Northumberland - what 's your favourite thing to do?

[pointydog]

Going to Northumberland soonish. I like to have a holiday list and so far have:

farne islands
linisfarne
dunstanburgh castle

(already familiar with alnwick & castle, druridge bay, bamburgh & castle)

What else would you do there re day's entertainment, food? Dds are 12 and 10 so don't need soft play horrors

We're going there for our hols as well. Will lurk and pinch all your ideas.

oho. I do hope it's sunny. There was an aritcle on it in a newspaper - my mum passed it on - mentions a couple of places to eat. I'll dig it out.

I'm really looking forward to it. I've heard lots of good things.

druridge bay was nice. We'll be going back

We're staying somewhere called Budle (I think.)

oh yes, budle is meant to be nice. We'll be in Alnmouth

I will wear my fanjo t-shirt in case our paths cross. You can give me a knowing wink.

Not sure where you are going to be based and it is a very big county, so I will throw everything in the pot that I can think of:

I love, love, love Beadnell Bay and you can do a great walk from there to Low Newton which has a fab pub called The Ship Inn Their food is truly yummy with local crab and kippers etc.

I would highly recommend that you have a day in Newcastle. There is oodles to do and the Quayside area is stunning. The new Great North Museum has just opened - very good on dinosaurs and Hadrian's Wall and very suited to the age of your DSs I would say. The Life Centre is also recommended. A Wagamama has recently opened in Eldon Square which my kids love.

Inland at Matfen Hall (west of Newcastle) they have just opened a Go Ape, so your boys could swing in the trees if that's their kind of thing. Go Ape Matfen

Haltwhistle 'Lido' west of Hexham is a great outdoor, heated swimming pool which is a great out. You could combine that with a trip to Vindolanda which is the most child friendly way to see Hadrian's Wall.

I hope that you have a lovely holiday.

Sorry, crossed posts!

Go Ape sounds good!

National Trust Cragside is not too far from Budle Bay (near Rothbury) and makes a good family day out:

Cragside

oooh thanks Florence!

I haven't seen this Go Ape in action yet but we saw one in the Lakes and it looked brilliant. My DD1 (9) can't wait to be old enough to go!

Is there an age limit then? Ds1 is 11.

cragside lovely, also alnwick garden, bamburgh as mentioned already, hadrian's wall depending on where you're staying, newcastle centre for life and hancock museum (just reopened) loads of fab beaches, morpeth ok for a bit of a mooch round the shops, kielder and cheviots for outdoorsy action

and belsay is a great day out too, never too busy

I think that the age limit is 10 for Go Ape.

Go Ape restrictions:

Minimum age - 10yrs
Minimum height - 1.4m (4ft7")
Under 18yr olds must be supervised by a participating adult.
One participating adult can supervise EITHER two under 18 year olds (where one or both children are 10-15 years old) OR up to five 16-17 year olds. Participating adults may not supervise from the ground.

(i.e. one adult needs to be up there too!)

Ooo didn't know about Go Ape.

Wallington is one of our favourite spots:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-wallington

Alnwick Garden

Warkworth Castle & beach .

Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh worth a look if you are there.

Great North Museum or Discovery Museum in Newcastle for rainy days ( both free)

Thanks Lily and Florence - ds1 will love that!

thanks all. Have just been looking online but you've given good suggestions that I didn't come across.