30+ of the Best Cycle Routes for Kids around North East England

Over the years,  I have been asked a lot for ideas where families can ride their bikes with kids. I am not an expert in this - we just ride our bikes along the cycle path near our house or at the coast.

It is something I have been asked more and more during the past few weeks though so I decided to ask my readers for suggestions for their favourite routes so I could put them all together in one list for others to use. I hope you find this resource helpful. 

25 of the Best Parks & Playgrounds in North East England

This post will share 25 of the best playgrounds to visit with kids across North East England. Why not make a plan to visit them all this summer? 

Dinosaur Crazy Golf & Dobbies Garden Centre Morpeth

Like many people during lockdown, we have taken to gardening this summer. We have visited Dobbies Morpeth (aka Heighley Gate) a few times over the years but it had been well over a year since our last visit. 

The garden centre is just off the A1 - exit onto the A697 towards Coldstream and it is less than half a mile up the road on your left (use postcode NE61 3DA). There is a huge free car park for customers. 

A Pizza Picnic from Di Meos Ouseburn

Ouseburn is my favourite part of Newcastle. I just love the vibes in this area of Newcastle plus it is home to some of my favourite restaurants, pubs and places to visit. 

Back in February Half Term, we were going to visit Di Meos for Pizza and ice cream after a street art trail but the queue was too long, there were no spare seats and it was freezing cold so we popped to Gingerinos instead (which by the way is fantastic and I would also highly recommend) . 

As Steve's payday treat this month though, I was craving a trip to Ouseburn and this time was a little more organised and phoned ahead to pre-order our pizza at Di Meos. 

Where To Go Strawberry Picking in North East England

Strawberry picking season is here! It generally runs in North East England from June until September although this can vary with the weather. If you plan a trip in July at the start of the school holidays, I usually find this to be the best month. 

The Best Places to Paddle in Streams across North East England

A few weeks ago, I published a post sharing safety advice against the dangers of swimming in reservoirs (you can read the full post here). Please do not swim/paddle at the likes of Kielder / Derwent Waterside Park. There are lots of hidden dangers. 

However, paddling in streams is a kind of rite of passage in childhood I think. Obviously, you still need to remain vigilant - young children can drown in a teeny amount of water and depths can change suddenly. Children should never be left unsupervised. 

Bedlington Country Park Riverside Walk & Stepping Stones

This week we enjoyed another super local walk to us (less than 3 miles away) with a trip to Bedlington Country Park. We brought the kids here a few times when they were little to paddle in the river, play in the park and jump across the stepping stones and it is somewhere I would hang out with my friends quite a lot when we were younger. It is a lovely walk/area and usually a lot less busier than nearby Plessey Woods. 

  

We parked in Attlee Park Car Park (postcode NE22 5RX) at the bottom of Bedlington Bank. It is free (no ticket required) and there are plenty of spaces. If you wish to skip the woodland walk and head straight to the stepping stones/play park,  use Humford Mill Car Park (NE22 5RT). 

10 Reasons to Never Visit Northumberland

 Northumberland is a terrible place to visit and you definitely should not come here. There is nothing to see or do and I would hate for you to waste a journey here. 

Top Tips for Visiting Local Reservoirs & Waterside Parks this Summer

This is an advertisement with Northumbrian Water. Details correct as of 6 June 2020. Visit  www.watersideparksuk.com  for updated information regarding site opening (which can change) and up-to-date visitor advice. Please follow current Government guidelines regarding social distancing. 

There are several Northumbrian Water Waterside Parks & Reservoirs located across North East England and their beautiful locations make for a wonderful day out or location for exercise and walking.  Kielder & Derwent Waterside Park are two of our favourite spots in the whole of the North East.