We've just returned after spending 15-nights in our caravan at Brandon Ford CL.
The CL is located in the Breamish Valley in the Cheviot Hills, Northumberland, an area of outstanding natural beauty and a dark sky area. It's also packed full of history with ancient remains of hill forts and settlements. The CL is accessed through a gate off the road to Ingram. It's spacious and comprises 5 perfectly level, gravel-dressed pitches surrounded by well-tended grass. Each pitch has mains water, EHU and a grey waste drain. There are bins for rubbish and recycling. Toilet waste disposal comprises a domestic toilet sunk into the ground with a tap with a short length of hose attached, beside it. This is the one thing I think could be improved. The metal green-lidded box-type unit with a long hose found on many CL's are far more user-friendly, with less risk of unpleasant splashes and spillages.
TV reception and EE 4G phone signal were very good. Five additional fully serviced pitches adjacent to, but separated from the CL have now been added. Access to the new site is through the CL via a second gate. The CL is enclosed by a fence separating it from the new site, the huge field on the farm side and the River Breamish on the other where the actual Ford lies. The field was full of Cheviot ewes with their newborn lambs during our stay. Despite it being a working farm there was barely any noise from it, or from the very light traffic on the road to Ingram. Outside the CL gate is a footbridge over the River Breamish, leading to a nature reserve with lakes and loads of birdlife and the village of Branton.There are loads of other
well-marked footpaths in the area too.
The CL owners, Cameron and Jess are lovely. The CL is a credit to them and their hard work. As other reviews mention, you should definitely sample Jess's fine fayre too. We enjoyed a superb afternoon tea, delivered to our caravan on the first Sunday of our stay. We were still eating it in picnics days later such was the quantity. Jess's chocolate brownies are definitely the Devil's food. We just had to bring a box home with us. Alnwick is the closest town with a supermarket but, there is a remarkably well-stocked shop with a Post Office at the Esso service station on the A697 in Powburn, less than two miles away. The station also has LPG and SafeFill type gas bottles can be filled there. Brandon Ford CL proved to be the perfect base to explore from. We visited Alnwick, its castle and gardens, Craster for its gorgeous smoked fish, Bamburgh Castle, Holy Island, Berwick Upon Tweed, William Armstrong's Cragside, among many other places.
Finally, getting to Brandon Ford CL is a doddle. Good, wide, straight roads, no major hills or nightmare narrow tracks to negotiate.
To sum up, Brandon Ford CL is probably the best site we've ever stayed at. We will definitely return in future as there is still plenty more to do and see in the area. Thank you Cameron and Jess.
Best wishes, Steve & Sue Paull
19SCP59
Reviewed on 02/05/2023 11:02
