This is an advert for July 2023. Any edits / shares beyond this date have not been asked or paid for.
 |
| The Playdium at Seaton Delaval Hall |
National Trust Family Membership is currently £7.60 per month (1 adult + their children/grandchildren aged 17 or under) or £12.20 per month (2 adults living in the same household+their children/grandchildren aged 17 or under).
Or there is an option to purchase membership on an annual basis or as a gift.
A child's age is classed as 17 or under with National Trust which is brilliant for us as a family with teens as usually I find attractions start charging an adult price at around age 12.
We have been National Trust members for around 15 years now and we use our membership regularly. I genuinely think it's one of the best value memberships you can buy.
If you're looking for a membership where you can pay up front or spread the cost which will include a neverending supply of activities and things to do (and is perfect for dog-owning families too), National Trust Membership could be for you.
Find out more here: National Trust Membership
Why National Trust Membership Offers Fantastic Value
1 - A Summer of Fun Activities
As always, there are LOADS of additional activities taking place across National Trust sites in the North East this Summer and most are included with your membership. I love that you pay for your membership in advance so on the day it feels like a free day out with no additional costs (if you don't want there to be).
If you sign up for National Trust Membership now, you can enjoy as many of these days out across the Summer as you like AND continue for a full year and hopefully beyond. I promise you won't get bored.
I personally really appreciate that most National Trust visits and activities do not require advance booking and it's always good to have these days out in your back pocket for those days where you have nothing planned or really need to get out of the house on a whim.
Here are some Summer 2023 Highlights:
Gibside
 |
| A game of quoits at Gibside |
Gibside is hosting a special Play Labyrinth with tons of drop-in activities including dancing ribbons, a giant xylophone, chalks & easels, skipping ropes, hula hoops and javelins, skittles, quoits, a sensory zone with tuff trays and loads more! This sounds fab and I can't wait to check it out. It's available across the full summer holidays on a drop-in basis.
The walled garden has been transformed into a sensory play area with four zones - Imagine!, Dance and make music, Move and feel and Lawn games. Sounds great.
AND there is a sports day & crafts every Tuesday and Thursday as well as storytelling on selected dates. I definitely feel like we'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to things to do at Gibside this summer.
Find out more here: Family Activities at Gibside
Wallington
 |
| The Lawn at Wallington will be filled with outdoor games this summer |
Wallington's Lawn will be filled with games to play with family and friends this summer - just pop along and join in with whatever takes your fancy. Lawn games will run alongside special 'Moth Mornings', cycle hire, wildlife trails, 'meet the crayfish', wellbeing woods and more. Don't miss the ice cream parlour in the courtyard.
Find out more here: Family Activities at Wallington
Seaton Delaval Hall
Seaton Delaval Hall has a full timetable of activities planned across the summer with something different going on each day. All of these actvities are included with your membership and available on a drop in basis. Don't miss the SDH games on the South Lawn and this year you can try architectural croquet on the Lost Wing Lawn too.
Find out more here: Family Activities at Seaton Delaval Hall
 |
| Skipping Races at Seaton Delaval Hall |
Plus of course, there are additional activities taking place at Cragside, Souter Lighthouse, Washington Old Hall, Cherryburn, Crook Hall Gardens & Ormseby Hall too. Check out their websites to see what's on.
2 - Quality Family Time - Whatever Your Age
Our National Trust Membership has grown with us and I really appreciate that there are always options for families with children of all ages. I get just as much enjoyment out of our National Trust Membership now as an adult with teens as I did when my children were younger and we also use our membership to visit without the kids when we fancy a little date day.
 |
| A date with the Crocus Lawn at Wallington |
In the early years, we used to love packing a picnic and spending a day at a National Trust playground and joining in with some of the nature activities on offer. Where as now, we're all about the beautiful scenic walks with the dog followed by a visit to a National Trust Tearoom for our well-earned coffee and cake / ice cream.
 |
| Hot chocolate and cookies with the family at Seaton Delaval Hall |
Quite often our parents will join us for a National Trust Day Out and if a member of your family has limited mobility, there are lots of options available including gentle flat strolls with seating, complimentary transport around some of the larger National Trust sites or mobility scooter / wheelchair hire.
