AD. This is an advert for July 2024. Any edits / reshares beyond this date have not been asked or paid for. This post is based on a visit in July 2024 (where we travelled by bus) but does also include a few photos and info from previous visits too.
Always check with venues direct for the most up to date information before heading out. Especially regarding opening hours, timetables, current offers and prices.
You can do that here:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/useful-information-for-your-visit-at-cragside
Cragside : A Day of Adventures
There are over 40 miles of footpaths to explore at Cragside covering over 1000 acres. I predict I've visited over 20 times over the years and definitely haven't explored it all.
Visiting Cragside is like visiting your very own fairytale. Expect paths with twists and turns, hills to climb, secret caves, huge boulders, labyrinths to get lost in, gorges to walk along, waterfalls, lakes, wildlife and of course, lots of surprises. It really does feel as if you're stumbling upon some kind of unknown land at times.
Here's an excellent concise guide packed with things to see and do: Family Fun at Cragside
Visiting Cragside by Bus
Did you know you can travel to Cragside by bus?
The Arriva X14 travels from Newcastle to Morpeth before continuing on to Cragside (our journey time was 40 minutes from Morpeth and very scenic driving through the Northumberland countryside) and the Liberty 471 service stops at Thropton, Rothbury and Alnwick.
Buses pull into the entrance and stop at the visitor welcome area. A member of staff will greet you as you disembark.
DISCOUNT: From 20 July 2024 - 8 September 2024, non-members can receive a 25% discount on admission to Cragside. Discount is automatically applied by staff on arrival.
If you're a National Trust member, during the same period you'll be given a 10% discount voucher to spend on food/retail across the day of your visit if you arrive by bus.
T&Cs apply to both deals.
At time of publishing, adult single fares are capped at £2, under 22s are £1 and up to three children aged 11 and under can travel with an adult for free across school holidays. If you need to take more than one bus, a family or day ticket may work out better for you so do check with the driver / on the Arriva app.
Our Day of Adventure at Cragside
We packed a lot into our most recent visit to Cragside in July. We caught the 9:20am X14 bus from Morpeth and arrived at Cragside just in time for it opening at 10am. I loved arriving at this time as it felt so peaceful and quiet. 
We walked up to Nelly's Moss Lakes (admiring the views en-route), grabbed a coffee from the kiosk and enjoyed that with a slice of cake on one of the tables overlooking the lake. Such a beautiful view!
After spending a penny, we walked along to the Labyrinth via the Trim Trail which is a series of obstacles and perfect for the whole family to get involved with. We had such a good laugh trying the balance beams and monkey bars (some of us were way better than others!).
I'm always apprehensive when entering the Labyrinth as it does actually feel like a real maze but the kids love it and it's brilliant for adventurous families. We climbed up rocks, jumped over puddles, walked along balance beams and ducked through bushes to finally find the centre.
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| We found a toadstool! |
Then we did it all again on the way back (the kids insisted we try a different route rather than retracing our steps!). This time we passed 100s of baby frogs hiding under a bush and found a real toadstool. When you find the exit, you do feel an overwhelming sense of achievement.
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| Climbing down the steps carved though boulders and taking in the views |
Next, we walked down some steps which had been cut into the side of boulders down to the house. We stumbled upon some secret caves we hadn't found before which the kids couldn't resist exploring. Then it was straight to the tea room for a well-deserved bowl of tomato soup and cheese scones all round. Delicious.
To end our day, we clambered down through the gardens to the Iron Bridge and enjoyed some wonderful views before catching the 4:20pm bus back to Morpeth.
We genuinely had the best day of adventures and definitely made some core memories.
You can watch a video walk through of our day here: Our Day at Cragside Video
Nelly's Moss Lakes, Playground, Trim Trail and Labyrinth
The above four activities are close to each other towards the upper part of the Cragside estate and would fill a full day here. I would start with a walk around Nelly's Moss Lakes, then visit the Playground (and stop for coffee) followed by the Trim Trail and Labyrinth.
To access this area, you can walk a mile up hill. It's not too bad of a climb and there is seating and a lovely wildlife pond to stop off at half way plus some spectacular views - I've done this walk with toddlers and they managed. We spotted Damsels, Dragon Flies & Newts on our last visit.
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| The walk up to the Playground / Labyrinth is signposted near the main house |
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| Beautiful views walking up to the playground |
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| A lovely quiet place to stop and look for wildlife |
Alternatively, you can catch the free shuttle bus or if you're visiting with a car, park in Crozier Car Park. All routes are well signposted.
There are toilets, lots of seating and a takeaway kiosk selling drinks, ice cream and snacks next to the playground.
Nelly's Moss Lakes
This is a beautiful 1.5 mile circular walk around two lakes which starts near the playground. There's an accessible route for pushchairs and wheelchairs too. It's a nice and easy walk to try with kids.
Read our guide to this walk: Nelly's Moss Lake Walk.
Playground
The playground at Cragside is fully enclosed with plenty of seating nearby. It's suitable for ages 0-12 years with a zip wire, climbing nets, multiple slides and swings, bridges and obstacle courses, cargo nets and more.
Read our guide to Cragside's playground here: Cragside's Playground
Trim Trail
Labyrinth
The Labyrinth is not pushchair friendly and I would say is best suited to families with kids aged 5+. My teens love this part of Cragside and it's a real favourite. It's the kind of place you can make up your own stories and let your imagination go wild.
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| Entering the Labyrinth |
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| The Centre of the Labyrinth |
The aim is to find Nelly's Den at the heart of the Labyrinth but you could also stumble upon a wooden animal sculptures and a storyteller's chair which all add to your very own story.
It's best to keep your group together when in the Labyrinth but if anyone does get separated, tell them to stand still and shout and others will be able to locate them. It feels big but it's not actually that big. There's also an emergency number if you need it: 07818 240 068.
Jack did trip over a tree root on our last visit (he was fine) so do take care.
The Formal Gardens, Pinetum & Gorge Walk
These three areas of Cragside are also located close together on the lower part of the estate and I would say you could cover them all in 1/2 a day. It would be easy to add a visit to the house onto this too.
The Formal Gardens
The Pinetum
The Pinetum is a collection of non-native trees which really tower above your heads. In fact, the trees here are some of the tallest trees in the country. It's a lovely area for a peaceful stroll.
The Formal Gardens are an area of Cragside that lots of people miss but I'd urge you to visit. They are absolutely gorgeous with stunning planting, water features and views. My favourite picnic spot in the estate and it's usually super peaceful and filled with colour.
Read our guide to visiting the Formal Gardens here: Visiting Cragside's Formal Gardens
Read our guide to visiting the Formal Gardens here: Visiting Cragside's Formal Gardens
The Pinetum
The Pinetum is a collection of non-native trees which really tower above your heads. In fact, the trees here are some of the tallest trees in the country. It's a lovely area for a peaceful stroll.
Don't miss Douglas. You can spot him as you walk between the Iron Bridge and Pinetum.
A Gorge Walk
The Gorge is open from April to October and truly spectaculer. It's only a short walk from the Pinetum to the Powerhouse (less than 1/2 a mile each way) but packs a lot in.
Walk along rocky boulders, across bridges and along steps which have been carved into rocks. Sturdy footwear is a must for this one.
Walk along rocky boulders, across bridges and along steps which have been carved into rocks. Sturdy footwear is a must for this one.
There are several walking routes at Cragside which are well signposted. There is a walk for everyone with accessible routes, challenging routes and walks where you'll learn something interesting all available.
Check out the walks on offer here: Walking Routes at Cragside or visit the Visitor Centre near the tea room and take a photo of the large scale walking maps hanging the walls (or pick up a paper map).
Cragside House
Cragside House is an absolute stunner! Sometimes houses like this can have a bit of a reputation as being a little stuffy and not very child-friendly but that is absolutely not the case here. You should definitely visit with kids and it will really enhance your day out.
On arrival, do ask about the free children's trails that run through the house. On our last visit we completed the Cragside Critter Trail which was really easy but still interesting and fun. Basically you have to find giant bugs hiding around the house and can then learn a little more about them.
There's also a Smart Home Trail which follows a similar pattern but focuses on learning more about Britain's very first smart home.
On arrival, do ask about the free children's trails that run through the house. On our last visit we completed the Cragside Critter Trail which was really easy but still interesting and fun. Basically you have to find giant bugs hiding around the house and can then learn a little more about them.
There's also a Smart Home Trail which follows a similar pattern but focuses on learning more about Britain's very first smart home.
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| The Critter Trail ends in the Conservation Studio where you can view real bugs up close |
Cragside House is fully furnished and really interesting / beautiful to walk through. 15 year old Dee especially loves this area of Cragside and dreams of living somewhere like this one day.
There are concise information boards in each room where you can learn more (including about how the house was adapted for a Royal visit) and children will love the bird and shell collections in the gallery upstairs.
There are a couple of opportunities for dress up as you walk around and some rooms have guides who will happily share their favourite story with kids. On our last visit, we learned about a Giant Owl......
There are concise information boards in each room where you can learn more (including about how the house was adapted for a Royal visit) and children will love the bird and shell collections in the gallery upstairs.
There are a couple of opportunities for dress up as you walk around and some rooms have guides who will happily share their favourite story with kids. On our last visit, we learned about a Giant Owl......
The final part of the house is 'Armstrong's Magical Invention Room'. This room is packed with virtual science experiments and I think it will definitely inspire some inventor's of the future.
Cragside truly is a magical place and we are so lucky to have somewhere like this right on our doorstep in Northumberland. I love that it's accessible by public transport too.
Plan your adventure with more ideas for things to do here: Family Fun at Cragside
Check out useful info including current opening times here: Useful Information for Visiting Cragside
You can also pick up seasonal activity sheets from the visitor centre if you require more inspiration or like a check list of things to do.
Need to Know
You can find out more by clicking the useful info above but here's a quick snapshot of things you may need to know about before you visit:- Pet Dogs - dogs are welcome on leads around the grounds and in the dog-friendly area in the tea room. Pet dogs are not permitted inside the house or inside the enclosed playground. It is really important you keep your dog on a lead here as there are craggy edges and steep drops.
- Access - there are steep gradients at Cragside and a lot of the terrain is rugged. Wheelchair hire and a shuttle bus service is available. There are accessible walking routes. Visitor seating is available on every floor inside the house but there are stairs and no lift is available. There is a Calm Corner for anybody who needs it and guides are available in braille.
- Food & Drinks - you'll find a licensed Tea Room at the Visitor Centre, Crozier's Kiosk by the playground and The Still Room in the arches by the House.
- Toilets - can be found at the visitor centre, in the arches of the house and by the playground.
- Admission - is free for National Trust members (just show your membership card on arrival) and paid for non-members. Remember if you arrive by bus before 8 September 2024, you'll receive a 25% discount. Cragside does not accept free pass offers you often find in newspapers.
- Routes are well singposted, do ask for a map on arrival just in case. Pin Me
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