Travels With JB

Travels With JB

Travel news and reviews

Swan Bay Apartment in Waren Mill provided the perfect base to explore England’s Northumberland Coast.

Swan Bay Apartment in Waren Mill
Swan Bay Apartment in Waren Mill

We found the apartment stylish, well equipped and extremely comfortable while the views it offered over Budle Bay were stunning. We continually found ourselves looking out the window at the abundant bird life including the two white swans who permanently live in the bay. The bay is a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds nature reserve so needless to say there were lots of birds to watch!

Our apartment
The apartment living area.

Located on the first floor of Waren Mill, the apartment features three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large lounge/dining and kitchen area.  The main bedroom includes a super king size bed, en-suite bathroom with shower and television, the second bedroom a king size bed and the third bedroom two twin beds. The second bathroom features a large spa bath.

cottage
The jetty cottage.

We also had exclusive use of a small, well equipped cottage within the Mill complex. Located on the banks of the bay it offered a different perspective and was a great place to watch the `action’ on the water and the sunset.

What: Swan Bay, 3 The Maltings, Waren Mill, Northumberland

Who: JB and JD

Why: Exploration of the Northumberland Coast

When:  26 June to 2 July 2016

How Did It Rate

Warren Mill
Waren Mill

The building.  The apartment is located within a group of buildings that belonged to the Waren Mill.  Some of these buildings are said to have been built by the Normans and date back over 900 years.  The main Mill building features a number of apartments. Judging by our fellow tenants, many are rented out to tourists.

The location. The views over Budle Bay were stunning. Watching the two white swans that live in the bay was just as enjoyable. As the tide moved in and out so did their levels of activity!  

The kitchen
The kitchen

Facilities in the room.  The kitchen’s facilities are far better than anything I have at home!  The décor of the open Manhatten style lounge / dining/ kitchen is stylish and the furniture was very comfortable.  The main living room includes a television, video and CD player. Two large windows and a telescope and binoculars helped with bird watching pursuits!  There’s a good selection of paperbacks (including bird watching guide books) and games. The free wi fi was generally very reliable. 

Jetty Cottage.  We had exclusive rights to use this cottage which featured everything needed for a day or night of bird watching, reading or just chilling out. It includes tea and coffee making facilities and wine glasses.

The view from Jetty Cottage
The view from Jetty Cottage.

While the Mill is around 2.5 miles (5 kilometres) from Bamburgh, the nearest town, traffic was surprisingly heavy. As a result early morning walks were quite hazardous especially as the roads are relatively narrow and there aren’t many footpaths. 

While there were lovely views from the en-suite bedroom the second bedroom overlooked the road and car park and some road noises were evident although this didn’t affect sleeping. 

the view from our apartment
The view from our apartment.

While we hardly heard our neighbours the positioning of the water system ensured once the water was turned on those in the main en-suite bedroom were awake!

If you don’t want to eat in the apartment then it’s necessary to drive to one of the nearby towns in search of a restaurant, although there is a country house hotel opposite the Mill.  As we tended to explore during the day and stay in at night admiring the views this wasn’t a problem but it maybe for some, especially if you want a drink or two with your meal!

*Swan Bay Apartments is included on several websites include Homeway and Holiday Letting.

Visit travelswithjb/ England for more reviews and stories about the UK and travelswithjb/accommodation for more accommodation reviews.

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