Paxton House — Local services in Scotland

I wanted to stay in the caravan park and turned up to book as it had been suggested by someone we met on our travels, I was unaware that I was meant to use the website pitch up but was certainly reprimanded for not booking online and was made to feel like it was such a hassle check me in the afternoon of Sunday 15th October. I apologised and explained that I was struggling to get a signal and so search any proper sites. It was with a lot of tsking that I was allowed to book in person. There was only about 5 other vans on site, so hardly busy or unmanageable. The woman on the desk was so rude and dismissive. I felt like she was looking down her nose at us, yes we had been camping and were in our hiking boots etc but there was no need.

When I asked if there were anything on for kids she said “not really” so I picked up the treasure hunt map and said what about this she said “oh that’s £4” which I was happy to pay for, but why not suggest it.

When I asked if we could see the house she said “it’s by booking only” but didn’t offer to book us a tour which again I’d have happily paid. She didn’t tell us about the really impressive swing park and when I asked about the cafe she said “it shuts at 5 but stops serving hot food at 3”, it was 4pm at this point.

So I preceded to ask about the bee farm which I was aware was offsite but her only answer was “that’s got nothing to do with us”.

Is it that hard to be friendly to people who just want to make the best of their trip, I’m a single woman with a 10 year old boy, I was only looking for things to occupy us. Some suggestions about what to see in the grounds or what is nearby would be nice.

It was a shame too because the following day the lady on the desk was lovely. The Halloween treasure hunt kept us busy and the swing park was fabulous.

That woman is bound to have you losing return custom and money with her attitude, she certainly put a damper on my first experience of...

Having visited most of the better known attractions around the Bamburgh area, we saw a flyer advertising Paxton House. We arrived forty five minutes before the first guided tour of the day. This gave us the opportunity to consult the maps of the grounds and secondly a chance for a cup of tea and a piece of cake. The Stable cafe was run by two very capable members of staff. They set about our order and we were soon sitting down to very tasty homemade scones and a lovely brew. We consulted the menu and decided to have lunch there following the tour. For us, tours usually go one of two ways. We become overloaded with masses of information or we thoroughly enjoy the tour. This time, the latter outcome came to bear. The guide was a very knowledgeable chap with a wealth of knowledge about Paxton House. He also had the ability of bringing the house to life with his understanding of the house and the people. I'm not really into furniture. However, the guides' knowledge of Chippindales furniture made the subject interesting. Following the tour we had a lovely lunch in the Stables cafe. Again we were well looked after. The cost was about the same as other establishments. The food however was better than most of those establishments offering the same fare. Study of the grounds map showed us a nice circular walk. From the main house we went back over the bridge then turned right. Following a well trodden path. We circled a hidden valley and ended up at the side of the River Tweed. Following the path we ended up at a pebbled beach. From the beach we walked up a steep track up to a adventurous looking play park. Past the play park we arrived back at the main car park. Unfortunately a water contamination prevented us visiting the water wheel. We had a quick look around the gift shop then carried back on our way. The tour and gardens were excellent value and we really enjoyed a pleasant few hours stay. Thank you. We...

Paxton House has a lovely setting beside the river Tweed. Our guide J gave us a relaxed and informative tour which was enjoyable, and with an educational feel inclusive to children.This is a house which families would probably enjoy because it tries to cater to younger visitors inside the house, and there are picnic tables and plenty of space outside. The cafe offers good cakes and homemade sausage rolls and quiche which are delicious. It's a little pricey but the house is a trust which relies on donations and your visits, so all for a great cause. The picture gallery is really impressive with paintings on loan and displayed from the National Gallery. Of note, there are some very old, amazing and original clothes on display and a wonderful and centuries old curiosity cabinet. A lot of thought has gone into all the room displays which is appreciated. Having a guide outdoors at the waterwheel and pump, to explain how the water system worked, was excellent. A lot of volunteer effort has gone into making this exhibit and walkway very special. The walks are mapped, indicating points of interest and were enjoyable. Perhaps the river walk could be developed in the other direction from the bridge and the walking map made more accurate. It would be helpful if Historic Houses members could book tickets on the website.There isn't the depth of history to this house that some of the other historic houses have, but there is probably enough for most people. A great day out. It's a very...