Thanks to Angela in our North East Days Out Facebook group for posting a reminder that the popular 2 for 1 Garden Entry with Gardeners' World deal is now available.
This post is based on a visit in April 2021. Please double check information with venue direct before setting off as information and facilities available change over time.
(ad) This post is based on us attending a press event on 19 April 2021. We have not been asked or paid to share this post. Please double check details before making plans/booking as information can change (especially relating to opening hours, the booking process and food vendors/prices).
I have included a menu and prices at the bottom of this post so make sure you scroll right to the end if you want to check them out.
Seven Stories has launched a pavement cafe in Ouseburn. It looks like it will be a fantastic place to stop off with kids for refreshments or a light bite to eat when visiting the area.
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I think this past year has been a chance for many of us to take stock and think about what we really want from life. Many of us have been furloughed / working reduced hours which has given us the time and space needed to start a new hobby or learn a new skill.
This post is based on a visit in April 2021. Please always check details direct with venue before setting off as information can change over time.
Richardson Dees Park in Wallsend, North Tyneside is somewhere we used to visit a lot when Harry and Heidi were little and we lived in Wallsend. It was lovely then but having a bit of cash spent on it, it's even better now.
This post is based on a visit in March 2021. Please check the Crazy Putt website and social media for up to date information.
I love Crazy Golf and it's a nice activity to enjoy for all ages. One of my children who shall remain nameless is not a fan though and has multiple meltdowns whenever we play / spends the whole time accusing others of cheating or not following the rules properly which can be stressful for us if we play together as a family. I guess it's one of those activities you either love or hate!
I still persist and book these things though and recently we tried Crazy Putt Adventure Golf at Morpeth Family Golf Centre. Despite one child pretty much crying the whole way around because the rest of us were 'cheating' 😳 the rest of us really enjoyed this course and declared it the best outdoor crazy golf course we have tried.
This post was published in April 2021. Not all of these facilities will be open at all times and many are seasonal. Please ensure you contact venues direct to check facilities and opening hours/booking requirements before making plans. Also note that prices may have changed since posting so please do check this too.
We absolutely love Kielder. The remote village, forest and reservoir is just three miles South of the Scottish border and it is one of those places where you really feel as if you are in the middle of nowhere. There is very limited phone signal making Kielder the ideal spot to really switch off from the world.
This post is based on a visit in April 2021 when not all facilities were open due to Gov restrictions. Please check their website for up-to-date information before visiting or making plans.
At time of publishing, Durham Botanic Garden is free to visit and open Monday-Friday 10am - 2:30pm. You do not need to pre-book and can just walk in. The cafe, toilets and indoor facilities/bird hides are currently closed. I would still recommend as a nice peaceful walk with points of interest or a place to meet up with friends/family (within Gov guidelines) and it is lovely for a stroll. There is plenty of seating throughout the gardens and it wasn't too busy at all on the day of our visit in the school holidays.
This post is based on a visit in April 2021. Please check with venues direct for the most up to date information.
Tyne Riverside Country Park is situated on former industrial land by the River Tyne near Newburn. It is a lovely spot with various facilities and perfect for riverside strolls and woodland walks. The park is very well connected and part of the Wylam Waggonway and some areas are suitable for cycling and horse riding.
This post is based on a visit in April 2021.
Wansbeck Riverside Park is a large nature reserve in Ashington, Northumberland. Expect riverside walks, a large public play park with lots of space to run around, flat surfaced paths, green space, lots of seating and a cafe. It is FREE to visit.
We used to take the kids often when they were little as it was an ideal spot for dog walking and also a good spot for blackberry picking. We revisited on Easter Bank Holiday and it was just as good as I remember.
This post was published in April 2021. Please check details with venue direct before setting off as facilities, opening hours and information can change. Please follow Government guidelines.
This post is based on a visit in March 2021. Please check with venue direct for any changes in information before you visit.
The question I am probably asked more often than any other is if I can recommend any hotel rooms which sleep 5 and do not break the bank. The struggle is real! Especially during peak travel times.
I have searched high and low to try and find a list of reasonably priced hotel rooms which sleep 5 in Northern England. Please note, I have not tried and tested these rooms myself so they are a starting point for your research rather than a list of recommendations. Family rooms tend to state they can sleep a maximum of 2 adults + kids so many of these may not be suitable for families with older teens or a group of 5 adults (not that I would want to share a room with teens anyway).
I hope you find this list useful, please email Sam@NorthEastFamilyFun.co.uk if you have any other recommendations for me to add to this list. The more the merrier! Prices and details checked March 2021. Please check details direct with hotels before booking as information can change.
Many places in the North East are aimed primarily at kids and parents but what about grandparents? Today's post features a round up of North East days out and attractions which are perfect for everyone in the family and multi-generational days out - from kids to great grandparents. These places offer a ride variety of activities for all ages, from mining sites to beach walks.
Advertisement - this post has been sponsored by PaddlePod, a lush local business who I have used in the past and I am more than happy to recommend.
Some of these outdoor golf courses are able to re-open on 29 March 2021. This date is subject to change and booking is at your own risk. Not all of these courses will be taking bookings at this time.
