HERE in the North East we know the region to be God’s own country – and, with clean beaches, a stunning coastline, castles, stately homes and acre upon acre of unspoilt countryside, it is no wonder increasing numbers of visitors from the UK and abroad are heading to Northumberland to holiday.

Consequently demand for holiday properties has never been higher, from stylish beachside apartments to traditional country cottages.

Renting out a property to paying guests can be enjoyable and financially rewarding. It is vital, however, to identify your market and then do everything you can to anticipate and meet its holiday requirements.

A first and crucial step is to ensure you have adequate insurance cover in place.

Building and contents insurance will be similar to that you would have in place for your own home. Do check if any specific security measures are required and also that your policy covers theft by non-forcible entry. This will ensure you are covered if the property is burgled because windows have been left open. Your policy should cover any outdoor furniture as well as indoor furnishings and also accidental damage by guests, not just by the owner.

It is worth checking how long you can leave your property unoccupied without invalidating your cover and some insurers may insist the heating is left on during the winter even if no-one is occupying the property.

In addition, Public Liability insurance will cover you against any claims a guest makes against you if they injure themselves while staying in your property and you should opt for an insurance company that offers policies tailored to holiday lettings.
Once you have insurance in place, it is necessary to consider who your property is aimed at. Are your prepared to welcome pets, for example? The excellent walks available in Northumberland make it a Mecca for dog owners and, providing you ensure the property is deep-cleaned after each occupant leaves and impose conditions, such as excluding dogs from bedrooms, it is not hard to make a property pet friendly.

If your property has a garden then it is likely to appeal to guests with children. You may want to encourage young guests by providing play equipment, outdoor furniture, a barbecue or even a hot tub – again, ensure these are covered by your insurance policy and are routinely maintained and safe.

Parents travelling with babies and toddlers need holiday homes that have been kitted out with youngsters in mind. Cots, stairgates and baby changing facilities are all relatively cheap to provide and can be stored out of sight when not in use.

If you do decide you want to attract specific guest groups such as dog owners and young families then it is worth highlighting in your advertising and on your website that you are dog friendly and toddler friendly are these are the terms people key into their internet search engines when looking for a suitable holiday home.

On the subject of the internet, even the most traditional country cottages are still expected to have modern conveniences such as televisions and wireless Wi-Fi connections and details of passwords needed to access the Internet should be clearly visible.
Lyn Cole, Director of Newcastle-based holiday property letting agency Cottages in Northumberland, also has this advice: “When letting out a holiday property it is vital you make regular checks to ensure all appliances and utilities are working properly and the property is in a good state of repair.

“This is actually where a letting agency really comes into its own. Not only do agencies handle all the administration and bookings of holiday homes but they generally also offer a maintenance service, covering everything from sun beds to shower fittings.

“Of course, as in so many things, the devil is in the detail and it is the little extras you include – such as board games, books, DVDs and jigsaws along with garden items such as tennis rackets, bats and balls – which will make sure your guests have a great holiday.

“Holidaymakers will expect and appreciate a welcome pack in the property with emergency contact details along with local information about places to go to and restaurants worth visiting. It is also a kindness to ensure some basic provisions are available such as milk, bacon, bread, butter and even a bottle of wine – this is also a great way of introducing guests to local food producers.”

Our final piece of advice for owners preparing to rent out their property is this: stay in it yourself for a couple of weeks. Only then will you know for sure it is ready to receive holidaymakers.

For further information about Cottages in Northumberland call 0191 231 3020 or e-mail enquiries@cottagesinnorthumberland.co.uk

While the south of England and Wales has had a good soaking recently, here in Northumberland the weather has remained, dry and cool with a refreshing north easterly wind, which combined, last Tuesday to provide perfect conditions for a walk in the wilder side of the Ingram Valley. Setting off from Hartside Farm, we followed footpaths and bridleways out into open country, heading for the summit of Little Dodd, a small hill which sits somewhat in the looming shadow of Schill Moor to the north.

Just beyond Little Dodd is the Salter’s Road, an ancient track, a trading route, which as well as being used for transporting salt, a valuable commodity in years past, must have seen a lot of traffic. Once upon a time, lines of packhorses would have been a common sight, flocks of sheep and herds of cattle would have made their way up and down the valley; only echoes of those times remain now, but it’s pleasing to imagine what it once must have been like.

The Salter’s Road leads down into Bleakhope, one of those impossibly remote hill farms, where you really do have to pause and admire the tenacity of the farmers who work the land here. If you ask them the question though, none of them would ever want to do anything else.

