days out near Durham for this weekend please

[lilolilmanchester]

Regular visitors, so looking for something different this weekend for me, DCs (15 & 10) and Granny (70+ but reasonably fit).

Places we have been:
Bowes Museum
DLI Museum
High Force
Durham City (castle/cathedral/riverside etc)
Kilhope
Blanchland
Derwent
Kielder
Alnwick castle
Beamish
Metro Centre
Science Museums in Newcastle
Sunderland Air Show (on this weekend I think but forecast rain and Granny not interested)
and lots of other places I can't think of right now so sorry if you suggest somewhere we've been before.

If you know of any special events, that would also be fine. We'll have a car. Thanks.

bump

A bit further away (and my knowledge is quite dated) but Hartlepool Quay? - I went years ago and really enjoyed it. Museum-y but in the Beamish type way.

well hello again! Went to Hartlepool Quays & enjoyed it many years ago, but just thinking it was long enough ago that neither of the DCs will remember it. Is there still a shopping outlet there (asks lilo hopefully?)

I'm afraid I have no idea! It really was a long time ago (actually, now I think about it, probably about 10 years ago!)

Can't think of anywhere else in that direction - you've listed all my old favourites (brought up in the area - considerably more than 10 years ago!!)

me too - I left Durham in 1981 but my Mum is still there.

No shopping outlet last time I went to look for cheap buys but that's more than a year ago. It may have come back to life.

What about Baltic/Sage? Or having a butcher's on mumsnet local?

What about all the Hadrian's wall sites and
roman museums?
www.hadrians-wall.org/index.aspx

Thanks grimma. Missed that off my list, did several HW sites last summer but would strongly recommend to others.
We're going to Hartlepool tomorrow, to the quays and Seaton Carew for a picnic if the weather holds up.
Might walk into Durham on Sunday - anyone been to the Crook Hall "art in the garden" thingy? Any good?
ThingOne, never thought about looking on MN local, what a great(obvious!) idea

Botanic Gardens as well
Oriental Museum

Shopping Outlet - Dalton Park, near Hartlepool

or teesside park or metro ctr

cragside is great

thanks . Did Cragside earlier in the year. We plan to go to Hartlepool tomorrow so will check out Dalton Park. Thanks again

going to bed soon, think I know what we're doing over the next couple of days but just bumping incase there are any late comers.

When rain is forecast for S'land it is usually wrong or not as much as the forecast seems to expect. I don't think it will rain at the airshow.

After leaving Dalton Park to Hartlepool, wave at the new houses on the hilltop that you will be able to see sort of above the Shell petrol station.

I will be in one of them.

For a pretty and short and quiet walk along the coast, you can pop into Seaham. It is close enough to S'land that you'll be able to see the jets on the southern end of their display, if you have anyone who feels a bit left out by it.

There;s a free folk music festival in durham city this weekend. the last couple fo times i've been to dalton park (outlet mall) it was crap - but i guess it changes frequently.

is it? I've never actually been but it's constantly advertised locally.
I need a wedding outfit, would it be worth trying? Not sure why, but it's not somewhere I would usually think to go, usually Teesside Park.

Finchale Abbey.
You'll need swimming gear though

I can thoroughly recommend Bede World in Jarrow - really lovely place! Also Washington Wildfowl Park.

It isn't too bad, SPB. But i don't think it does wedding dresses. I think it is worth a visit to see what you think. I don't do much shopping in Dalton Park or anywhere else for a long time though.

the shops there aren't that great for clothes shopping i've found. there seem to be a lot of homey type stores iirc. there's a next and M&S but they only ever have really bad stuff in imo!
i guess you might be lucky, it just depends when they've had a delivery.

It's not my wedding, I'm just a guest Might give it a go as it's on the way down to mum and dad's and I assume it's free parking etc?? Or will there be horrible queues like metro ctr?

muggglewump, we can walk to Finchale Abbey from here, fab idea. Spent many a day there as a child but my DCs have never been. Funny how we overlook places on the doorstep! Off to Hartlepool today, will give you a big wave kiskidee!

How about Alnwick Garden? It's really good fun, but you'll need a change of clothes.....

Stealth - Teesside park is free parking, it's not as busy as Metro but try not to park right at the bottom as it does get busy at that end! It's not an outlet place just high street shops off the high street!