
FAMILY THINGS TO DO IN NORTHUMBERLAND
A family holiday with Stay On The Hill means there are plenty of opportunities for adventure! From the doorstep of your cottage, you can explore the beautiful Northumberland countryside, including a lovely walk to the River Tyne. Hadrian’s Wall and the market towns of Hexham and Corbridge are only a short drive away. You also have easy access to a whole host of exciting activities and days out.
Whether you want to visit one of the historic castles, take a picnic to one of the stunning beaches and explore the rock pools, discover your wild side in the many woods, waterfalls and hills or challenge yourself at coasteering, there is something to do for all of the family.
And don’t let rain stop play. There are plenty of indoor activities to discover, or just grab your wellies and a raincoat and embrace the north-east weather!
Here is a list of some family fun we think you might like:
- Have an animal encounter at Northumberland College Zoo (Kirkley Hall), and see meerkats, lemurs, snakes, tree frogs, armadillos and many more species. Become a zoo keeper and have an up-close experience, or walk around Kirkley Hall gardens and the surrounding woodland.
- Step back in time to see jousting, roman soldiers, falconry displays and medieval knights at the many English Heritage sites across the region, including Chesters Roman Fort, Belsay Hall, Warkworth Castle and Lindisfarne Priory. Visit historical houses, beautiful gardens and get close to nature at some of the National Trust sites, including Wallington, Hadrian’s Wall & Housesteads Fort, Cragside and Allan Banks & Steward Grange.
- For something a bit different and exhilarating, try coasteering. This is a mixture of swimming, rock pooling, cliff jumping and caving and is an ideal activity for adults, children, families and groups of friends. For coasteering and other adventure water activities, check out KA Adventure Sports.
- For young astronomers, book a Space Kids Event at Kielder Observatory. “These events are great fun for all the family, lots of hands on activities and even the adults come away having learnt a thing or two about our universe.” In Northumberland, we’re fortunate to have very low levels of light pollution, making it one of the best places in the country to go stargazing.
- Take a boat trip to the Farne Islands or Coquet Island, where you will see many species of seabird including puffins, seal colonies and if you’re lucky, a dolphin or two along the way. There are a number of companies that operate tours out of the harbour at Seahouses.
For more inspiration, check out the following links for the latest activities and days out: