Shepherd's Retreats Review - Dog-friendly Glamping in Northumberland

Post features a press stay with Shepherd's Retreats. I have not been paid to write this & Sheperd's Retreats had no control.

Shepherd's Retreats are two Shepherd's Huts in Northumberland. Situated within walking distance of Beadnell (home to a lovely pub, glorious dog-friendly beach with plenty of watersports, restaurant and shop) and a short drive from Bamburgh and Seahouses, they're an ideal base for exploring some of the best parts of the Northumberland coast. 

There are two huts here - one sleeps four and the other two. We stayed in Sandpiper which sleeps four. Each hut has their own enclosed garden and facilities but there's a gate between the two should you wish to hire them both together. There is usually a 2-night minimum stay and prices are around £240-£290 for 2 nights and include a welcome pack (cleaning products, chocolate, wine and a fire starting kit), use of your own hot tub, all bedding and towels and WiFi. We had such a lovely stay and think Sandpiper was the perfect base for exploring Beadnell. We visited with our two boys and only had a couple of negatives to note - the first is that there is quite a bit of traffic noise from the road opposite (dies down after around 7pm) and the second is that the top bunk didn't have any safety bars so wouldn't really be suitable for younger children (edit to add, the owner has been in touch to say that they do have a safety bar - it had been removed prior to our trip). Other than that, we had a brilliant time and highly recommend.

Rather than a straight review, I've decided to share 10 reasons to stay with Shepherd's Retreats. Let me know if you fancy it! You can find out more and book online here. 

10 Reasons to Stay with Shepherd's Retreats

1 - Well equipped Shepherd's Huts with luxurious touches

The huts here are so well equipped - everything you could need has been taken care of from crockery to towels, wood for the fire, corkscrew, washing up liquid, toiletries, cutlery, fridge, en-suite bathroom, binoculars, guide books - honestly everything you need. Steve was impressed to see a pair of tongs in the utensil drawer as so many places don't have these and he is lost in the kitchen without them. Everything is finished to a very high standard and it all feels nice and luxurious too.

You can watch a full video tour in our YouTube video (edited by Harry) below:

2 - You have an en-suite 'proper' loo

I know lots of you won't even consider glamping without your own loo and I get that! At Shepherd's Retreats you have your own en-suite shower, sink and loo. It's a proper flushing one too. You can see more of the bathroom in our video tour linked above/below.

3 - A private hot tub and enclosed garden

It's not so much an issue for us now, but when the kids were younger, an enclosed garden was the dream for us. Being able to sit outside and know that the kids won't go running out onto the road was always such a relief. As a parent of older kids now, I still appreciated this private space and it was lovely sitting outside in our own space with views of the coast and Dunstanburgh Castle in the distance.

A hot tub is high on many people's list when booking a short break and Shepherd's Retreats really deliver on this. Designed to seat two people, you heat the hot tub with the adjoining stove. It takes around 90 minutes to get up to temperature but once it does, you only need to light the fire for 30 minutes or so every time you re-use throughout your break to get it up to temp. This hot tub is the hottest hot tub I've ever been in. It was bliss and I kind of think heating it yourself with a wood-fired stove adds to the experience and enjoyment of it all. We had a routine where the kids would enjoy the tub in the afternoon and Steve and I would jump in as the sun set. It was lovely.

4 - Loads to do in the area

Beadnell is a lovely place and the beach here really reminds me of parts of Cornwall. The beach is dog-friendly and you can try your hand at kayaking, kite surfing, paddle boarding or various other water sports here. There's tuition and equipment to hire right by the beach. We had such a laugh watching one family try sea kayaking - the kids took to it straight away and paddled off leaving their parents to struggle getting started. They must have capsized about 10 times but it was all good fun and well done to them for giving it a try. They got the hang of it eventually! There's also a cute little food hut down by the beach (check out their Facebook page here). Bait at Beadnell really seem like the heart of the community and were serving up seafood at reasonable prices. I'm going to try and get down there with Steve at some point as their lobster and fries sound divine! There's also lots of activities going on such as Beach Yoga. The people who live here really do have my dream life. Beadnell is also home to the Craster Arms which is one of my favourite pubs.

Seahouses and Bamburgh are all within 5 miles and definitely worth a visit. I'd recommend taking a boat trip with Serenity Tours to see the seals and Bamburgh Castle and beach is not to be missed.

5 - Box Pizza is just along the road

Box Pizza is just along the road - it would take 10 minutes to walk to and is perfect for takeaway or sitting in. Their pizza is divine! Check out their Facebook page for opening hours and their latest deals as they can be a little sporadic. You can read Steve's review of Box Pizza here. 

6 - BBQ, Pizza Oven and Wood-Burning Stove

If we don't have a campfire when we're glamping, then it's not proper glamping according to the kids. There are lots of options here from an indoor and outdoor wood burning stove to a huge BBQ and pizza oven. Back to basics in the best possible way. I did overdo it on the marshmallows though!

7 - You can stay connected

It's all well and good taking a digital detox and we did spend less time on our phones during our time at Shepherd's Retreats. The kids played in the garden, we spent time in the hot tub and around the fire cooking/toasting marshmallows, we played games (pointless is our fave) and read books BUT having the option to keep in touch with people and check Instagram is there too. There are USB chargers (bring a car adaptor) and there's WiFi too. Harry was happy he could still watch his YouTube videos and listen to his podcasts as he enjoyed his hot chocolate before bed. When travelling with tweens and teens it's all about compromise I think and I'm not going to get annoyed at Harry for being on his phone when he is actively participating with us in other ways. It helps the break to be less 'full-on' and as I always say, it's the kids' holiday too and if they want to have some phone time, why shouldn't they. It's all about balance and great that the option is there.

8 - Stargazing roof

Just above the King Sized Bed is a stargazing roof. I've never stayed anywhere with one of these before and really think it's a USP. It was so peaceful lying on the bed and watching the clouds float along the skyline. When was the last time you cloud watched? I can't remember. I kept saying to Steve all weekend that I felt so relaxed. In the evening when we turned the lights out it was just beautiful to see all the stars twinkling above. There are blinds if you're worried about light the next morning but we didn't use these and it was all good.

9 - Dog-friendly glamping

I LOVE that Shepherd's Retreats are dog-friendly. The area is fantastic for dog walks and all of the beaches are dog-friendly too. Dogs are now allowed in the grouds of nearby Bamburgh Castle and many of the pubs/restaurants welcome dogs (you can read about some of the dog-friendly pubs and restaurants here). Dogs are given a VIP welcome with homemade dog treats in the welcome pack, a hose in the garden to clean sandy paws, dog towels, food and water bowls. As a non-dog owner staying, you'd never tell the place was dog-friendly and there were no signs a dog had ever stayed here. Definitely the best of both worlds!

10 - Eco-friendly

The huts have been made by a local craftsman from Hexham using recycled materials. I love that the floor of our hut was once part of the Rex Hotel in Whitley Bay. The huts have been awarded a Silver award in Green Tourism thanks to their efforts including using 'A' rated appliances, using a recycle bin, using local suppliers for their welcome pack, using solar energy, using wood from 100% sustainable British woodlands, using environmentally friendly cleaning products, providing nesting boxes for birds and more. You can read more about their eco-efforts here.  It feels good to choose accommodation who actively cares about the environment and is being proactive.

If you'd like to see more from our stay, you can watch my Instagram story highlights here and our YouTube video from our stay below.....

We had such a lovely stay with Shepherd's Retreats and can personally recommend. Let me know if you fancy a stay yourself.

You can find out more and book online here. 

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