Kielder Village

During our recent stay at at the Calvert Trust we could have spent the whole break enjoying the wonderful activities on offer. However as we were only a five minute drive from Kielder village it seemed mad not to pop over during or stay. We spent a nice (if a little wet) afternoon enjoying a trip to the village and were impressed with the range of facilities on offer.

Kielder Castle

Kielder Castle visitor centre is in the heart of Kielder as features various small exhibitions, picnic sites, the superworm trail, a children's playground, minotaur maze, cafe and information point where you can pick up lots of information leaflets and maps. When you visit Kielder, make this place your first stop!

The Superworm Trail

Kielder forest is managed by The Forestry Commission - last year we took part in the Gruffalo trail at Hamsterley forest in Durham which we loved. The Gruffalo has now been replaced with a superworm trail. Activity packs to accompany the trail can be bought from the cafe for just £3.50 and include a special edition of the superworm book.

Learning about stars and planets

The skies above Kielder are the darkest in England and are a fabulous place to head for a spot of star gazing. You are encouraged to return with interactive star maps and of course the Kielder Observatory which is a short drive away.

The Minotaur Maze

The Minotaur maze is something our children loved (me not so much - I am a bit maze-phobic). Made of basalt stone and glass it is a nice way to spend half an hour. There's even a secret exit should you get lost!

The Salmon Centre

Just pop over the bridge from the maze and follow the signs and within a few minutes you'll be at the Salmon Centre. This exhibition is free to enter and packed with information about salmon life cycles, their journey and how they breed plus their significance to Kielder. There are interactive computer games, colouring charts, videos and plenty of fun facts. The centre is small but you can't complain as it's free! Open April-September 10am-4pm.

Dinner at The Anglers Arms Pub

There aren't many dining choices in Kielder - I asked on our facebook page and a few people recommended The Anglers Arms - a traditional pub in the centre of the village. There is a bar area or a restaurant which is more family orientated. The service we received was warm and welcoming and our food was nice - we'd recommend the fish and chips. There is a decent specials board too.

The gorgeous scenery

Driving around Kielder will often take your breath away. It is beautiful! There are plenty if places to stop and take in the beautiful scenery on your drive back to The Calvert Trust.

We packed a lot into our afternoon visiting Kielder village and enjoyed the rest of the evening back at our Calvert trust chalet. I'd love to hear if you've been to Kielder where you like to visit.