Alnwick white swan

Bret, I haven't stayed at the White Swan, but have rented a car and driven in Scotland and England; including Northumberland and didn't find it difficult.

The area around Eccles should not be too difficult to drive around in. The hardest part of driving involves the single-track roads. Not only are the roads narrow, but there is usually no shoulder, so you have to be careful not to veer too quickly to the right or left, as you can ruin a tire by going off the road. Keep in mind there are plenty of passing places, and you'll get the etiquette down pretty quickly. Here's one video that is helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RWwKgCVhuQ&ab_channel=StruthachProductions

I would try to rent your car early, so that you can make sure they have cars with automatic transmissions available. Driving on the left is fairly easy, and after the first few minutes, it should start to feel natural. The most difficult drives are those with lots of roundabouts (and there are a lot in the UK). You just need to remember to enter the roundabout on the left NOT the right (like we do in the states). I used Google maps exclusively for navigating and that worked very well.

Edit to add: I just realized you mentioned using public transportation in Alnwick. If you don't want to have a car in Northumberland, you could plan your stay in Alnwick and the surrounding area, then head down to Newcastle to pick up a car. The other option would be to head up to Edinburgh using public transportation, and renting a car at the airport, then driving back down to Eccles

Eccles in the Scottish Borders (as opposed to the better known one near Manchester) is via the A697.

That is a pretty good quality road, and a pretty quiet road.

Presumably that is for family history reasons, as it is an unusual tourist destination. I'm not sure I'd be staying in Alnwick to visit Eccles- I'd be looking for Kelso or Coldstream, but possibly this is one day out of a longer visit to Alnwick.

I'm not sure there is any car rental in Alnwick. If you are arriving at Newcastle by air you can rent at the airport. If by train I suggest using Enterprise at Ashington-that is at the end of a branch railway line from Newcastle with a half hourly service. From Ashington you are straight up the scenic Northumberland Coast to Alnwick.

If starting from Ashington, I suggest calling into the excellent Woodhorn Museum- which is just on the edge of Ashington. I was only there on Thursday, two days ago.

This stop is for mom relatives a few generations back lived here and she wanted to see the area. Plan was alnwick 2 days then kelso 2 day then inverness for 3 days then edinburgh for 4.

Thanks museum looks like a nice place

I stayed in the White Swan just before Covid struck and loved it. It is well placed in the centre of Alnwick and has a lovely old fashioned feel. Rooms were comfortable and very clean. Staff were lovely and nothing was too much trouble. Meals were also excellent (don't miss the Craster kippers at breakfast.) The dining room is stunning. Known as the Olympic dining room, all the paneling, mirrors, stained glass and plaster ceiling were salvaged from RMS Olympia, a sister ship to the ill fated Titanic.

RMS Olympia was launched in 1911 at at the time was the largest ocean liner in the world. The lounge was described as “a magnificent salon … the finest room ever built into a ship. It is more suggestive of a state apartment in a palace than a room on shipboard.” When it was scrapped in 1937 and the fittings auctioned off. The then owner of the White Swan bought parts of the lounge fittings, staircase and revolving door from the ship and installed them in the White Swan.

While I didn't stay at the White Swan, I did enjoy Alnwick! IF your Mom is a gardener, The Alnwick Garden at the Castle (separate entrance charge) is quite interesting.

I enjoyed the tour of the Poison Garden (have to sign up as space is limited and you can only go in on a tour) in addition to seeing everything else. I was there in a May and just missed the peak bloom in the Cherry Orchard but still took advantage of the "Swing Garden" and sat there a bit to enjoy.

If any of your group love a good indie bookstore, Barter Books is very cool. It's in an old Victorian Railway station from 1887. Great books, good breakfast/sandwich type food and wonderful ambiance.

Just to be clear on the situation: Alnwick has no active train station. The Alnmouth station is as close as you can get by train. There is bus service to Alnwick from a stop about an 8-minute walk from the Alnmouth station. It appears buses generally run hourly. I hope they're reliable, because I'm going to have to use those buses several times myself in late May.

