Local Activities

Whitesand Shiel sits in a fully-enclosed garden with views to the river and bridge to the front and to open pasture behind. An outside dining area with charcoal barbecue provides the perfect spot for dining al fresco during the warmer months.

Here you can glimpse many of the animals which frequent the area, as you relax.

There are excellent walks from the house both along the river and into the town and surrounding countryside. Berwick’s beaches also provide excellent walking or enjoy a wander around the town’s historic Elizabethan Walls, the best preserved in Europe. For something a bit different, take a boat trip from Berwick upstream to Paxton House, a superb Adam mansion boasting an impressive collection of art.

Whitesand Shiel offers guests the best of both worlds; the location is surprisingly peaceful and private and yet Berwick’s shops, pubs and restaurants are just a ten minute walk from the front door. Unusually for this part of the world, Whiteand Shiel is one of very few properties where a car is not required. Berwick upon Tweed is on the main East Coast line which also links to the west coast and the station is about a 10 minute walk from the house.

Whitesand Shiel is an ideal base for exploring Northumberland’s Heritage coastline, 25 miles of golden sands and secluded rocky coves that remain almost deserted even in the summer months. Some of our favourite spots include the stunning beach at Bamburgh, miles of pristine sand, popular for walking, riding, surfing, coasteering and kite surfing. The magnificent views from the cliff top walks at St Abb’s Head and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. This tiny, picturesque island linked at low tide to the mainland, is an overwhelmingly mystical place, home to the evocative remains of a ruined eleventh-century priory, a beautifully restored castle and the infamous Lindisfarne Mead. Head to the Farne Islands to see the resident seals and incredible birdlife including Puffins.

With the legendary Tweed on the doorstep, Whitesand Shiel is an ideal base for lovers of fishing. As the river is still tidal at this point, fishing for trout, salmon and sea trout is free but catches must be returned. Slightly further upstream is some excellent fishing starting at just £5 per day for a trout permit and £20 a day for salmon.

Golf fanatics will also not be disappointed with 34 courses within a 30 mile radius including the links courses at Goswick, Bamburgh and Eyemouth and parkland courses at The Hirsel and Roxburghe.

The charming, ancient towns of Duns and Kelso are also nearby and Edinburgh is an easy day trip either about an hour by car or 45 minutes on the train from Berwick upon Tweed.