Northumberland- things to do in the rain

[AnnaMariaDreams]

We’re staying in Hexham, arriving tomorrow in time for some seriously rubbish weather.
What can we do? Is Alnwick Castle OK in the rain? DS is 7.
Thank you

Alnwick Castle is ok in the rain, if you're in Alnwick I'd also try Barter Books to kill an hour or so - lovely second hand bookshop in the old train station with a cafe and plenty of cosy corners to settle down with a book. We are often in Northumberland and it is often raining!!

Following with interest and half a gloomy eye on the weather forecast, we're travelling up to Bamburgh tomorrow. Hoping that it picks up through the week, this week was supposed to be pants here but has been at least some sun and dry weather every day.

Or you could head into Newcastle and try the Centre for Life or the Hancock Museum and save the beautiful castles for a sunnier day when you can enjoy the Alnwick Gardens as well. Hope you enjoy your break

The metro centre has lots of stuff for kids on - there’s a Micky mouse Disney trail and the metrognomes have free shows on throughout the day.

The metro centre also has a new clip and climb and a trampoline place.

But yes, the Hancock or the Discovery museum in Newcastle (both free) and the centre for life in Newcastle (not free but good!) would be a good bet. Or the Baltic on the Quayside.

It’s a bit of a trek down, but Beamish is also fine in variable weather as lots of indoor bits!

EVERYONE heads for Barter Books when it is raining.

Barter Books is awesome! We were there last week. The trains are brilliant but our 3yo wasn't so good letting mum and dad browse... Our rainy day (forecast but didn't materialise) was spent in Berwick doing city walls and the museums at the Barracks. You need to pay if not English Heritage members but there's three different museums, I think including the art gallery, to go around. You can kill lots of time!

The Hancock Museum currently have Dippy on Tour. Great museum lots to see and do.

TBH I would tuck myself into the holiday accommodation and watch dvds!

Centre for life next to Newcastle train station

BBC studio tour (needs prebooked)

Metro centre

Trip up to Edinburgh to watch a festival show? it’s not that far.

We did the gardens at Alnwick in the rain yesterday, it was still busy.

Hexham has a nice pool with bowling and a soft play area. The Old Gaol is worth a look too.

The Sill visitor centre is interesting.

There is a cinema at the Metro Centre, one in Newcastle and Carlisle.

Hexham Gaol is worth a look and the bowling and swimming baths is good too. Then pop into Waitrose for your free coffee!

While you're there, make sure you go to Seahouses and do a boat trip to Fairlea Islands. We saw porpoise, puffins, turns and seals. It was a wonderful trip.

Some of Hadrian's Wall is ok on a rainy day, the museums. There are child friendly bits. There was some wet weather when we went in July. I still went round the outdoor sites, in trainers and a very fetching rain poncho.
Chillingham Castle was great too, and mainly indoors.

Grace Darling museum in bamburgh it’s free, we visited there in the rain was good for an hour or so and then we headed to one of the cafes for coffee and hot chocolate.

Don't worry too much. Hexham is beautiful. And the surrounding area too. Hopefully this weather front won't touch us too much (we are right on the edge. I'm guessing we will be largely unaffected)
Corbrigde is close by. River / shops / pubs etc.
To the person who mentioned Bamburgh - it's amazing whatever the weather. I'm just a few miles away and my favourite time of year there is the absolute bleak midwinter. It's stunning. If you can get to Holy Island / Lindisfarne then even better. We have seals at present on St Mary's Island (near Whitley Bay) Lots of great beaches there too. Proper old fashioned seaside town but now with posh restaurants etc if you want that.
Beamish is an amazing experince. As is Alnwick Gardens. Visit Craster for Kippers.
Newcastle City centre is very cosmopolitan. And very friendly. Metro Centre if you enjoy shopping.
On a personal note, I used to be a chef at the famous Rileys Fish Shack. It's a fish restaurant on a beach in Tynemouth. Was voted best eating experince by Jay Rather a couple of years ago. He's since visited some of our Quayside restaurants and been equally impressed.
Enjoy your time in the North East!

Roman Army Museum?

Seven Stories which is the national children's book museum in Newcastle is great.

There's also Seven Stories in Newcastle. Hexham Leisure Centre has a pool and ten pin bowling.

Brockbushe's Farm Shop has a family circus on at the moment. I think it's mainly clowns and acrobats. It's on the A69 at the Corbridge roundabout.

Depending on how far you want to drive the National Trust properties at Cragside and Wallington usually have something on for kids in the holidays.

Cragside, the metro centre,

It barely stopped raining when we went, Hexham is nice though

Wellington - National Trust.

Jedburgh is an hour away, good free penal museum and the ruined abbey is good too (free if you have EH). Nice for a little wander.

Small animal attractions at Kirkley Hall and Esholt?? ( Northumberland Zoo).

Northumberlandia if it dries out a bit.

Washington Wildfowl Park is not far away, not much shelter but fine in showery weather.

Berwick museum and berwick maltings (movie & lunch).

Ohh hexham is my closest town! Welcome, enjoy your stay!
Let advice would be to hide and don’t come out till the rain stops!
Seriously though we’re outdoors people, lived here ten years but couldn’t advise you on an indoor activity other than bowling in wentworth!

Cragside

Oooh a rany day at Cragside is very Victorian Gothic! Perfwct!