We love exploring the Northumberland coast and countryside
Since moving to Newcastle a year ago we’ve found loads of great places to see with your pet.
Everywhere is so dog friendly, and recently we were invited to visit St Mary’s Inn, Morpeth, to see what they had to offer for our four legged friends.
It happened to fall on Tommy’s birthday weekend so the three of us were super chuffed to pack up the car and head off for a treat.
St Mary’s Inn is near to Stannington village
It’s a traditional pub and restaurant just outside the centre of Morpeth.
The building was the Administration Block of Gateshead Borough Council Lunatic Asylum which opened in 1914 and the site later became part of the NHS and was still in operation until 1996.
It’s been renovated beautifully. Our room was gorgeous – stylish and minimalist. The furniture is traditional Victorian wardrobes and sideboards with a king sized bed.
The bathroom was spacious with a large bath and toiletries from The White Company, and we had a choice of locally sourced waters and tea and coffee.
We’d come prepared and brought Patch’s bed, but when we checked in we were offered a dog bed, bowls and anything else we might need to make him feel at home.
At the bar, Tommy was pleased to see a range of locally brewed ales – there are so many microbreweries in Northumberland!
He had the custom made St Mary’s Ale from the nearby Rigg & Furrow brewery and I enjoyed a few glasses of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
The bar is cosy with burning fires and leads into a warren of different dining spaces. What we loved were all the different dog sculptures – of course Patch had to pose next to them.
One of my favourite things was that they had bar snacks for dogs! We treated Patch to a pack of ‘Get Your Hound Inn’ chicken flavour crunchy treats for £2.10.
I’m a girl of simple tastes and opted for more traditional items at dinner
We chose from the snack menu to start. I had a delicious, home-made red pepper humous and pitta and Tommy had a Black Pudding Scotch Egg with Tomato and Pepper Chutney.
For our mains, we had steaks with crispy onions, baked mushrooms, tomato and skinny fries.
I had Rump and Tommy tried the Bavette. Steaks are sourced from R and J Butchers in Yorkshire, juicy and grilled perfectly.
Finally, we shared a home-made Sticky Toffee Pudding with vanilla ice cream which was absolutely gorgeous.
If you enjoy fine dining, head chef at the hotel is Chris Cheek who has worked in Michelin Starred Northcote Manor and St Mary’s sister hotel, Jesmond Dene House which has the Two AA Rosette.
At breakfast, there’s plenty to choose from
There was a table filled with juices, fresh fruit and cereal and a choice of freshly cooked breakfasts. Tommy went for the full English, I had bacon, beans and toast.
And Patch of course had a sausage. Dogs are welcome in the breakfast area and he enjoyed being fussed over by the staff and other guests at the hotel.
We checked out and set off into the middle of Morpeth for an eight mile walk around the river and woodland valley park.
Classed as an ‘easy’ walk, it was pretty flat. The first part takes you along the river – it’s fast moving so we kept Patch on a lead – then you cross farmland and open fields.
For wildlife lovers, there’s lots of woodland plants, squirrels and wild birds, and if you like photography, there’s plenty of stunning scenery to capture.
There’s plenty of dog friendly cafes and pubs in Morpeth itself
And if you’ve forgotten anything for your pup, Joe’s Pet Supplies has all you need from food to coats and harnesses.
They also stock The Snack Pawtal biscuits – handmade, natural treats created in the Tyne Valley – these are always a hit with Patch.
If you’d like to soak up some of Northumberland’s history, there’s so much to see and do.
Harry Potter fans can visit Alnwick Castle – it’s open between 29th March until 27th October 2019 – the backdrop to Hogwarts in the first two films.
Dogs aren’t allowed in the castle or grounds but there are plenty of walks nearby.
There’s plenty of dog friendly cafes and pubs in Morpeth itself
At Belsay Hall, an English Heritage property, dogs are allowed in the grounds as long as they are on their lead.
You can walk around the striking medieval castle which was built in the 14th century and 30 acres of gardens described as some of the most picturesque in England.
There’s also Warkworth Castle which is a short drive from Morpeth where dogs are welcome to visit as long as they stay on their lead.
Warkworth Castle is a stunning fortress built after the Norman conquest in the 11th century and was the backdrop for several scenes in Shakespeare’s Henry IV.
It was home Northumberland’s greatest aristocratic family The Percys, and you can explore the great hall, bedrooms and chambers where they once lived.
From the walls are stunning views across the North Sea and it’s just a short walk to a lovely, clean and dog friendly beach.
St Mary’s Inn is perfectly placed to explore dog friendly Northumberland
It’s ideal for a quiet break and while we did lots of exploring, I’d have quite happily stayed in the bar in front of one of the fires. There’s something for everyone.
I love places that go the extra mile to make dogs feel welcome and with friendly staff, doggy bar snacks and dog sculptures, Patch felt very spoilt and so did we!
Rooms start from £109 per night for bed and breakfast.
Find out more at www.stmarysinn.co.uk
• With thanks to St Mary’s Inn for inviting us to review their property.
2 Responses
Ah, thanks for sharing this. Gorgeous rooms and Patch looks very relaxed too, as do you and Tommy! Fabulous countryside, too! 🙂
Aw thanks Hels it was lovely! You must come and visit soon!