Up north!

[KateGrey]

Looking for some advice please. We’ve had a rubbish year and we’d really like to get away for a few days. Three kids 10,7,5. We love being outside. And we’d like some advice. Where should we go? We’ve done the Dales before and loved it so not sure whether to go back again. Any advice would be great. The furtherest we’d go is Northumberland as we’re in Cambridge.

North Yorkshire coast? Robin hoods Bay would be lovely. Daytrip to whitby, fossil hunting at Runswick.

Flamingo land, Eden camp nearby, and scarbados has a fairly decent water park?

The Lake District is a good place to go!

Northumbria is lovely, the beaches, coastline and castles are amazing, but the kielder forest park (a lot further inland) is a great place for a short outdoorsy break.

Is the Lake district too far? Loads to do up there in all weathers and beautiful views and scenery. The area around Windermere is not much further north than the Yorkshire Sales.

Peak District!

Cycle/walk along the Monsal Trail, eat Bakewell pudding, go to Matlock Farm Park, have a poke around Buxton, climb some peaks (there are plenty to find ), go to the tramway museum, visit Poole’s Cavern, potter around Leek and go to Alton Towers.

Wherever you are in the Peak District you are right next to amazing walking trails and fantastic views.

Love Whitby, Filey, hate Scarborough. There is also Bamburgh and Seahouses.

While certain parts of Scarborough might not be naice enough for Mumsnet, there's a newish indoor waterpark, which the DCs will probably love.

Peasholm Park's also nice, and you're near the North York Moors and Dalby Forest for walks, bike rides and Go Ape.

North Yorkshire moors/coast
Lots of lovely little villages inland. We stay in Grosmont every year. It's on the NYM steam railway line so you can catch the steam train to Whitby.
Miniature railway and rowing boats nearby at Ruswarp, plus a soft play when its wet.
Falling Foss waterfall is also nearby and is lovely. Has a tea garden and stream for the children to paddle and fish in.
Staithes is also a short drive - lovely little fishing village with cobbled winding streets full of cottages

Just to add, Scarborough may not be particularly pretty or upmarket but it's a great traditional seaside town. My kids love it. Peasholm park is nice. There's plenty to do: open top bus rides along the seafront, nice beaches, arcades, sea life centre etc.
There are far worse places (Great Yarmouth, I'm thinking of you )

Belton Woods in Lincolnshire is only an hour or so away from Cambridge. We had a lovely shortbreak there

Somewhere on the coast in Wales? I have good memories of an excellent activity centre, let me find it.

Agree with Willowb Scarborough is beautiful. There are often family performances on at the spa. Or hire a beach hut!

Here we go: www.llain.com/

Seahouses in Northumberland is great. Close to the Farne islands and bamburgh.

Coastal walks, historic castles and monastery. Lots of wildlife, grey seals and puffins depending on when you go.

Belton Park is Midlands, not North!!!

I'head for the Yorkshire coast (maybe vampires in Whitby) or beastly Bamburgh

Ooh, hiring a beach hut is on my bucket list. I will take a nice picnic and perhaps a couple of canned G&Ts and just sit there all day, reading and looking at the sea and will go for a nice walk and get fish and chips at some point.

I've got my eye on these and it's only £25 in the week, outside the holidays. I see a day in June or September when I will do this.

Saltburn is lovely, and there's nice woodland walks as well as the beach, pier etc, and it's not too far from Whitby etc too. There's also Flamborough a little futher south and some birdy nature reserves if that's your sort of thing.

Bamburgh, Embleton, Cresswell, Newbiggin by the Sea. All lovely and interesting seaside towns. And all driveable between one another so stay anywhere on the coastline.

EdithWeston - it's north pf Cambridge which is where OP lives

Yes, my geopgraphy isn't that bad!

But she wants 'Up North' not 'somewhat to the north of this southerly place....'

Just come back from Northumberland/borders (we're from north Cambridgeshire). Easy drive, fantastic place.
Visited alnwick castle and garden, bamburgh beach, floors castle....Edingburgh
What are you looking to do and what is your budget?

Which is even spelt Edinburgh