Bill Quay Farm

Hi Everyone,

Bill Quay Farm is a lovely place to spend a few hours. They have lots of animals, including Alpacas which you can visit for free and there is a petting shed where you can have some lovely cuddles for a small fee.

For more info see our full review here:

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2022/02/bill-quay-farm.html

Haven Point

Hi Everyone,

We picked a good day to go swimming yesterday, there was even an outside pool 🤣

We went to Haven Point mid afternoon as it's usually a bit quieter then. Along with the standard features of slides, splash pool, fountains and jacuzzi they also had the large inflatable obstacle course out for the kids to enjoy.

If you've not been before it's a nice clean modern pool, with plenty to keep the kids entertained for an hour. We would definitely recommend getting a get active card if you plan on going regularly as it gives quite a bit discount on the cost of the sessions. You can sign up at haven point.

There is a nice good priced cafe on site so it is perfect for filling up after your swim.

📷 From Google images (the current inflatable is different to this and in my daughter's opinion way better)

St Mary's Lighthouse

Hi Everyone,

Another lovely day exploring the rock pools of St Mary's Island. We love it here and never get tired of exploring. Best of all it's completely free to explore. 

There is a large car park and toilets with in easy reach of the lighthouse and plenty of benches to take in the views.

Our Favourite Parks

Hi Everyone,

The summer holidays are fast approaching so we want to help you all have an amazing time, as we're all definitely due a bit of fun. Since we love to be outdoors we thought we'd start with some of our favourite parks. Not only are parks brilliant for a wide range of age groups they have the added benefit of being free so win win. The parks listed below all have toilet facilities on site 😃

Our top pics are:

SALTWELL PARK

We love this park it had two fantastic play areas, a boating lake, train, lots of wildlife and a cafe.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2020/02/hi-everyone-saltwell-park-has-to-be-one.html?m=1

CARLISLE PARK

We love to visit here with its play areas that are spread out, beautiful river walks, boats, lots of places to grab a bite and ice cream.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2021/04/carlisle-park.html?m=1

BARNES PARK

This is a smaller park but we love the play areas and the lovely duck pond. Its a great place to ride a bike or scooter.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2020/10/barnes-park-sunderland.html?m=1

TYNE GREEN PARK

Again this is a beautiful park with lots of green space, lovely river walks and a very well equipped play area.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2020/07/tyne-green-park.html?m=1

RICHARDSON-DEES PARK

The play area here is fantastic, with lots of green space, woodland walks and trails. There is a skate park and cafe. This is a very good park for all the family.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2021/09/richardson-dees-park.html?m=1

DERWENT WATERSIDE PARK

We really enjoy coming here it always feels more like a day trip then just going to the park. The play area is superb and the views are breathtaking. It also has the benefit of stunning walks around the reservoir to. There is a cafe and gift shop.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2020/07/derwent-waterside-park.html?m=1

Don't forget to check out https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com for more ideas

Planet Circus OMG 2022

Hi Everyone,

We were very excited to see the return of Planet Circus OMG! Back in our region. We went along on Saturday and had a really good evening. There were balance acts, ariel acts, a tightrope walker, a clown and a brilliant motor bike act including stunts.

We found all the performers and staff very friendly and as it was our youngest birthday the ring master gave her a birthday shout out which was really special. 

The clown Andrea is very funny and we thought the audience participation part was really well done, so be prepared that you may get picked on.

There is the opportunity to get the kids face painted for £4, which was very well done and lots of food and drink options  plush flashy lights and wiggly worms.

Check the photos for locations, times and prices.

#ad #planetcircusomg! #planetcircus #PlanetCirusOMG! #motorbikes #ariel #balance #fun #daring #talent #makingmemories #familytime #gateshead #raintonarena #southshields

Clip n Climb Metrocentre

Hi Everyone,

We visited Clip 'n Climb Metrocentre last week with a friend and took advantage of the £10 weekday climb offer online. This was our first visit to this branch and we found it to have more or less the same walls as other branches we have visited previously. 

The walls themselves vary in difficulty as our youngest loves a challenge she was very happy to give the harder climbs a few goes. She especially liked the bean stalk wall, which we were told was the hardest of all 

 We were lucky on our visit that it was very quiet so we were able to move around freely without having to wait. We also had a go on the vertical slide, this does cost an extra £3 but it's a good challenge. We will say it does require a lot of grip strength to hold on while moving up, so we wouldn't recommend it for little ones, as if they can't hold on it's not too much fun. Our daughter is very strong and made it to number 4 (she really wanted to get to ten lol) and her friend got to around 6, who is a strong gymnast.