3 - Membership is Brilliant for Families with Young Children
Some of my favourite places to visit with my children when they were a little younger:The playgrounds at Wallington (there are four play areas to choose from including a new-ish Little Acorns nature play space especially for little ones) have always been firm favourites of ours - especially the Play Train and Fort Play Area. I love visiting these playgrounds as they are just a short walk from the entrance, close to each other and ideal for little legs.
 |
| Playgrounds at Wallington |
You can also hire Frog Bikes (£6) and Balance Bikes (free of charge) and cycle around the Dragon Trail as our writer Gaia did with her children a few years ago. The routes range from an easy 1.5km route up to a more challenging (but still family friendly) 4.5km route.
 |
| Cycling at Gibside |
At Cragside my children have always loved getting lost in the labyrinth and there is a beautiful enclosed playground at the top of the estate which has it's own car park, coffee hut and toilets. A scenic pushchair friendly walk around two lakes begins and ends at this park too.
 |
| The Playground at Cragside |
Seaton Delaval Hall is our local site and it's smaller size and beautiful gardens make it perfect for a nice nature walk with little ones, especially in the summer when they usually have garden games out on the grass (also look out for the secret mirror cubes hidden in the woods).
 |
| The Playdium at Seaton Delaval Hall |
There is loads of space for children to run about whilst staying in your eyeline and I always feel like my days spent at Seaton Delaval Hall with my children were when I was at my most relaxed and they now have the added bonus of the Playdium Play Area too.
 |
| Strawberry Castle Play Area at Gibside |
When Harry and Dee were younger, Gibside was our closest National Trust site and it was actually the first place we visited as a family when we first signed up.
 |
| Joining in with Nature Activities in the Walled Garden at Gibside |
I have so many happy memories of picnics and dancing on the avenue, helping to pot up plants in the walled garden and of course, many sunny afternoons spent in the Strawberry Castle Play Area which I think is the largest National Trust Play Area in the North East and packed with equipment for all ages.
Then of course, we always enjoyed visiting Souter Lighthouse and getting involved with the coastal activities here.
4 - Membership is Ideal for Families with Teens
I am lucky that my teens don't mind joining us on a family walk still and although there may be a few moans before we head out, once we are out and in the fresh air, they do enjoy themselves and I have found that taking walks with teenagers is when you will have the time and headspace to have some of your best chats with them.
Some of the walks we have enjoyed with our teenagers this year include the River Walk at Wallington, the Explorer Trail at Gibside and the Armstrong Trail at Cragside. I can personally recommend them all.
 |
| The Explorer Trail at Gibside |
It's not just family walks that are suitable for teens. This year we have already enjoyed playing 'The Game of Seaton Delaval Hall' and playing with the Instagram filters there, we also usually get a game of cricket or rounders going during our summer visits.
 |
| Armstrong Trail / Gorge Walk at Cragside |
My children are interested in history and we do enjoy a nosey around Cragside House, Seaton Delaval Hall and Wallington and imagining what life was like for the people who used to live here.
There's also a Low Ropes course at Gibside which is great for older kids and I have to give a shout out to Lindisfarne Castle where you can learn about the BEST or WORST party you've ever been to (depending on who you talk to) and spot seals from the roof terrace.
As a family, we dote on our dog Fozzy and generally, if he is happy, the kids are happy and they love it when Fozzy joins us on a National Trust walk (on lead of course) and at Gibside, there is an enclosed dog park which is included in membership. Harry, Dee and Jack are always thrilled to have a run around with Fozzy here as we stop for drinks from the Stables.
National Trust sites are genuinely one of my favourite places to visit with teens + dog as I feel super safe, know there will be dog water and like that Fozzy can join us inside the tearoom should the weather take a turn.
5 - There is a Fantastic Programme of Events Across the Year
 |
| Christmas at Cragside |
In my opinion, National Trust Membership is worth it for their Summer Holiday Activities alone. All of the other months are a huge added bonus. There is a full programme of events across the year from Snowdrop Planting at Wallington and Apple Festivals at Gibside to Ghost Stories at Seaton Delaval Hall and of course Seasonal Trails, Christmas Choirs and Decorations over the festive season.
Activities are not only available over school holidays either, there is always plenty going on to fill your weekends with the kids.
6 - Choose from Lots of Brilliant FREE Family Walks
 |
| Craster to Dunstaburgh Castle Walk |
 |
| Walking to Sycamore Gap |
It's hard to imagine places like Sycamore Gap just not being there anymore and I'm proud to be a National Trust member and pledge my support. Membership definitely has that feel-good factor and it's nice to give back at the same time as enjoying a day out.
Many of the places National Trust care for are completely free to visit too and ideal for a walk with older kids / the extended family. As well as Sycamore Gap there is Craster to Dunstaburgh Castle (one of our personal favourites), Allen Banks and St Cuthberts Cave. Why not try one of these walks with the kids this summer?
We will be visiting a few National Trust sites this summer and I will of course share what we get up to. If you pay a visit, please do share your photos & info in our North East Days Out Facebook Group - our members always appreciate seeing what's going on / reading mini reviews.
Find out more about joining National Trust here: National Trust Membership
No comments
Post a Comment