Thanks to every one for responding. I was planning on bus or taxi from alnmouth. Not sure if I can carry my mum's luggage and mine if station's to far. I did find out a taxi from alnwick to kelso will be about 140 dollars. I'm looking for a hotel there next.

Just to be clear on the situation: Alnwick has no active train station. The Alnmouth station is as close as you can get by train. There is bus service to Alnwick from a stop about an 8-minute walk from the Alnmouth station. It appears buses generally run hourly.

Just to be even more clear as that information is plain wrong. The bus from Alnmouth Station to Alnwick (which originated at Newcastle on Tyne) is NOT an 8 minute walk from the station. It leaves from Curly Lane, which is at the bottom of the station approach road to the southbound platform. You can look at it on Google street view.
Also Alnwick does have a functioning railway station- it just isn't a mainline station, but a preserved line. It is called Lionheart station and serves the Aln Valley Line.
The bus route is the X20 hourly from Newcastle (Haymarket) to Alnwick via Ashington every hour.

Fares are £2.50 single or £6 for a multi operator Northumberland Day Saver ticket on all buses throughout the County. Note under regional devolved powers the flat rate bus fare is £2.50, not the national £3 price.

From Alnwick to Kelso you can take the bus all the way-
the X18 to Berwick on Tweed railway station, then the 67 from Berwick railway Station to Kelso every two hours at 5 minutes past the even hour.
The X18 runs every two hours from Alnwick at 5 minutes past the even hour taking 55 minutes, so you have a one hour interchange at Berwick. All buses also call at Golden Square (the site of the former bus station) in the centre of Berwick.
You will need a taxi from Kelso to Eccles as there is only one bus a day- the 85.

The X18 starts at Newcastle Haymarket (next to the metro station of the same name, to connect from Central Station) and calls at Morpeth Bus Station (shuttle bus from Morpeth Railway Station).

LNER run a direct train every day from Berwick to Inverness at 1540, arrive 2007. Booked ahead fares (before a railcard discount of 34%- use a Two Together Railcard costing £35) are about £30 on that train, or £64 in first class. First class includes use of the first class lounge at Berwick for up to two hours before travel, and a meal/drinks service.

If you have a railcard then buy a Plus Bus ticket with your train ticket and the one day rover ticket for Alnmouth and Alnwick on the day you use the train is £1.95 (£3 without a railcard)

I think yall just convinced me I need to get back to Scotland and make a stop in Alnwick.

Great information, thank you. Is there anywhere to store luggage in Berrwick so we could spend a couple hours and see the coast before moving on to Kelso?

pronounced "Annick" in case anyone's wondering

Unfortunately there is nowhere to store luggage. A question which has been looked into ad nauseum before.

Another way is to go coast wise is to take the X18 which goes to Berwick all the way up the coast through Seahouses and Bamburgh at 0755, arriving at Berwick Station at 0950 (still only £2.50 for that long journey). Time enough to pop in and use their facilities before the 1005 bus. You could cut the corner off at Berwick by changing at Golden Square instead.
The next X18 is at 1205 arriving at Berwick at 1400 which I think is tight for the 1405 connection.

However from the afternoon arrival you could connect into the #235 at 1440 (from Chapel Street in the centre of Berwick) up to the fishing port of Eyemouth (further up the coast), arriving at 1500, coming back on the #253 at 1517, then connecting into the 1610 to Kelso.

All those buses- Berwick to Eyemouth and Berwick to Kelso are run by Borders Buses. For those you would buy a Network Day Ticket for £11.79 on the Borders Buses App- https://www.bordersbuses.co.uk/fare-review-and-new-zonal-app-tickets

At Berwick Station it is recommended to go down through the park to see the Royal Border rail bridge over the River Tweed from below. Suggest one person does it at a time while the other looks after the luggage.

Another way off either arrival at Berwick is to see more of the Borders region- take the #60 at 1020 to Galashiels, arrive 1205, then the #67 from Galashiels to Kelso at 1300 (and then hourly), arriving at Kelso at 1400. (the same option is available in the afternoon)- again buy the Borders Bus Day Ticket. The rather nice Cafe at Galashiels Transport Interchange (called Waffles n Brew) would be a good stop for a light lunch.