Our only grumble with this branch is you don't get very long in the centre. Our start time was 11:15am and we were told to have our last climb just before 12pm, during this time we had the harness fitted and the safety briefing meaning our climb time was less than 40 minutes. In other branches we have had the whole hour and even been allowed to stay a bit longer when it's quiet.

#clipnclimb #clipnclimbmetrocentre #metrocentre #onlinediscount #climbingwall #funandfit #challenge #makingmemories #notboredoutdoors

Junkyard Golf Newcastle - Bozo

Hi Everyone,

We visited Junk Yard Golf yesterday in Newcastle for the second time. This time we took on the Bozo course, which has a scary funfair theme. We have to say again the 9 holes are really quite cool and a lot of effort has clearly gone into creating a really fab atmosphere.

Both kids and adults enjoyed this course and as this was our second visit we only paid half half price, after filing out a short survey from our first visit. With the discount we paid £4.25 each which we thought was a more reasonable price for the amount of holes

Junk Yard Golf has such a lovely funky atmosphere and we definitely want to try the adults only times on an evening as well.

You can read about our first visit and find more info in the link below:

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2022/05/junkyard-golf-newcastle-upon-tyne.html

Angry Birds Golf

Hi Everyone,

Our youngest had a day off school on Thursday due to the elections so we decided to give Angry Birds Adventure Golf at the MetroCentre a go with a friend. It was our first visit and I have to say we were very impressed.

There are two courses both 18 holes each which are located downstairs, the space is huge and the angry birds theme is really well done. The course we tried was challenging enough to make it fun but not overly hard.

With it being a school day for most we had the whole place to ourselves which was lovely so we could really enjoy the props and take our time playing. Both kids really enjoyed it.

The staff here are wonderful Our friend's daughter tripped on a little wall whilst playing and hurt her ankle, we were quickly seen by two first aiders who assessed her, made sure everything was fine and even offered us free vouchers to return if she couldn't carry on. Ironically our daughter then tripped and hurt her ankle on the way out, so do be careful of the little walls.

We had a voucher for £4.95 to play 18 holes but we did see lots of different deals and promotions advertised so do check them out before going.

Despite our injuries we would 100% recommend @angrybirdsgolfuk and we can't wait to try the other courses and the food options.

Junkyard Golf Newcastle upon Tyne

Hi Everyone,

We recently visited junk yard golf club Newcastle. We have wanted to try here for a while as it seemed really cool and different to other crazy golf courses we have been to. It's set up as an over 18s only course on an evening but children are welcome during the day.

There are 3 courses a scary funfair, junk yard and a jungle. We choose the jungle. Each course is 9 holes and they are all really well set out with props and different challenges. There is music playing and funky lightning giving the whole venue a party vibe, with lots of opportunities for selfies. The kids absolutely loved it.

Our only negative about Junk Yard Golf is the price. It costs a family of 4 over £30 for 9 holes which took around 30 minutes to play. Which we think is really poor value for money. We were very surprised that there was no family ticket or child discount. On our visit the course was very quiet which we attribute to the price.

On the back of the score sheet there is a QR code which links to a survey and 50% off for two people which was a saving grace if we choose to go again as we did really fancy having a go at the other courses.

Overall a fab venue, great crazy golf set up but the cost for a family is very high.

Planet Circus OMG 2022

😊🎪Planet Circus OMG is back in the North East!🎪😊 

There 2022 performance is described as Sensational, Magnificent, & Spectacular 🤩 

We will be attending a show at a later date, so check back for our full review.

If you want to book your tickets, you can use the links below 👇 

Gateshead Tickets 

Rainton Arena Tickets 

South Shields Tickets 

Durham - The Sands Tickets 

Darlington Tickets./ 

Harrogate Tickets

Falling Foss Waterfall

Hi Everyone,

We had a lovely trip to Falling Foss Waterfall at the weekend. We came across the waterfall while traveling to Whitby. 

The waterfall is set within a beautiful forest complete with a very lovely tea room with lots of outdoor forest seating. There is free parking available but also additional parking available in a farmer's field for £3 if the forest parking is full.

There are two routes to get to the bottom of the waterfall, one fairly flat winding path and another more adventurous route. We decided mainly due to our very excited 9 year old to take the more challenging route.

This route is quite steep and requires some climbing over branches etc so more suitable for older kids. We all managed it ok but it was hard work.There is a handy rope to hang on to on the way down but if you attempt this way make sure you are prepared as we would imagine it would be very hard to climb back up.