Welcome to another instalment of life lately - a place to chat / share my thoughts on life at the moment. As I type this, we are still in lockdown 3.0 in England. Boris is setting out a roadmap out of lockdown later but it has mostly been leaked to the press already. I am actually feeling very optimistic about the plan.
The North East is home to many Roman sites and places of interest and visitors travel here from across the world to visit. We are spoilt for choice and very lucky to have these on our doorstep.
Over the years we have visited these attractions and the kids have learned so much about Roman History through experience which I am grateful for.
Why not set yourself the challenge of visiting all of these attractions over the next few years?
Prices and information correct as of February 2021. Please check details and opening hours before setting off and follow current travel advice and Government restrictions.
This recipe is loosely based on Nigella's Nutella Cheesecake Recipe. After Nigella shared the recipe on Instagram, I knew I had to try my own version. Now I didn't measure anything out in this recipe so the measurements are all approximations. Sometimes this is the best way though!
Disclosure - This post contains products I have both paid for myself and received as a gift. This post has not been paid / asked for.
A little bit of background info......
I am a 37 year old low-maintenance kind of gal. I am definitely not one for elaborate pampering sessions (although I am partial to the odd face mask). After a year of low-maintenance during lockdown though, I started to feel unhappy with both my skin and hair which both started looking really unhealthy so I decided to do something about it.
This week we ordered a Morrisons Recipe Box to try. When Steve is working his late shift, I am in charge of cooking and it is the only time we eat separately from the kids. I usually order a Gousto Box for half of the week as they provide perfectly portioned meals for two which are easy enough to prepare and usually taste lovely with minimal effort on my part.
If you are looking for an easy no-bake cheesecake recipe which is a real crowd pleaser and perfect for a weekend treat, check out our easy Biscoff Cheesecake recipe which Jack and I prepared.
This cheesecake does not require any baking and is best made a day ahead so you can chill overnight in the fridge. We split the recipe into three easy phases - the base, the filling and the topping. It does require time to chill but the actual making part takes no time at all so it's ideal to make if you are busy.
The Amazon links in this post are affiliate links. Other than this, I have not been paid/compensated to write this post.
This is an advertisement and based on a visit in October 2020. Please always check information direct with hotel before booking as details can change over time.
Close House is a country estate offering award-winning golf courses, fantastic dining, beautiful walks and gorgeous accommodation. You will find Close House near Heddon-on-the-Wall in Northumberland and just over a 20 minute drive from Newcastle City Centre. It is super easy to get to by car, just a few minutes from the A69.
I wanted to write a post which documents our experience of remote learning in 2021. Last year, H, H and J had from March - September off school. It was all new to us then and I feel like we muddled through as best we could, focussing more on life skills like cooking and gardening and more holistic subjects such as Yoga, reading and art.
Please note, prices and information correct as of 15/1/21. Things can change so please double check information with The Running Fox before placing an order.
The Running Fox is one of my favourite places to stop for a foodie treat in Northumberland. We have been visiting for years and I have fond memories of taking the kids to feed the ducks in Felton after breakfast here and splashing out on Afternoon Tea with various friends and family over the years. Their style is homemade, plentiful and delicious more than refined and anything I buy from The Running Fox always feels like such good value and like an indulgent treat.
Most people get a little bored of the same sandwiches for lunch every day and one of the best things about the kids being at home is that we can mix it up a little with their lunches. I thought I would share some of the sandwich alternatives we love alongside a few reader recommendations too. I hope it provides a little inspiration for when you are next in a lunchtime rut. Let me know your favourites too.
Burns Night falls on Monday 25 January this year. Steve always likes to cook Haggis and have a dram of Whisky on this night and as we will be at home this year, I thought we might make it more of an event.
Steve and I are a pretty romantic couple but we don't really celebrate Valentine's Day. We don't buy cards/gifts and sitting in a restaurant with a set menu with lots of loved-up couples just feels forced and isn't usually the best value night out. As we do like our food, we do usually use it as an excuse to cook a nice meal at home.
Staying in is the new going out
How are we all doing? I thought I would check in with a new life lately post. I like writing these posts as it is a chance to get a few things off my chest and record normal, every-day family life which is just as important as the exciting bits.
A stay in a treehouse has to be on most people's bucket list and over the past few years, a few options have popped up across North East England. I have popped the options I have found into this post if you are looking for inspiration for your next North East break with a twist. Let me know if you know of any others and I will add them to this post.
Wild Northumbrian, Kielder
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| Houlet Treehouse at Wild Northumbrian - Credit Wild Northumbrian |
This week, we have cancelled holiday number 7645. We were set to stay in a log cabin with a hot tub in Kielder over a weekend in January but alas, the Government/COVID has other plans. Our Kielder trip cost £575 so I spent some time on Boxing Day trying to find a summer holiday break of a similar value with the idea being, we just use the refund money to book so it doesn't actually cost us anything extra.
The year 2020 was not the best for most but it didn't stop Northumberland from looking as beautiful as always. Today I am sharing 30 of my favourite photographs taken in Northumberland across 2020 as a reminder that we are so lucky to call this place home.
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| A winter trip to Northumberlandia - click here for more information |
