Last minute trip to Northumberland. Help please!

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We weren’t able to afford a holiday and this year has gotten away from us (we have two special needs children). We’re looking at a last minute trip to Northumberland. The kids love being outside and I’ve done a bit of research already but any must sees would be great though I’m a bit worried that it might rain. Also, anywhere that caters to coeliacs. Eldest of the three (he doesn’t have Sen) is a coeliac.

Less well known stuff...

Chainbridge honey farm near Berwick has a visitor centre, lovely tearoom and you can walk over the border to Scotland

Greensheen hill west of the a1 about level with Lindesfarne has an amazing view of the coast...you can see 3 castles (Lindesfarne, Bamburgh and I think Dunstanburgh). And nearby is St Cuthbert’s Cave which iirc has Victorian graffiti carved in the walls.

Ooo, definitely well known, did anyone mention the walk from Craster to Dunstanburgh castle yet? That’s good for kids and loads of rock pools.

Brilliant thank you all so much.

Could anyone recommend anywhere off the A1 to stop? It’s a five hour journey so dog and kids probably need a few pit stops. Any parks/decent services anyone could recommend? We’re coming from the south.

The angel of the North :)

The sculpture park in Wakefield is great - can easily spend several hours there if you want to make it part of the holiday rather than just a loo break!

we stopped here in Lincolnshire www.nationaltrust.org.uk/belton-house/features/the-outdoor-adventure-playground

Don’t bother with Cragside - it’s a waste of time now during holidays.

Belsay is fabulous.
Warkworth Castle & Hermitage are great.
Banburgh Castle is super - plus the beach in Bamburgh is gorgeous (as is the Copper Kettle tea room!)
Alnwick Castle & Gardens are lovely especially for Harry Potter fans.
Hatherslaw Light Railway is fun with a look round Etal Castle & Village at the end.

ysp.org.uk/
The sculpture park!

We always stop at Wetherby Services. It’s busy but we like it!

Don’t bother with Cragside - it’s a waste of time now during holidays.

we went in the holidays, it was great! Why d'you think it's a waste of time? It would have been about 3 years ago we went.

Wetherby is our service station of choice. It's probably 2.5 hours drive from Amble. Fairly large but not as culturally enriching as, say, Tebay.

If you go to Alnwick Castle read up a bit on the website first about the activities you can sign up for, including broomstick flying lessons.

we went in the holidays, it was great! Why d'you think it's a waste of time? It would have been about 3 years ago we went

Last year they appear to have changed their policy and have abolished the “one way system” that used to be in place.

It was absolutely hideous - too full, couldn’t actually see anything. Couldn’t get into the kitchens as we could never get down the stairs. They’ve also changed the paying in system which was a nightmare - took 4 of us in a car 30 mins to visit various places for paying in (members and non-members couldn’t pay at the same place 🙄) before we even got to the car park.

It’s a real shame as it was my all time favourite place in Northumberland; I must have been 20+ times but last time it was so awful I wouldn’t bother again.

oh, wow, that is a shame. Have you fed that back to them? Sounds like they need to go back to how it was!

Have you fed that back to them?

I emailed them and got a “thank you for your feedback” reply.

We’ve visited loads of NT and EH places over the years and never had the issues we had there. Felt like there - maybe because it’s so popular- it had become more and about squeezing people in to get every penny rather than for people to enjoy the experience if that makes sense?

well, that's crap. Hurumph. One of my top 3 favourite NT places, ruined!

One of my top 3 favourite NT places, ruined!

In nicer things, I’d love to know which your others are

Coleton Fishacre in Devon, absolutely love it love it love it.

and Igtham Mote in Kent.

Both have both a great house and fantastic gardens. Even DD likes them!!

I’ve not been to either but adding them to the list of “must visit”

I’m sure I read a book involving Igtham Mote!

Do! They're very different - one medieval, one Art Deco, but both marvellous. Coleton Fishacre has an amazing setting and the gardens are fantastic.

A quick google brought up Green Darkness by Anya Seaton?

A quick google brought up Green Darkness by Anya Seaton?

Of course! Lovely book and tempted to re-read now!

mind you don't forget to take it back to the library on time when you're done

I think Cragside is now one way again. We went in May and it was definitely one way.

I think Cragside is now one way again. We went in May and it was definitely one way

That’s good to know! Maybe they had lots of complaints.

Can anyone say what there is in the way of supermarkets in the area? I'm camping at South Meadows in Belton - Google suggests that most larger supermarkets are in Berwick - is this right?

There's a massive Morrisons right next to Berwick

I meant Belford