The route back was longer but much easier and we were really able to enjoy the beauty of the forest and have a good explore. Just to note both routes require walking over stepping stones which the kids loved but we would recommend bringing extra socks just in case of a misstep. 

Falling Foss is well worth a visit as it is simply beautiful and makes for a lovely day out.

Nerd Fest

Hi Everyone,

Last week saw the return of NERD Fest in Newcastle. We want to say a massive congratulations to the guys behind Nerd Fest for hosting such an amazing event, filled with games, cosplay, merch and characters. It's such a fun day out for kids and adults alike.

Our Competition winner Kirstie Banks and her family have told us they had a fantastic time and sent us some brilliant photos of the day.

Don't worry if you missed this one as Fright Fest will be here on 9th October and do check out Nerd Arcade to keep up to date with all things geeky and get your retro gaming fix in the mean time.

Exhibition Park - Born Free Display

Hi Everyone,

The born free forever display at Exhibition Park is wonderful. We would definitely recommend a visit to see them if you haven't been yet.

Exhibition Park also has lots of play areas suitable for a variety of ages and a very nice cafe right next to the main play park. 

We took a stroll around the lake on our visit and did so at the perfect time as two swans were swapping egg sitting duties, meaning we were able to have a lovely view of the nest. A really special moment that was fantastic to watch.

Alnwick Gardens

Hi Everyone,

We had the most wonderful day at The Alnwick Garden and we were lucky enough to time our visit to coincide with the blossom trees being in full bloom. 

The garden is stunning and there are so many areas to explore, the addition of the animals from around the world was lovely and not one looked out of place. It was really nice spotting them all.

We to have say that our tour guide Trevor was absolutely wonderful. He showed us around the poison garden, he was very knowledgeable and was so funny he really kept us all entertained.

The gardens have a lovely pavilion with lots of tables, and a very nice restaurant as well as desert and a Pimm's trucks dotted about.

The star of the garden is the wonderful cascading water fountain that sits proudly front and centre when you walk in. The jets are not only specular but bring so much joy to the kids (and adults) who run through them.

It's such a peaceful place to visit and just amazing for adults and children alike. 

Free Bus Travel for Kids

Hi Everyone,

We got a lovely surprise when we went on the bus yesterday. Upto 3 children under 11 travel for FREE on buses until 7th May with a fare paying adult. We're hoping this deal sticks around the same as it has on the metro and Shields ferry as it really does make a difference to the cost of your journey, especially if you have more than one child.

You can take advantage of this throughout Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and Durham on Arriva North East, Go North East and Stagecoach North East buses.

Mother Shiptons

Hi Everyone,

We visited Mother Shiptons Easter Adventure yesterday which is running everyday until 24th April.

It's a beautiful place with a very large adventure play area, cave, waterfall, petrifying well, museum, shop, refreshment vans and plenty of picnic tables.

The Easter Adventure was amazing, the kids were giving a trail to follow and the attention to detail was second to none. There were so many things to see and explore. The photo opportunities were amazing. They have put selfie stations next to all the attractions making it perfect for capturing those precious family memories without missing one of the family out of the photos.

The story of Mother Shipton is a fascinating one and you can read all about her as you make your way around the park. The waterfall and petryfing well are really quirky and we enjoyed exploring the museum to learn more.

You are allowed two and a half hours to explore and that would be our only grumble as it was such a lovely day, we could have happily stayed longer but it is ample time to see and do everything within the park. We had a really lovely day and we are looking forward to their future events. We imagine Halloween especially at Mother Shiptons Cave would be amazing.

There are still tickets available for the Easter Adventure. For booking and more info please visit:

https://www.mothershipton.co.uk/

#presstrip #mothershiptonscave #mothershipton #york #knaresborough #easter #easteradventure #photoop #selfie #familyphoto #eastertreat #makingmemories #familytime #notboredoutdoors

Mamas Pizza Edinburgh

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to give a quick review of Mamma's Edinburgh. This is a wonderful American style Pizza restaurant and they really know what they're doing. The pizzas are absolutely delicious, the decour is really fun and quirky, the staff are very friendly and is situated in the heart of the Grassmarket so perfect for shopping and exploring the city.

Best of all for us was the fact that they are brilliant at gluten free. Our coeliac daughter, who is very picky about her pizzas said it was the best pizza she had ever tasted, high praise indeed! It's so nice to be able to eat as a family and not have to worry about if our daughter's food is safe and most importantly for her not to feel different or have less of a choice. So well done Mamma's we can't wait to come back.

#mammas #mammasedinburgh #pizza #coeliac #glutenfree #delicious #grassmarketedinburgh #edinburgh #familytime #makingmemories #worryfree #notboredoutdoors

Vue Cinema

Hi Everyone,

We love going to the cinema and VUE Gateshead is definitely our favourite. Standard tickets cost just £4.99 with the option to upgrade to regular for £5.99 or VIP £6.99, which is very reasonable. VUE also accepts meerkat movie vouchers (buy one get one free on Tues and Weds). Our favourite screen is VUE extreme which has no additional charge and is absolutely massive. You feel like you're in the movie when watching.

VUE is really easy to get to as it's situated in Trinity Square so plenty of buses and the metro stops within a two minute walk from the cinema. You can also park for free for up to 5 hours when you go to the cinema.

There's lots of fab movies out at the minute including Sonic 2 and the Secrets of Dumbledore released this week so perfect for a treat in the Easter holidays. 

#vue #vuegateshead #trinitysquare #brilliantvalueformoney #supersaverseats #vueextreme #cinema #familytime #getlostinamovie #sweets #popcorn #notboredoutdoors

Holiday Inn

Hi Everyone,

With more people choosing to holiday in the UK we thought we would tell you about one of absolute favourite hotel chains to stay in as a family. The good old Holiday Inn. We have stayed in various Holiday Inns all over the UK and have never had a bad experience. 

They are very affordable and you can often get a good deal or discount especially with IHG rewards club. What we love is the hotels are always very clean and look stylish, they also usually have two double beds in family rooms rather than a rickety sofa or camp beds. This is a massive plus for us as there's no arguing and everyone gets a good night's sleep. On the topic of sleep the beds are so comfy, genuinely had one of the best night's sleep we've ever had last weekend.

They have lovely restaurants and our coeliac daughter has always been well catered for which gets them extra brownie points from us. 

It's definitely one of our favourite chains for quick get aways or longer stays. Most have free parking and the larger hotels often have pools and are very geared up to families. 

We've included some photos from our recent stay in Edinburgh's Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City West.

#holidayinn #holidayinnexpress #queensferry #edinburgh #greatforfamilies #greatforcoeliacs #glutenfreeoptions #comfybeds #affordable #stylish #friendly #feelathome #staycation #expolretheUK #notboredoutdoors

Edinburgh Castle

Hi Everyone,

We went to Edinburgh Castle on the most gloriously sunny day, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and and it felt like we were abroad. We definitely hit the weather jackpot.

The amazing benefit of this lovely weather was that the views from the castle which are always very spectacular were just breathtakingly beautiful. We could see for miles. The castle has various vantage points so you are able to get full 360 degree views and we really enjoyed this, we spent a lot of time just looking out and seeing what places etc we could spot. It's worth visiting just for the views.

There is a whole host more to enjoy at the castle, and all are areas are so well kept and preserved, it was fascinating exploring it all. The areas include The Great Hall,

St Margaret’s Chapel, Mons Meg

One o’Clock Gun (well worth watching this, it's very impressive), Palace Apartments,

Prisons of War exhibition,

Honours of Scotland (Crown Jewels & Stone of Destiny),

Scottish National War Memorial,

National War Museum, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum along with a lovely tea room and shops.

We had a lovely few hours at Edinburgh Castle and it definitely enhanced our trip.

#edinburghcastle #edinburgh #views #viewsofthecity #cameraready #history #oneoclockgunedinburghcastle #panoramicview #familytime #makingmemories #notboredoutdoors #visitscotland

Rail Card

Hi Everyone,

With the Easter holidays fast approaching we just wanted to share our experience of using a friends and family rail card. These cards reduce the price of train tickets by around 33% allowing for some fantastic deals. 

Our recent trip to Edinburgh cost just under £40 for our family of 4, which we thought was great value. You can also get discounted bus travel at your chosen destination with the plus bus option, which we made very good use of.

The family and friends rail card lasts a full year and costs £30 (can use Tesco clubcard points if you have them) so after a couple of trips it pays for itself. You can travel to any destination and if you play about with the dates and times you can find some excellent deals. 

We also use the LNER app as you can get lots of discounts and cashback to spend on future travel making it even cheaper.

We really do love train journeys, it always feels more of an adventure than going by car and it's nice to just sit back and relax while traveling. We personally enjoy a good old fashioned game of cards and snacks on our journeys. We have to say the Lumo and Azuma trains we travelled on were fantastic, on time, no issues, very clean with friendly staff. We couldn't fault them.

