A brief winter holiday break in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Scottish Borders
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<b>A brief winter holiday break in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Scottish Borders</b>
Rachael and I quite fancied a short break away in early November, not too far from home by motorcycle, so booked a holiday caravan for a few days at the the Haven holiday park, Berwick. To be honest, it was cheaper than pitching a tent and obviously quite a bit warmer! Much as I would have liked to ride my Hyosung GV700 there, it’s not yet restored, so instead used my ever-reliable Taiwanese-built SYM Joyride 200 auto-scooter for the easy one-hundred miles or so journey. The basic preparation of the scooter simply consisted of tyre pressures and oil level checks, and as it regularly returns 100+mpg, top-up the fuel tank. Storage is great, with the large, built-in underseat space and the small topbox that I have fitted. A comfortable lightweight backpack for some basic food shopping at the destination, completed the ensemble.
The check-in time at the caravan was from 5pm, so after a late, leisurely breakfast, and with the weather crisp and bright, although forecast damp, we set-off at lunchtime, heading from County Durham towards Newcastle-upon-Tyne, then onwards into Northumberland, with Berwick being on the Scottish Borders. Once past Newcastle there are a couple of road options, the quite scenic but extended coastal route or the more direct A1 trunk road. We chose the latter, mainly due to it being early winter and not wanting to freeze entirely!
Arriving in Berwick around 3pm, we headed over to the convenient, local ALDI supermarket for some essential supplies for the short break…eggs, bread, milk, oven chips and of course, plenty of wine! Then off to the caravan park, situated close to the town centre and breezy north east coast. Reception was swift and easy and fortunately, we could comfortably park the scooter alongside the ‘van. I had packed two good locks and a simple lightweight vinyl cover, so the bike was quickly secured for the short holiday. With the gas fire and oven on, the caravan was soon feeling warm and cosy, ready for a quiet and relaxing, early-winter break.
Berwick is well worth a visit for anyone heading north or to Scotland. An ancient settlement that over the years has changed hands with the Scots after frequent battles. There are fine buildings, large and small, in streets of character, splendid old battlements to explore and a quiet beach, so ideal for anyone who enjoys a leisurely walk and exploration. It is not renowned for its shopping, bars or nightlife although there are plenty of pubs to choose from and a range of supermarkets on the outskirts, so ideal for a self-catering break. We’ve booked again for the spring!
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Yes Simon, fortunately we managed to avoid most of the rain, with last Tuesday morning being the heaviest downpour (judging by the racket on the caravan’s roof!) and both the outgoing and return journeys being fine, although rather cold. About one-hundred miles would be my journey limit in winter.
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I’ve toured around the UK enough times even as far down as near London then back up to the North West England but i’ve never been to Scotland , so since you said “Berwick is well worth a visit for anyone heading north or to Scotland.” , you might give me a reason to do so in 2024!
I wonder if i can do it on a scooter! From Yorkshire Dales starting point , or i may just drag the Hyosung out. I shall see.
Happy to see you out & about , even if its freezing winter now (yes it was 5c last night , so im sure its even colder up there!) = Stay warm lol.
I won’t lie SYM has built a reputation these days in the 125cc market, they pretty common around the north west now. I would argue you would have more happier miles with it than a lexmoto!
Great pics! 👍
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Thanks Marcel. The Scottish Borders plus Dumfries and Galloway (just over from Carlisle) have some excellent, usually very quiet roads, ideal for two-wheeled riders, definitely worth a visit. North Northumberland (far-north of Tyneside) too is also very similar with quiet and often deserted roads and attractive scenery. I sometimes look for a cheap ‘Travelodge’ deal – Sunday bookings are often very cheap throughout the U.K – then go exploring through Sunday and Monday, as I’m getting too old now for extended day trips!
I do enjoy my SYM Joyride, it is just so very dependable, easy and relaxing to ride, whether going on a longer trip or just popping to the local supermarket, and despite being just 200cc, is happy doing 55-60mph all day and never feels rough or stressed.
Enjoy your rides!
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I sometimes look for a cheap ‘Travelodge’ deal – Sunday bookings are often very cheap throughout the U.K – then go exploring through Sunday and Monday, as I’m getting too old now for extended day trips!
I was bookmarking several glamping sites for 2024 because in the past i always used Booking. Com App to make any bookings for 24hr stays , i will keep travelodge in mind for Sunday excursions!
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