It's February half-term this week and there are some great places in the North East to visit with your children.
Among them are National Trust sites, where youngsters can get involved in a string of fun activities and spend a fun day out. Cragside, Gibside and Wallington are just some of the places popular with families in the North East.
If you are a National Trust member, you can get free entry to venues as well as free parking. Details about membership prices and entrance fees for non-members are available here. Below, we have listed all the National Trust sites in the region and what you can do there during half-term.
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Cragside
Cragside, in Northumberland, features Britain's original smart home. Illuminated by hydro-electricity and powered by hydraulics, this pioneering home was filled with Victorian gadgets for efficient modern living. Pick up a Bright Sparks trail kit at the entrance to discover more about the smart home.
In addition to this, you can wander amongst the towering trees in the Pinetum, explore the weaving paths and tumbling cascades in the Rock Garden and witness the changing seasons in the Formal Gardens.
During February half-term, families can discover parts of the landscape you may never have spotted before by completing the Hidden History Hunt. Explore further afield and go wellie wandering in the labyrinth, find the wizard, hunt for the storyteller’s chair, and discover the secret den at its centre.
Also, the adventure play area is always popular. The kids can test their balancing skills on the log mountain, climb to dizzy heights on the witch's hat and slide down the tunnels. There's plenty of space to run around and picnic benches nearby to enjoy snacks and nibbles.
More details are available here.
Gibside
Gibside, located in the Derwent Valley between Rowlands Gill and Burnopfield, is one of a few surviving 18th Century designed landscapes. Highlights include valley views, woodland, Palladian chapel, stable block, grand ruin and Column to Liberty towering above it all.
You can take part is some fun activities in nature, spotting early signs of spring. Orienteer Gibside to find lost letters and unscramble the secret word and join in with seasonal challenges along the way, such as welly wanging and snowdrop spotting.
The Strawberry Castle outdoor play area will also keep the little ones entertained. More details can be found here.
Wallington
Wallington, near Morpeth, in Northumberland, has a stunning house, once the home of Socialist MP Sir Charles Philips Trevelyan. The estate includes a hidden walled garden nestled in the woods and an informal landscape of lawns, lakes, woodland, parkland and farmland.
This half-term, you can be part of the team to plant 100,000 snowdrop bulbs at Wallington. This brings the total number that have been planted with your help, that bloom in the East Woods at this time of year, to 800,000. The gardeners will show you the ropes, and you’ll see a magical carpet of white in the woodland.
And don’t forget to bring your bike to whizz around the Dragon cycle trail, which is perfect for families. The children can also let off some steam in the play areas. Here is more information.
Crook Hall Gardens
At Crook Hall Gardens in Durham, you can wander through a series of interlinking gardens, each with its own style and character, set against the backdrop of a Grade 1 listed medieval hall. Visitors can discover a maze, a secret walled garden, an orchard, a wildlife-rich moat pool, tranquil seating areas and views of Durham city and cathedral.
During the half-term break, families can explore the maze or borrow a pair of binoculars from the wildlife hub to see if you can spot some birds. On Monday, February 20, build a bird box for your own garden. Prices apply, check website here.
Souter Lighthouse & The Leas
This is a historic lighthouse in the Sunderland area overlooking nature-rich clifftop grasslands, coastal park and rugged coastline. With hundreds of seabirds making the cliffs around the site their home, there’s no better place to get hands on with bird- themed crafts and activities.
On Tuesday February 21 and Thursday February 23, visitors can make a bird ball with lard and seed. And on Wednesday February 22 and Friday February 24, build a bird box to take home. Here are more details.
Seaton Delaval Hall
There's a whole lot of fun and mischief to be had at Seaton Delaval Hall, in Seaton Sluice, Northumberland, in any weather. Explore the house and discover some of the pranks the Delavals were known for, have a run-around outside in the gardens or a play in the Delaval Playdium. Spot the first signs of spring and look out for snowdrops and daffodils beginning to emerge. Here is more information.
Ormesby Hall
If you fancy going a little further away, Ormesby Hall in Middlesbrough features a classic Georgian mansion surrounded by 240 acres of parkland and farmland, with year-round seasonal walks and a colourful Victorian formal garden accompanying the mansion.
This half-term, Ormesby Hall is all about our feathered friends. Until Sunday February 26, families can follow bird-themed trails and join in with activities from bird box building to making pine cone bird feeders. More details here.
Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort
Witness the stunning views, explore natural wilderness and become immersed in history while visiting Hadrian’s Wall and Housesteads Fort. Nestled within Northumberland National Park, it really is quite a treat. There are invigorating walks and breathtaking landscapes.
Head to Housesteads Roman Fort for a real insight into Roman military life and discover the past behind the archaeological remains, using the stone walls as a guide around the village south of the fort and envisage the different chambers and rooms. The Fort is owned by National Trust but maintained by English Heritage. More details here.
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