Berwick-Upon-Tweed, YHA any good?

[mercalia]

Berwick-Upon-Tweed, YHA

any one ever stayed there? any thing on interest up there? is one of the special offer 25% off hostels

what about this time of the year? March - too cold or miserable?

http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/berwick

[buryman]

A comfortable and historically interesting hostel very close to the town centre. We have not used it as a cycling base but for walking. There is a good bus service both up and down the coast which facilitates linear walks. The town itself is fascinating, particularly the defences. L.S.Lowry used to spend his holidays there.

[John Holiday]

Excellent hostel in great area for cycling.
Also numerous great tea stops in the area.
Will be visiting again over Easter weekend.

[PH]

The town itself is fascinating, particularly the defences. L.S.Lowry used to spend his holidays there.

There's a Lowry walk, which takes you to some of the scenes he painted, worth a bit of research before going.
It's a lovely bit of coast for cycling, a few miles south takes you to Lindisfarne and going north takes you to St Abbs Head which is stunning (Fork left for the headland rather than going into the village) If you like fish and chips, Eyemouth is worth a visit, you're spoilt for choice.
I haven't stayed in the hostel, but have seen it, great location. I'm hoping to stay in May at the end of a ride.

[Dean]

Hiya Paul!

Lovely hostel - i've organised a club weekend there for February. And the cycling is fantastic - it's usually pretty mild around the coast unless you're unlucky enough to get an easterly. A trip to Lindisfarne is a must (and the buses will take bikes back to Berwick), and there's a great variety of terrain - flattish to the south or hillier to the north as you head over the border and into the Lammermuirs.

About the only issue with cycling is dodging the A1 - it's like a river that you have to cross.

The hostel itself is lovely, though it's a slightly odd set-up, as the ground floor cafe and third floor art gallery are open to the public, and all the dorms and shared kitchen are up on the fourth and fifth floors, but it works and it's in a great spot, just through an alley from the Tweed.

[Jon Lucas]

I've also stayed there, and agree with comments so far. Fascinating building, leans a bit I seem to remember, just inside the old town walls with the river Tweed just outside them. The bike shed is just outside the entrance.

When I stayed, during the winter half of the year, the warden waits for last people booked in to arrive and then went home, so had hostel virtually to myself. I had one of their cooked meals - huge portions, so should suit anyone cycling there.

Berwick is a nice town, worth visiting whether you stay there or not, and very quiet in the winter. If the wind is coming off the North Sea, you will notice it!

[mercalia]

is Berwick-Upon-Tween still in England? My freedom pass bus will still work? get me to Holy Island from there ( if weather not so good for cycling)?

[John Holiday]

Berwick is currently within England and is a couple of miles south of the border.
However it appears to change hands frequently, & I believe there were plans to rejoin Scotland!
So your English bus pass should work if you stay south.
You might need a Brompton to use buses.

[buryman]

An English bus pass also gives a half price concession on cross border Perryman's routes 235,236&253.