playground – North East with Kids

Alnmouth Beach

Check out the kite skills:

We are pretty spoilt for beaches here in the North East. From the vast expanse of Druridge Bay, to secluded spots like Sugar Sands or the all-action Tynemouth Longsands.

But one of my favourite all-rounders is Alnmouth. Parking practically on the beach almost feels like cheating, and is especially handy when it’s just me and the kids. I can keep nipping back to the car for the kite, ball, blanket, buckets, spades, rug, picnic, change of clothes, and the rest of the paraphernalia you bring to set up camp for the day.

Gazing out across the white sand and sea, you get that desert island feeling – but just a few minutes walk and you are in Alnmouth – with ice cream parlours, pubs, fish and chips and the glamourous but handy toilet facilities!

The walk round to the village takes you past fishing boats and keep going you will come to a lovely play park.

Or walk to the left and there is a great walk along the beach, up over the sand dunes and back to the car park.

Visit Alnmouth

Random fact: not one for the kids perhaps but Alnmouth is home to the UK’s most haunted hotel…

Read about The Schooner Hotel and its resident spirits here

Cragside and the Labyrinth

Cragside is so vast, we are always finding new areas of the estate to explore. Spotted this good place for a breather before we got lost in the Labyrinth… enjoy the surprise if you find the middle!

Cragside House & Gardens

Bluebells and stone skimming in Plessey Woods

“Like the blue sky, breaking up through the earth”

The bluebells are just starting to flower in Plessey Woods so I’m going to make sure I head back again next week, as I’ve heard it’s a wonderful sight.
Spotting signs of spring is a popular past time in our house at the moment. “Mummy, mummy, come and look at THIS!! Look NEW LEEEAVES!!!” And our walk to school takes twice as long as they fill their pockets with fallen blossom.

I may not get as excited as my four-year-old but I do love spring and those first hints of the summer to come.

Another past time I also never seem to grow out of is stone skimming. There were some crackers down by the river today, dare I even say I think I found the perfect one?! Although I still lost out to the other half in the distance competition.
After much coaching and a few near knock outs (of me as stones came whizzing past my head) Charlotte managed to skim her first stone too, even if just two hops.

Her sister meanwhile looked more like she was auditioning for the highland games and was happier hurling small boulders in to the water, I kept my distance.

We then headed home via the play park, which is next to toilets (always handy!) and a small cafe.

There’s a good size car par that is now free too!

Plessey Woods Country Park (Bluebell Woods) is located near Hartford Bridge, off the A192, mid way between Bedlington and Cramlington and about 5 miles south of Morpeth.

The Park offers 100 acres of woodland, meadow and riverside to explore. The woodland is home to many birds such as the great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch and tree creeper, as well as animals including red squirrel, roe deer and fox. The banks of the River Blyth are also an important habitat for wildlife, such as kingfishers, dippers and otters.

http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=1892

Apparently our beloved bluebells are facing a fight for survival… read more here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/britains-bluebells-now-face-a-fight-for-their-very-survival-10204300.html

Other Bluebell Walks:

I grew up in Middlesbrough so naturally Roseberry Topping has to be my number one. The walk through Newton Wood to the top is simply stunning http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/visiting/enjoy-outdoors/walking/our-walks/walking-routes/roseberry-topping-and-cooks-monument
The National Trust recommends Allen Banks, Northumberland and
Dunes behind Embleton Bay, Northumberland
Ratcheugh Observatory & Bluebell Walk, Alnwick http://www.visitnorthumberland.com/outdoor-event/ratcheugh-observatory-bluebell-walk
Longacre Wood Hidden between the A1 at the Angel of the North and the main railway line this is Gateshead’s best bluebell wood with three ages of woodland to explore.
Northumberland Wildlife Trust suggests Goose’s Nest Bluebell Bank – This small site lies on a steep bank above the Ray Burn near Knowesgate and possesses a swathe of bluebells forming a magnificent display in late spring.

A few facts about Bluebells:

In folklore, bluebells are also known as ‘fairy flowers’. It was believed that fairies used bluebells to trap passersby particularly small children,
Other folklore tales would have us believe that by wearing a wreath made of bluebell flowers, the wearer would be compelled to speak only the truth. Or that if you could turn one of the flowers inside out without tearing it, you would eventually win the one you love.
Bluebell plants are poisonous.
25-49% of the world’s population of bluebells are found in the UK.
Bluebells can also be white. These rare individuals lack the pigment that gives bluebells their distinctive colour.
The bluebell is being studied for its medicinal qualities because it contains things called water-soluble alkaloids that could be useful in developing drugs to fight cancer.
“We love native bluebells for their wonderful scent of cooking apple, mango, lychees, ginger and freshly mown grass,” said Dr Trevor Dines, a botanist for Plantlife.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson described bluebells as ‘like the blue sky, breaking up through the earth’.