Here the River Breamish is just beginning its journey; whereas further down the valley, the river is wide, up here you could just about jump or step across it with ease. We paused for lunch and were treated to the sight of oyster catchers, sandpipers and grey wagtails working the stony river bed. Overhead, a sparrow hawk did its deadly work and suddenly a peregrine falcon swooped out of the sky, not on a killing mission this time, just showing off to a mate that we couldn’t see; impressive stuff though for us as spectators, sitting there eating our sandwiches, lunch for us was easier to find.

It was time to leave Bleakhope and we began the ascent to the summit of High Cantle and on to the high grouse moor above the River Breamish. The moor stretched out before us and we set our sights on Linhope Spout some three kilometres away. We saw lots of red grouse, that marvellous moorland bird; we heard their noisy calls and watched as they flew low and fast above the heather, a great sight. Spring on the high moors in Northumberland is a great time to see lapwings, together in pairs, they fly an amazing courtship display, make their ‘peewit, call and flash black and white above the drab heather, lovely to see. Finally, curlews, birds that share the moors with lapwings were here in abundance, their lilting call adding to the magic of these wild Northumbrian uplands.

We got to Linhope Spout, that mighty waterfall, tumbling some 40ft (12 metres) over a ledge into a mighty pool of foaming water. After the recent rain, it was looking good, photographs were duly taken and the memories of this spectacular place were taken with us and saved for another time.

So, that was our walk in the Ingram Valley; there’s a lot to see and enjoy, but to get the most from it, take a hill guide, we won’t get you lost and we’ll add all those extra bits of information to enliven your walk in one of Northumberland’s most beautiful valleys.

by Patrick Norris Footsteps – Walking the beauty of Northumberland

If you like the sound of this walk and would like to try it for yourself or look at which walks are available in Northumberland visit http://www.footsteps-in-northumberland.co.uk/

After the remarkable autumn migration when the Northumberland coast hosts thousands of migrating birds, the spring is a much gentler and less frantic time, but always interesting, so as we set off from the Lindisfarne Causeway car park on a Footsteps walk, we really didn’t know what we would see. I had said to our walkers that the coast here never disappoints; it has such a lot to offer in terms of landscape, history and wildlife. The moment we left the car park, we were reminded of a more turbulent time, the coast here is lined with hundreds of concrete blocks, put there in 1940s, a major part of the coastal defences, they remain pretty much intact to this day.

This section of the Northumberland coast, on the northern edge of the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve is about as wild and remote as it gets up here, but new features appear from time to time. Today, we visited a brand new bird hide on the edge of a creek; it has been placed there by the owners of the Barn at Beal and makes for a new destination on this popular walk.

As we crossed the sluice which neatly bridges the creek, we entered an extensive area of grazing marsh. Sheep and beef cattle graze the wide open spaces and their presence extends the habitat and the food available to wildlife. We hoped we would see an early swallow swooping over the marsh and we weren’t disappointed. Old pasture like that found on the marshes, makes a great feeding ground for the early migrants and this one swallow was making the most of the few flying insects that were around.

Eventually we reached our turning point at Beachcomber House. To the north we could see Berwick-upon-Tweed and out across the sea, cars crossing the Holy Island Causeway appeared to be floating above the road in a shimmering haze, mirage like as they moved between the Island and the mainland. We were now walking on the sand and we followed the coast back to the car park and just about getting some warmth from the spring sunshine. Along the way we saw swans feeding in the creek and away to the south Bamburgh Castle loomed large on the horizon, all part of the magic of the walk.

We finished this walk as we always do in the café at the Barn at Beal

By Patrick Norris of Footsteps – walking the beauty of Northumberland.
www.footsteps-in-northumberland.co.uk

We have added some fantastic new cottages to our website this Summer. Lindisfarne View and The Fishermans Rest probably boast the best views in Seahouses. Lindisfarne View is  stunning three bedroom apartment  refurbished to the highest standard which offers every modern facility. Immaculately presented, this cottage offers luxurious living and arguably the best views in the area. Located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it provides an ideal base for those wishing to explore the area’s plentiful attractions.The Fishermans Rest has two bedrooms and a private courtyard with seatingand accepts pets.http://www.cottagesinnorthumberland.co.uk/property-details.aspx?id=115

We have some great savings on holidays and short breaks in a selection of our cottages. Take a look at our late deals page for some fantastic deals http://www.cottagesinnorthumberland.co.uk/late-deals.aspx.

Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to visit the wonderful coastline and countryside of Northumberland.

Book online at www.cottagesinnorthumberland.co.uk or call us on: 0191 2313020.