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

If it dries out, I'd recommend Northumberland Country Zoo, Whitehouse Farm, Northumberlandia or Plessy Woods.
We love Seven Stories too which is in Newcastle

Tanfield Railway near Beamish feeds my inner 7 year old, and you can go round the engine shed and get all oily.

We went to the Hancock Museum this morning on the train from Hexham. We enjoyed the planetarium show and seeing Dippy. DS is very into history and enjoyed the Egyptian, Greek and Roman galleries.
We got the train back to Hexham and as it was fine and the sun was starting to appear, we headed to Housesteads. We got totally drenched! It’s a good site but no fun at all in pouring rain.
Anyway just had a lovely meal at a Greek restaurant in Hexham.
Tomorrow is probably Alnwick Castle. Really hope we don’t get as wet as we did today!
all and @Biancadelrioisback

Our DD is 7, and we happen to live close to where you're staying. Our 'rainy day' activity include:

1. Cragside. An absolutely amazing National Trust property. As well as the stunning house, further on the site is a great play park and a labyrinth.

2. NT Wallington Hall. We're going on Tuesday with my family who are travelling up from the North West. Kids love it and it has the best climbing tree in the UK.

3. Warkworth Castle, followed by a walk to the village and beach. Still stunning in the rain!

4. The Baltic art gallery and The Sage Gateshead. You could also partake in a tour of the underground Victoria tunnel or visit Newcastle's castle. The architecture round Newcastle is fab.

5. Ice skating at Whitley Bay, followed by swimming down the road at Waves. You could walk along to Spanish City for fish and chips and arcades etc.

6. Durham Cathedral / Durham castle

We went to Alnwick castle and gardens today, was brilliant but absolutely fucking soaked not cheap either. Always makes me laugh when you pay through the nose for these things and ds favourite part of the day was paddling in the puddle caused by the blocked drain in the car park Tuesday looks better weather wise though so praying for a beach day.

That's a lovely restaurant @AnnaMariaDreams, I can recommend The Heart of Northumberland too. If it stops raining there is a nice park at Tyne Green.

Cragside (near Rothbury) - fantastic place

Our holiday cottage is under a flood warning . Only found out because noticed how high the river is and had a google. We’re in Haughton.
I’ve put all our bags and belongings on high shelves so we can grab and get out if necessary.
FFS

Barter Books, every beach followed by cafe/pub. All the castles. We regularly go every November and it's stunning in bad weather. Northumberland can do no wrong for me.

Flood alert had lifted this morning thankfully!
We decided to leave Alnwick Castle for a better day so did Cragside today. This morning was light drizzle so did the play area and labyrinth and then the house this afternoon.
Headed to Barter books for tea and cake.
Tomorrow DH and I head home but DS will still be here with my parents. They are planning Alnwick and the Roman Army Museum.
Thanks everyone
We have loved this part of the world and planning a return trip- will book better weather next time!

Glad you had a great time. Mind you, you've probably been bitten by the "how soon can we move?" bug. A colleague came for a fortnight 16 years ago, went back and sold up. We were bitten 20 years ago, and when DD and DSIL told us DGS was going to be a Geordie we had the house on the market in 6 weeks.

We live in West Yorkshire on the edge of Ilkley Moor, close to the Dales, so we are happy with where we live- also beautiful.
We will be back next year as there’s so much to do.

There are loads and loads of castles and stately homes. I think Wallington Hall has a dolls' house collection. Cragside House is supposed to be amazing (I've never been but DH and DC went and loved it.) Chillingham Castle is good. Alnwick is mainly ruins outside so you'd get wet. I'd do it on a drier day as the poison garden, treetop walk and waterfalls are amazing too.