You pay for the pitch, the location comes free.
Ok, time for some truth bombs… sometimes campsites can be guilty of charging you for the location when, actually, all you’re getting is a basic pitch, especially if you’re staying off-grid.
But this place was different. For the first time, we’ve come across somewhere where the price you pay is actually for what you get. You’re not paying extra for the ocean view, or because there’s a place of national importance 100 yards down the road.
At Link House Farm (Pop-Up Site), you pay for your pitch… and we say pitch loosely because there’s no such thing. 😂
Pitch vs location
So, for transparency, we never actually set out to book this site. We tried to book onto their Caravan and Motorhome Club site, but since we weren’t members, we were banished to a field where level parking was a lottery ticket and the rules were vastly different from those of the official Caravan and Motorhome Club site.
But, as we said, you get what you pay for, and we happily obliged when they said it was only £20 per night. 😂
It’s really not what it looks like, we promise!
location, location, location
Link House Farm overlooks the Northumberland coast, with multiple walking routes and traditional pubs nearby, including the quaint little village of High Newton, where we sampled a glass of white and a pint of Guinness while watching the sunset.
If taking in the local history is more your thing, then Dunstanburgh Castle, Bamburgh Castle and Holy Island are only a short drive away. We actually recommend doing what we did… Explore first, then pitch up after a long day’s exploring.
So, if you’re using Link House Farm as a base to explore Northumberland, you’ll struggle to find another pitch-up cheaper in that location. That said, we’re happy to be proven wrong… show us your hidden gems.
The Facilities Are Basic
Since you’re most likely using this site for a weekend rather than pitching up for a week, the facilities will suffice. That said, we’re not keen on the poop drop, or should we say the dreaded IBC. It keeps us awake at night… and I say us, but I really mean me. Anna never empties it, so she doesn’t know the shitty aroma that can sometimes escape when releasing the lid. 🤮
Basically, it’s absolutely disgusting, but Link House Farm also gives you the option of using one of their onsite portable loos, which, in our opinion, are equally as disgusting. So, take your pick… I know which one we’d rather not use.
But with all that said, you get what you pay for, and sometimes the cost of a cheap overnight stop is the smell of someone else’s poop.
The good news is, the water supply is easily accessible, although you might have to wait depending on how busy the site is.
How Do You Book & Pay?
Booking is easy if you use Pitch-Up, but if you’re like us and you phoned, then booking becomes a bit of a guessing game. Our names and registration were taken and that was it, we were booked.
Then it dawned on us… we hadn’t actually paid yet. Who do we pay? Maybe… we’ll sort it when we get there.
Upon arrival, we pulled up at the gate where we were again told to call the same number we booked with. No problem, we were just told to park up and someone would come and see us.
So we waited… and waited… and waited.
Eventually, temptation took over and we decided to go for a walk down the beach, all the while we’re thinking, where and who do we pay?
At this point, we’d started wondering if we’d been gifted a free stopover. We’ve never known a campsite not to take our money, but I suppose we didn’t book the traditional way. We followed the instructions, so God knows… even writing this paragraph, I’m still confused. 😂
Old-School Booking & Payment
As the gas kettle whistles and I peer from the window blinds suspiciously, a 4×4 pulls up alongside us. The driver is reading from a list and looking just as lost as us. At this point, intrigue got the better of me, so I ventured out to see who this guy was and, more importantly, what was on the list?
Turns out, it was the farmer collecting payment. Finally!
I pulled out my phone to pay, only to be told it was cash payment only.
I mean… who pays with cash these days? Not us!
After a lot of conversation with little action, I asked if I could do a bank transfer because, at this point, all I was thinking about was my cup of Yorkshire going cold…
As he rummaged around looking for his bank details, his arse crack was hanging out the back of his trousers, while others started gathering around, all trying to pay. And yes, you guessed it… all with cash. You couldn’t make this up.
Eventually, we managed to pay the man, but by this point I was mentally drained and needed a nap. I think the farmer had probably had enough of us too. 😂
so, would we recommend link house farm, northumberland?
I suppose we would, because we understand what we’re getting, and not everyone does. It would be very easy to book Link House Farm Pop-Up Site and leave feeling disappointed, but it’s £20 per night… what do you expect?
Sometimes you just have to compromise, cost vs location, and that’s exactly what we do. Life is expensive these days, so why make things harder for yourself? There is so much to see and do just a short distance away, and for us, that’s what matters.
If you’re looking for somewhere cheap, cheerful and in a prime location, then we’d absolutely recommend Link House Farm Pop-Up Site, If you’re looking for somewhere to sit on a deckchair for eight hours a day reading your Caravan and Motorhoming magazine, then this probably isn’t for you.
We’ll certainly be back, but for now we’ve got other places to visit. And that’s the thing with these little off-grid sites… they make getting out there affordable, and isn’t that what motorhome travel is all about?
We’d rather pay £20 for a basic pitch in a great location and spend our money exploring than pay more just to have a few extra facilities we probably won’t use.
So before we criticise somewhere for being basic, maybe we should ask ourselves… what are we actually paying for?
For us, at £20 a night, we’ll take the field. The location is pretty hard to argue with.
So, we do hope this helps when you’re making your decision. At the end of the day, all our journeys are different and we’d never tell you what to book… that’s a choice you’ll have to make.
What you will get from us though is real, honest reviews, buried somewhere inside our own personal experiences.
Thanks for reading,
Anna & Gaz x
Things to see and do
Here’s everything you need to know before booking.
This is a pop-up touring site with a lovely coastal setting, making it a handy base for exploring this part of Northumberland.
Dunstanburgh Castle is around a 15-minute drive away, while Alnwick is roughly 20 minutes by car.
If you're bringing the dog, there's a beach and a local pub about a 10-minute walk away, so both a stroll and a well-earned drink are within easy reach.
Arrival & departure
Depart by: 12 p.m.
Ground type
Parking
Payment
Good to know
Suitable for
Features
Site information
Other restrictions
Dogs
Reception
Firepits & BBQs
Please note
MORE REVIEWS
