Washington Old Hall - A National Trust Hidden Gem

We always try and participate in a Cadburys/National Trust egg hunt over Easter as it is a fantastic way to involve the kids and see parts of a site you wouldn't normally see. We have joined in with the egg hunts at Seaton Delaval Hall for the last few years and although brilliant fancied a change. After a little bit of research I discovered Washington Old Hall which was only a 30 minute drive from our home in Northumberland and somewhere I hadn't visited before.

There is ample free parking on the street outside of the hall. We parked up and decided to pay £1.50 each to join in with the egg hunt around the hall's gardens.

The garden's are beautiful and a joy to explore - we will definitely return in the Summer with a picnic. There is plenty of room for children to run about plus lots of little corners to quietly sit which is nice. The garden is a real haven for wildlife too with beehives, bird hides, ponds and various flowers growing in the grounds.

We managed to solve all of the clues and were rewarded with a large bag of Cadbury's chocolate buttons. Yum!

It turns out that exploring gardens all morning had allowed us to build up quite an appetite. I wandered into the on-site tearoom to order some cake and drinks however when I was in the queue I just could not resist ordering afternoon tea for only £6 per person including drinks! National trust are renowned for their fabulous cakes and £6 for three sandwiches, a freshly baked scone (ours were fresh from the oven) with jam and clotted cream, a slice of homemade cake plus a hot drink was a bargain. We ordered two between to five of us - £12 for lunch between 5 is a bargain! Our tea was beautiful too, even more so as it was joined in the sunshine.

We had been in the sunshine for a good few hours by this point and decided it was time to explore the house and hall. I have been lucky enough to walk around a fair few national trust houses and although this one is small, it is perfectly formed and one of the better ones we've been to. I like that there is nobody to tell you not to touch anything and the house has been restored to it's former glory meaning you really feel as if you are walking around history. It's fascinating to learn about President George Washington's ancestors who lived at this home - I had no idea we had such a significant link to the first President of the United States.

  

Entry to Washington Old Hall is free for National Trust members or £14.50 per family. Visit their website for opening times, special events and specific prices:- 

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/washington-old-hall/visitor-information/

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