Four Nights at Curry’s Cottage: A Luxury Dog-Friendly Escape in Northumberland
- Sarah, Chester & Crumble
- Jul 2
- 7 min read
Northumberland will always be one of our favourite places to escape to with Chester and Crumble.
With its enormous beaches, beautiful countryside, historic castles and endless opportunities for food stops, it has everything we could want from a dog-friendly staycation.
This time, our home for four nights was the beautiful Curry’s Cottage, a luxurious stone-built cottage surrounded by peaceful Northumberland countryside. It gave us the perfect base for days spent exploring Warkworth, Bamburgh, Amble and Alnwick, while also being somewhere we genuinely looked forward to returning to each evening.
And when the Northumberland weather inevitably gave us a rainy day, we were more than happy to stay put with a game of Scrabble, a Chinese takeaway and two very sleepy dogs!
Arriving at Curry’s Cottage
From the moment we arrived, Curry’s Cottage felt incredibly peaceful.
The traditional stonework gives the cottage plenty of Northumberland character, while the dark contemporary cladding and huge windows create a beautifully modern finish. There is plenty of parking beside the property, which made unloading four nights’ worth of dog beds, blankets, treats and everything else Chester and Crumble apparently cannot travel without much easier (at this point all we take is a bag and the rest is there stuff!).
Inside, the cottage feels spacious, calm and thoughtfully designed. The large open-plan living and dining area immediately draws your attention towards the wall-to-wall glass doors and the countryside stretching out beyond them.
Chester quickly found the best spot for watching the fields, while Crumble began her usual inspection of every room to decide which bed and chair she would be claiming first.
Inside the Cottage
The open-plan living area really is the heart of Curry’s Cottage.
There are large, comfortable sofas with plenty of room for everyone to relax after a day at the beach, alongside a generous dining space and a beautifully equipped kitchen. The uninterrupted countryside views make the whole room feel bright and open, while the telescope beside the window is a lovely addition for watching the landscape during the day or the skies once it gets dark.
The sliding doors lead directly onto the raised patio, allowing you to bring the views and fresh country air into the room. It was lovely being able to sit inside with a coffee while still keeping an eye on Chester and Crumble outside.
Curry’s Cottage has four bedrooms, including a king-size bedroom on the ground floor, two further king-size bedrooms upstairs and another bedroom that can be arranged using two single beds. There are also three bathrooms with walk-in showers, while the downstairs bathroom has an impressive deep bath positioned beside the window.
Naturally, Crumble appeared to believe the bath had been provided entirely for her and happily posed beside it before any of us had the chance to use it.
Each bedroom has its own personality, with beautiful soft furnishings, statement furniture and small decorative details throughout. From the colourful hare artwork to the soft greens, blush pinks and cosy layered bedding, everything feels luxurious without losing that relaxed countryside atmosphere.
Having a bedroom and bathroom downstairs also makes the cottage particularly useful for families or groups travelling with someone who would rather avoid the stairs. Which is me on all the trips because I really struggle with stairs with my knee and arthritis!
There is also a separate utility room with a washing machine, tumble dryer and sink. It might not be the most glamorous part of a holiday cottage, but when travelling with dogs—especially after beaches and countryside walks, it is one of those practical extras you are always grateful to have.
Thoughtful Touches for Chester and Crumble
One of our favourite parts of arriving at any dog-friendly stay is discovering the little details that have been left for Chester and Crumble.
At Curry’s Cottage, their bowls had been set out ready for them alongside towels and individual treat bags with their names handwritten on the front. Crumble obviously recognised hers immediately and would like it officially recorded that we did not open it quickly enough.
These thoughtful touches make such a difference. Rather than simply allowing dogs to stay, it felt as though Chester and Crumble had genuinely been considered as guests too.
The cottage is beside a working farm, so dogs need to be kept under close control around the property and surrounding countryside. This is especially important if your dog is interested in livestock or likes to follow exciting countryside smells. This wasnt a problem at all for us and the gate secured the patio and the dogs were happy enough with the set up!
The Outdoor Space
The large raised patio runs along the back of the cottage and is surrounded by glass balustrades, making the most of the open views without blocking them.
There is plenty of outdoor seating, including a large dining table for meals outside and benches positioned along the stone walls. It became a lovely place to sit with a drink while Chester and Crumble watched everything happening across the surrounding fields.
The patio immediately outside the doors is enclosed with a gate, giving us a secure space where the dogs could sit with us. Steps then lead down towards the lawn below, so the tiered layout is worth keeping in mind for older dogs or anyone travelling with limited mobility.
Despite being modern and spacious, the outside area still feels connected to the cottage’s rural surroundings. Sitting there as the evening light changed across the countryside was one of those simple holiday moments that made us wish we could stay longer.
