Fun fact - the Rising Sun Country Park used to face onto our back garden and it's a place we used to walk through and around a lot when Harry and Heidi were little tots and we lived in Wallsend.
We don't visit as often as we used to now but it's still a family favourite and a lovely spot for a family walk, cycle, scoot or picnic. The country park is dog-friendly too so a fab place to head out with your four-legged friend. As the park is inland and quite sheltered, it can also be a bit of a sun trap so it's perfect for a sunny day.
If you're visiting by car, you'll find the entrance just before Asda Benton (postcode NE12 9SS). Just follow the road and you'll find a large, free car park just by the visitor centre (disabled parking is available on site).
You can catch the bus to Asda Benton and easily walk there too.
Opening times
The wider park is open all day, every day of year.
Centre grounds: Open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday; and 9am to 4.30pm on Saturday, Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Countryside Centre Car Park: Open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday; and 9am to 4.30pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.
The café is open for refreshments including freshly made sandwiches, scones and hot/cold drinks, with outdoor seating on the terrace from 9am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday and 10.30am to 3.30pm weekends and bank holidays.
Check up to date info on their website here: Rising Sun Website
Rising Sun Country Park | Child & Dog-friendly Walks
One of the reasons we love the Rising Sun Country Park is that it's home to lots of easy walking routes which are all very well signposted with maps available from the centre, maps signposted around the park and lots of colour-coded route signs.
You can choose a walk around Swallow pond where you can admire the wildlife through bird hides, woodland walks where you can pond dip from the special viewing platform, climb up the pit heap if you're feeling energetic or if like us, you just fancy an easy stroll to the community farm from the visitor centre (this route is completely flat and around 1.5 - 2 miles in total).
The paths are covered in small pebbles in places but Heidi managed with her scooter just fine and it wouldn't be any trouble for a pushchair or bike.
The walks take you past fields of horses, flowers and other wildlife and if you're lucky, you may spot the Rising Sun stag.
Dogs are welcome and it's a popular spot for dog walking - do remember to keep dogs on leads around livestock.
Rising Sun Community Farm
2023 update - please note, the main farm is currently closed / limited while they find new management / owners.
Earth and Fire still operate from the farm and are open as usual. They bake and sell artisan bread and bakes. Check out their website for further info: https://earthandfire.net/artisan-bakery/ and there is a Birds of Prey area too.
The Rising Sun Community Farm is in the centre of the country park and very easy to reach on foot from the countryside visitor centre, even for little legs. It's FREE to visit and there always seems to be something different to see every time you visit - sometimes there can be loads of animals, other times hardly any but that kind of adds to the excitement and as it's free, we can't really complain.
During our visit in April, there were so many geese waddling around the farm. They are so funny to watch!
We also spotted calves, rabbits, chickens, donkeys, horses and Shetland ponies. There were also goats and sheep in the outer fields but we couldn't see any pigs on this occasion. The Rising Sun Farm is a working farm and a good opportunity for children to learn where their food comes from. They often run events using the produce from the farm for a feast.
You can sometimes buy vegetables and duck eggs from the farm shop or stall with honesty box but this was closed today. The current crops seem to be blooming though.
Rising Sun Country Park | Visitor Centre, Park & Cafe
The Rising Sun Country Park Visitor Centre is the main hub of the country park and is honestly such a good spot to take the kids for a run around after school on a sunny day. There are so many facilities including:
- Children's sheltered play area
- Water play area (currently out of order - no word on when this will be resolved)
- Sandpit
- Cafe
- Picnic areas
- BBQ areas
- Toilet facilities
- Exhibition centre
- Venue hire
- Walking routes and info
The cafe is really good and serves homemade breakfasts, sandwiches, soups, cakes and tray bakes alongside snacks, ice creams and drinks. The prices are very reasonable and if you can grab a table on the outdoor terrace, there are gorgeous views of the pond and countryside from the slightly elevated position.
We spent around 2 hours at the Rising Sun Country Park during our last visit but it's the kind of place you could easily spend all day. It's a lovely spot for a day out with friends and we'll definitely be visiting many more times over the year. It's a true North Tyneside gem!
- Take a trip down memory lane and read our blog post featuring Rising Sun from 2013 here
- Read about visiting Father Christmas in his woodland grotto at Rising Sun Country Park here
- Read about a BYO Christmas Lunch at Rising Sun Visitor Centre here
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Please follow social distancing rules & Government guidelines , wash hands regularly and use alcohol hand gel (especially before eating), respect the local area. leave no trace, take litter home, park responsibly and if somewhere is busy on arrival, please consider leaving and returning at a later date. If you have any Coronavirus symptoms, please stay at home and follow NHS advice.
Always check updated opening hours / protocols / parking advice and charges with venues direct before setting off as things may have changed since this post was published.
Always check updated opening hours / protocols / parking advice and charges with venues direct before setting off as things may have changed since this post was published.
Let me know if you love the Rising Sun Country Park as much as we do or if you're planning on visiting this summer.
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I've done parkrun there a couple of times so I recognise a few of the paths ... definitely never really paid much attention to what's there though cos I'm usually just trying to survive my run! It looks beautiful, we'll definitely check it out next time it's sunny!
ReplyDeleteit's been ages since we have been there. loved the little walk to the farm and we spotted the stag too!
ReplyDeleteI really want to go in the summer when Matty is home. Looks lush! Katie x
ReplyDeletemy back garden is 20 seconds from this beautiful area...dog thinks it owns the place....stag is 9 out of 10 times in the field next to the cafe!....wouldnt move if i was a billionaire.
ReplyDelete