Date of Visit: March 2025
Overall View
Ord House is a large, family friendly commercial site based near the A1 to the side of Berwick upon Tweed. It is part of the Maguires Holiday Park group. www.maguirescountryparks.co.uk It is predominantly laid to mobile homes with a smaller section of tourer pitches, both seasonal and touring.
Access is easy from the A1, please see arrival video HERE.
The site grounds are kept immaculate and regularly cleaned, toilet blocks too are always spotless.
This is a site very much aimed at families and being one of the few sites in the area which offer tourer pitches with full service at pitch, this makes a good choice for families.
Dogs are allowed on the site – there is a dedicated dog walk around the permitter of the site.
Facilities
There are the usual range of facilities, one main toilet block, including family bathrooms and CDP point. There are push button showers in the ladies and gentlemen’s blocks and an ambulant toilet, only, in each section. The showers were very hot indeed in these and there is no temperature control, care is required. There is one accessible shower near the front entrance but this is some way from the main touring area. The room is set out as a wet room, has a shower and grab rails and a rainfall type of shower head, plus a toilet. Care is required when the floor is wet as it is very slippy. This is pointed out in the information from the site. There is no emergency pull cord, however which was disappointing in a site of this size.
The motorhome service point, with drive-over waste water drain, can be found behind the main toilet block.
This is also where the laundry room is situated. A pay via smartphone or card system is in place and this works very well indeed and prices were comparable with high street launderettes. You can even arrange for it to text you when it has finished either washing or drying – saving you having to wait round. There is no seat in the laundry room but there one in the foyer area. The laundry also has an iron and ironing board.
The tourer pitches are centred, in the main, round the old walled kitchen garden, at the top of this is a large children’s play area with swings, slides and climbing equipment. There is also a small crazy golf course to one side – one for the young and not so young of us!
Behind this is Ord House and a newer building to one side. This houses the restaurant, bar and grill for the site. There is an adults only room within the complex, children area allowed in other areas. No dogs are allowed in this area at all, however, there is some parking in front where you could park and keep an eye on them in cooler weather.
The Reception is housed in a mobile home in front of Ord House restaurant complex and they were always very helpful and friendly.
There is no shop on site, however a large Tesco Supermarket, including fuel, is about 20 minute walk or 5 minute car drive away from the site.
There is a bus stop close to the entrance of the site. Buses go towards Kelso in One direction and Berwick-upon-Tweed in the other.
Nearest Railway Station is Berwick upon Tweed on the East Coast Mainline. Trains travel between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh.
The site has a football pitch, this was currently under re-seeding but was generous in size. Some wooden picnic benches were sited at the side.
Review of Site Pitch
There are varying types of pitch available up to and including fully serviced with grey water disposal, TV booster and wide pitch. These are able to accommodate a caravan, full awning and car side-by-side in each pitch. In the D section, all pitches are separated by a small hedge.
The pitches are relatively level but most require a side-to-side balancing with a ramp.
EE gave an above average signal on Mobile at 5G – streaming was possible, providing you didn’t shut the roof blinds. Vodafone, likewise was reasonable at 4G in the main.
The site offers Wi-Fi at £4 per 48 hours, per device. So if you wish to hook up more than one device, you have to pay each separately.
Around and about
A walk around the Ramparts is a superb way of seeing Berwick-upon-Tweed and you are rewarded with some great sea views too. It’s little over a mile and mostly paved. Guided leaflets and maps are available from the library/tourist information centre just off Marygate which is the main high street of the town.
Another option is to follow the Lowry Trail to see where the artist got his inspiration for much of his work.
A pleasant day out is a visit to Eyemouth harbour, St Abbs and the cliffs which are an official nature reserve. The latter has a lovely, short and level paved walk to the picnic area which affords you lovely views on a sunny day when we visited. It is possible to walk further up but this is not accessible. There is National Trust car parking, blue badge spaces available and next to this is Borders Pottery and a delightful café with toilets including accessible ones.
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is major tourist draw and the drive across the causeway is a real experience, please check tides before venturing across.
English Heritage members get free entry to the Priory while the Castle is in the hands of the National Trust. A walk through the streets and stop for coffee or something stronger – perhaps some of the local mead. Bird watchers should bring their binoculars to view some of the numerous species that have been recorded.
A little further is the attractive Northumberland town of Alnwick. Parking is free thanks to Northumberland’s excellent disc parking system. Pick up disc up at a Tourist Information office or local shop for a quid and display in your car when you park in indicated areas for a specified time. Blue badge holders can park for free in the main High Street area.
The town was attractive enough in its own right but the surrounding scenery does really make this a beautiful place to visit. The views looking back across the countryside towards the castle were amazing and on a clear day you can see for some considerable distance.
Alnwick Castle – Alnwick Gardens
These are slightly separate to the Castle Tour but still worth a visit. There are several points of note, the large Waterfall installed by the Duchess of Northumberland some years ago; the funny, if not slightly alarming, short and accessible tour of the Poison Garden. Everyday plants, if used incorrectly or at the wrong amounts can be deadly!
There is also a sculpture tour of waterfalls and mirrors to one side – great for old and young alike. There is a café and some shops at the entrance to the gardens. Again, dogs are not allowed anywhere at all.
Sadly, Alnwick is not served by a railway line due to 1960’s era rail cuts. It is, however, possible to see the old train station, as it is now home to Barter books – one of the largest second-hand book shops in Britain. It is a must see visit for book lovers and coffee and cake lovers alike! Dog friendly too. Comfortable reading areas with open fires, murals, a popular and well-priced café and children’s room too. Barter Books is also the home of the original ‘ Keep Calm & Carry On’ poster.
Another good day out is to the tourist villages of Etal & Ford. The villages lie in the heart of border country and nearby lies Flodden Battlefield, site of a particularly bloody conflict between the English and Scottish armies over 500 years ago. The Black Bull Inn in Etal is highly recommended and serves straightforward pub food very well indeed, usually has a couple of real ales on tap and is dog friendly.
In 1989, the two owners of the two estates collaborated, in order to try and improve tourism, to install a narrow gauge steam railway between the two and a pleasant hour long return trip can be enjoyed. There are toilet facilities at either end of the rail but the Etal one is a 5 minute walk up a slope – it is however, pram and wheelchair friendly. The train is accessible for wheelchairs and ramps are provided. www.heatherwaitelightrailway.co.uk
Another pleasant shorter trip out is to the Honey Farm and Chain Bridge – one side is England; the other is Scotland.
Another good day out, a short 10 minute drive from the site, is Paxton House. It’s a private charitable owned large Palladian building situated right on the Scottish Border. Houses fine Chippendale furniture and portraits from the National Gallery of Scotland. Guided tours are available but I am advised a lot of stairs involved. Very dog friendly with only the house itself out of bounds. Stable yard houses shop, accessible toilets and cafe.
Summary
In terms of location for touring around this border area – Ord House is very conveniently located. The reverse of this is that it is suburban in nature and there is both vehicle and rail noise – this is not so noticeable in the van. Facilities are very family friendly and should appeal to families. There is a great range of activities for people of all ages and abilities. The site, similarly has good facilities but there could be the odd improvement. The on-site restaurant is great as there is no need to drive if you do not wish too.