Exploring Warkworth
One of our first adventures was a trip to Warkworth Beach.
The wide stretch of sand gave Chester and Crumble plenty of room to walk, sniff and enjoy the sea air. Chester is always at his happiest on a beach, while Crumble likes to investigate absolutely everything before eventually deciding that running through the sand is much more fun.
After the beach, we headed towards Warkworth Castle. The castle rising above the village makes the whole area feel incredibly special and it was lovely combining a coastal walk with a little Northumberland history.
By the time we returned to Curry’s Cottage, both dogs were suitably tired and very ready to collapse on their blankets while we enjoyed a quiet evening looking out over the fields.
A Day at Bamburgh Beach
No Northumberland break feels complete without visiting Bamburgh Beach.
The enormous sandy beach and unmistakable castle backdrop make it one of the most impressive places to walk with dogs. Even when it is breezy—and it usually is—there is something wonderful about wrapping up, walking along the sand and watching the dogs enjoy all that space.
Chester was completely in his element, while Crumble alternated between running around and stopping to pose as though the entire beach had been arranged specifically for her photographs. It is the sort of place where you can easily lose track of time, and returning to the warmth and comfort of Curry’s Cottage afterwards made the day feel even better.
Doggy Ice Cream at Morwick Dairy
Another important stop on our Northumberland itinerary was Morwick Dairy, especially because we had heard they make ice cream specifically for dogs.
Chester and Crumble were each treated to their own dog-friendly ice cream, which was taken extremely seriously. There was no polite tasting or taking their time, both portions disappeared very quickly. Of course, we could not take the dogs for ice cream without having one ourselves. That would have been unfair.
Morwick Dairy made such a lovely little addition to our day and is exactly the kind of place we enjoy discovering while travelling. Any attraction that includes treats for both dogs and humans immediately receives Chester and Crumble’s approval.
Fish and Chips in Amble
We also headed into Amble for fish and chips. There is something about eating fish and chips during a trip to the Northumberland coast that just feels compulsory. After a day filled with sea air and dog walks, they tasted even better.
We took them back with us and enjoyed a relaxed evening at the cottage, with Chester and Crumble watching us very closely in case anything accidentally fell in their direction.
It did not.
Despite what they may tell you.
Rainy Days at the Cottage
Naturally, no British staycation would be complete without at least one day when the rain changes your plans. Thankfully, Curry’s Cottage is exactly the sort of place where staying in does not feel like missing out.
We settled around the table for a game of Scrabble, which became far more competitive than anyone would like to admit. Chester slept through most of it, while Crumble moved between us checking whether the letter tiles might secretly be edible.
That evening, we ordered a Chinese takeaway from Yan’s in Alnwick and spent the rest of the night relaxing in the lounge. With the rain outside, the countryside views disappearing into the evening and two tired dogs beside us, it became one of our favourite nights of the trip.
Sometimes the best holiday memories are not the carefully planned days out. They are the slow evenings, takeaway containers on the table, a board game getting overly competitive and everyone feeling completely relaxed.
Is Curry’s Cottage Suitable for a Dog-Friendly Stay?
Curry’s Cottage worked beautifully as a base for exploring Northumberland with Chester and Crumble. The open-plan interior gives everyone plenty of room, while the patio provides a useful enclosed space immediately outside the living area. The dog bowls, towels and personalised treats were also a lovely welcome.
Because the cottage is beside a working farm, it may require a little more management for dogs who are highly reactive to livestock or who cannot reliably settle when they can smell animals nearby. The steps between the patio and lower lawn are also something to consider for dogs or guests with mobility difficulties.
For Chester and Crumble, however, it provided a peaceful countryside base with easy access to some of their favourite Northumberland beaches and plenty of space to rest between adventures.
Our Final Thoughts
Our four nights at Curry’s Cottage gave us exactly the Northumberland break we needed.
We walked along Warkworth and Bamburgh beaches, explored around Warkworth Castle, shared an ice cream stop at Morwick Dairy, enjoyed fish and chips from Amble and ended a rainy day with Scrabble and a Chinese takeaway from Alnwick.
But some of our favourite moments were spent simply enjoying the cottage itself, watching the countryside through the huge windows, sitting outside with the dogs and slowing down after busy days exploring. Curry’s Cottage feels luxurious without being uncomfortable or overly formal. It is spacious enough for a family or group stay, thoughtfully designed and perfectly positioned for discovering more of Northumberland.
Chester and Crumble certainly made themselves at home, and we would happily return for another four nights of beaches, castles, ice cream and countryside views.
Thanks for reading!
Sarah, Chester & Crumble xxx
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