Plessey Woods

There’s over 100 acres of woodland, meadow and riverside to explore in Plessey Woods. No signs of otters or kingfishers on this trip, but plenty of good sticks and water to poke…

http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=1892

Kirkley Hall

From leaping lemurs to secret doors… make sure you don’t just say hello to the animals and take a walk around the beautiful Zoological Gardens too… Think we even found the Magic Faraway Tree

http://www.kirkleyhallzoo.co.uk/

Family lunch at Ridley Arms, Stannington

I rarely get the courage to mix kids and a pub lunch, given that my children seem unable to sit still at a table without food in front of them for more than about 60 seconds. But I was glad I did today when we kicked off the half term with a visit to the Ridley Arms in Stannington.

Much larger than it seems on the outside, it’s vast inside and geared up for the arrival of young families, with stacks of crayons and colouring pictures all ready to go.

I was impressed with the quality of the children’s meals – mine choosing a pizza and popcorn chicken followed by an adult-sized slab of delicious sticky toffee pudding that I stared at longingly, all for £5.95.

The other half won the prize for best choice of meal with his belly pork washed down with a pint of Alnwick Amber Ale. I’m not usually one for snapping plates of food, but I thought this dish was worth it as it did look lovely.

My goats cheese and pesto brushetta from the lunch special menu and a half of a Tyneside Blonde was also delicious.

Just off the A1, The Ridley Arms is a handy spot for a post/pre walk lunch. This time we’d been to Plesssey Woods first, but it’s also just a few minutes drive to Northumberlandia.

Look out for the horses in the field by the car park too before you go.

LINKS:

Ridley Arms

Plessey Woods

Northumberlandia

Taste of summer: Druridge Bay and Morpeth

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The merest hint of sunshine can see me scramble for the picnic rug, bucket and spade and mandatory cheese & pickle sarnie and head off like a woman possessed in the direction of the beach.

More often than not, the end result is a progressive drop in the car’s thermometer, a gathering of cloud and a pick-up in the wind until I arrive at the coast to unload my swimming cozzie-clad youngsters shivering onto the sand, while waterproof and welly-wearing dog walkers glance at them in pity.

But not this weekend. To my relief it actually got warmer the closer we got to our sunny destination and I even began to think that it might even be “busy” and “would I get parked?” in our usual spot right above the beach.

I found myself thinking “ooo it is quite busy” – but that was because there were actually one or two other families scattered sparsely across the sand, whereas usually we have almost the whole beach to ourselves and even though I never need reminding, I did think quite smugly how lucky I am to live so close to such a beautiful and peaceful coastline.

Children’s inability to feel the cold never ceases to amaze me and I was quite jealous that while I was slightly chilly in my jeans and cardie, my two girls lolloped around in the water as if we were in the Costa del Sol.

Roll on summer.

Making the most of the weather on Sunday we headed down to Carlisle Park, Morpeth, where the grassy banks were filled with picnic spreads, families took rowing boats out on the river against the backdrop of the busy bowling green, (and Dunkin Donut van) in an almost idyllic vision of Englishness, A dedicated chap was also hard at work painting the brilliant paddling pool, so I look forward to that being open soon.
We then headed along the riverside path, great for scooters and small bikes towards the “Steppy Stones”. Whilst it’s not as scenic with the current flood defence work underway, the shallow river is great for paddling, fishing and like a big kid, I love navigating the Stepping Stones. I also love having a nosy at the beautiful picture-perfect riverbank houses with their terraced gardens that lead down to the river.
If you are out without bikes/scooters/pushchairs you can cross over the stones and the path leads back up to town centre, where you can then walk back to the park.

Water poking on the lakes walk at Cragside

I always feel like I am entering a world slightly apart from the rest of Northumberland when I cross through the gates of Cragside that the great North East engineer Lord Armstrong carved out of the rocky moorland.

We’ve visited several times before but barely ever seem to skim the surface of this vast estate, especially walking at 3-year-old pace…

This time we followed the driveway through the archway leading to the house and carried on until we reached the Crozier car park, which is very conveniently right next to the good-sized adventure play area. After a picnic, clamber about and a zipwire or ten we headed off towards one of the artificial lakes Lord Armstrong created to harness the power of water for the turbine at the Power House.

The children loved climbing over the bare rock faces and the lakeside walk is much flatter than many of the other walks and much easier on little legs, with lots of places to make hideaways and dens along the way. We did the loop following the signs for Nelly’s Moss North and South and the path that separates the two lakes is a beautiful spot for a picnic, with plenty of opportunities to play that amazing game of poke a stick in the water and get ourselves soaking wet since mummy hasn’t brought a chance of clothes – one of my two’s favourites…

On a practical note, there are toilets and picnic benches at the carpark/playarea and even a little van selling coffee and snacks.

More details of the walk can be found here…

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1356403083843/

Continue reading Water poking on the lakes walk at Cragside

Swans and toasties at South Marine Park

Had a lovely trip to South Marine Park in South Shields today. It was a bit cold and blustery for the beach but just behind the sea front is the park. There are two good play areas: one for older kids and the other for pre school age. We then warmed up in the very pleasant cafe (I can recommend the toasties) before feeding the ducks. In summer there’s a little train too.
Follow the link below and there’s even an app to guide you around the park…

http://www.visitsouthtyneside.co.uk/article/12636/seafront-parks