about a quarter of a mile away from the property to gain signal again. Sadly, the internet wasn’t much better. The Wifi connection was pretty poor, and we had to stand near Val’s house to get a connection. 

Although the peace and quiet from the outside world was a welcome problem, as it gave us chance to switch off (literally), from our very stressful day jobs. Once unpacked, we put on our walking boots and headed off for a local walk with Drift. With it being a working farm, dogs are encouraged to stay on a lead within the grounds as farm machinery is often moving around. Also, Val has several friendly cats, which may become too tempting to chase.

Within a 20-minute walk of the property you will find Greenlee Lake, a lovely, quiet place for a stroll. Drift certainly approved of the water, as within a matter of seconds of seeing it, she had to go for a paddle!

That evening we headed to Milecastle Inn, in the neighbouring village of Haltwhistle, just a 10-minute drive away. Although not dog friendly, it was a cosy, traditional pub with hearty, wholesome food. It had a good choice of real ales, which was great to see… and sample.

The next morning, we were up bright and early to walk along Hadrian’s Wall. Luckily, just a short 7-minute drive away from the property is Steel Rigg, an access point to the wall with a payable car park. This particular part of the wall is known for the Sycamore Gap, the famous tree that appears in the Kevin Costner 1991 blockbuster hit, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. 

Along the wall there are Milecastles, essentially a fort at every Roman mile along the wall, which were used to protect weaker areas of the wall from attackers. After a long walk, we decided to refuel at the superb Bowes Hotel in Bardon Mill. Recently refurbished, the interior was stunning– modern, but with a classical twist. Drift was greeted by a belly rub and a handful of dog treats, and she sat under the table staring at us hoping I’d drop a little morsel of my beautifully cooked steak. It was too nice to share with Drift, much to her disappointment. The staff and food here are both superb, and highly recommended. 

Suitably refuelled, we then headed to the nearby Allen Banks and Staward Gorge which are both along the River Tyne. There are many walking routes from the gorge and a National Trust car park. Staff are on hand to recommend walking routes and provide you with maps. The rich, golden, and orange hues of autumn really shone through and made it a lovely walk. Wellies or good walking boots are recommended, as it can be muddy and rough terrain in places. Drift certainly enjoyed the mud, given how much she was covered in! We headed back home for a quiet night in and to rest after a long but enjoyable day of walking.

Our third day we had decided to have a historical day starting with the Roman Army Museum (7 miles from our accommodation) and then heading to the Roman Vindolanda Fort and Museum. Unfortunately, the museums aren’t dog friendly, which meant Lorna and I took turns minding Drift. However, The Roman Army museum is a short walk from Walltown Country Park. Drift loved the circular walk around the former quarry. The Army Museum is well worth a visit to learn about the local history and the history of Hadrian’s Wall. There is a lovely cafe within the museum that serves lovely hot drinks and a selection of pastries and cakes. The Roman Vindolanda Fort and Museum – an auxiliary army fort that was occupied between 85AD to 370AD – is an extremely well preserved site and they also have very knowledgeable and friendly guides who show you around. There is also a small museum here and a popular cafe too.

It is recommended to visit the fort after the Roman Army Museum as you get much more of an idea about how the fort works and you can visualise it better after some helpful reconstruction videos at the Army museum.

There is also a ticket deal available for both sites, which will save you £4 per ticket.

Our final day we headed into the historic market town of Hexham, just 11 miles away from our cottage. 

We called into the Small World Cafe – a family run, licensed café which is dog friendly. The owner came over and gave Drift a fuss as well as a fresh bowl of water and another treat. The eggs benedict went down really well and as a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, I was extremely impressed with their coffee offerings too.

Hexham is a lovely town with many dog friendly cafes, pubs and restaurants. What’s even more impressive is that the car park in the centre of town is free. As a frugal Yorkshireman, this was a welcome surprise.

We then went for a walk around the bustling centre and spent a little time with Drift and a ball in Sele Park and the Hexham Abbey grounds. Once again, it was striking with the rich autumnal colours. We also had a walk along the river Tyne front, which has a good path for about half a mile or so. We enjoyed watching young rowers going back and forth along the river.

That evening, we headed to The Greenhead Hotel in Brampton, only a 15-minute drive away. We had read amazing reviews about the restaurant, but our expectations were well and truly surpassed. Once again, Drift proved to be

the star of the show, gaining fuss and yet more treats from the superb staff. We couldn’t have ended our short stay on a better note. We headed back to pack but enjoyed one last glass of wine in front of the log-burning stove with Drift curled up contently as we reflected on our break away.

We’d certainly recommend Felbridge Cottage if you are looking to have a ‘digital detox’ and re-connect with your surroundings and absorb yourself with the rich, local history and stunning scenery. It was a thoroughly enjoyable stay

Gibbs Hill Farm, Bardon Mill review by Scott Antcliffe and appears in DogFriendly magazine issue 73.  For more information on the DogFriendly magazine visit  https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/magazine