*Photo of a trip for a family of 4 to York from Newcastle with and without a rail card as an example of savings*

#trains #LNER #Lumo #Azuma #railcard #friendsandfamily #discounts #relax #adventure #PlusBus #pertectfortheholidays #notboredoutdoors

The Ghost Bus Edinburgh

Hi Everyone,

We had a terrifyingly fun ride on the Ghost Bus this weekend in Edinburgh. This is something we have wanted to do for years but always thought it may be a bit too scary for the kids, however this ghost bus is absolutely perfect for families as it's very silly and not too scary.

The tour itself is around an hour and the wonderfully atmospheric ghost bus complete with lamps and velvet curtains, takes you round some of Edinburgh's most haunted sights, including a walk through a spooky cemetery. 

The tour is led by the conductor who is very funny and engaging and has a good historical knowledge of Edinburgh, along with his driver Angus. It's a perfect mix of fun, facts and frights.

There are a couple of scary moments on the bus so if you are your child is very sensitive to scares you may want to be more cautious but it is more silly than scary and the children on our tour were all laughing and seemed to be loving it, we know our girls definitely were.

It was a very fun hour and definitely a tour we would do again. The Ghost Bus Tours run in York and London as well as Edinburgh so we will definitely be checking them out.

#theghostbustours #tourwithadifference #scares #laughs #familyfun #darkside #edinburgh #angusthedriver #thewheelsonthebus #makingmemories #notboredoutdoors #grassmarket

Mother's Day at NERD Arcade

Hi Everyone,

Here's a fab Mother's Day offer for all the gamer mams out there from the wonderful NERD Arcade.

Mothers play for free with an accompanying child/adult paying customer!!! 

This Sunday 27th!!

Mother Shiptons Easter Fun

Hi Everyone,

We have to say Mother Shiptons Easter event looks awesome. You can take part every day from Saturday 2nd April to Sunday 24th April, open 10am to 5.30pm (last admission 4pm), booking is essential and these events are usually a sell out so we do recommend booking early.

https://mothershipton.digitickets.co.uk/tickets

"Follow the Bunny Door Trail and look out for giant eggs, CRACKING photo opportunities and fascinating Easter scenes throughout the beautiful woodland. 

The park will be transformed, creating an engaging Easter event suitable for all the family. 

There’s something for the whole family at England’s Oldest Tourist Attraction, including the birthplace of the Yorkshire Prophetess Mother Shipton, the incredible Petrifying Well, a large children’s Adventure Playground (access is subject to weather conditions), and a Museum & Gift Shop. 

Scrumptious ice cream is available to purchase as well as take-away coffee, tea, hot chocolate and refreshments from our lovely vintage-style kiosks in the middle of the woodland walk. There are plenty of picnic benches and scenic views. Dogs on a lead are welcome everywhere except the adventure playground for a picturesque mile-long walk along the River Nidd. "

📸 And info from Mother Shiptons Cave

The Big Climate Fightback

Hi Everyone,

We are really happy to be taking part in The Big Climate Fightback run by the Woodland trust, who has set a target of 50 million trees to be planted and we can all help to achieve this goal. There's lots of ways to join in even if you don't have a garden.

You can find all the info here:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/protecting-trees-and-woods/campaign-with-us/big-climate-fightback/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=bcf2021%2F2&utm_content=a%2Fe_generic

Mother's Day at Wallington

Hi Everyone,

There's a lovely Mother's Day event at Wallington next Sunday and no 

pre-booking is required. Wallington is absolutely beautiful with wonderful grounds, play areas, woodland and river walks. Entry is also free for National Trust members: https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2020/01/scottish-national-trust-offers-ad-hi.html?m=1

"If you’re looking for that extra special treat for your loved ones on Mother’s Day, the House at Wallington is opening especially for the day on Sunday 27 March, 11.30am to 3.30pm with live music in the central hall and Prosecco and cupcakes available to enjoy while you sit back and soak up the tunes (Prosecco and cupcake £5, non alcoholic alternative available £3). 

No booking necessary, normal admission charges apply https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wallington/whats-on

The house reopens for the season on Saturday 2 April"

Photo and info from Wallington National Trust.

Free Dinosaur Event

Hi Everyone,

There is a FREE dinosaur event at Royal Quays on Saturday 26th March between 11 and 3.

You can even meet the LARGEST T-Rex on the day. 

Cragside National Trust

Hi Everyone,

Every time we visit NT Cragside we are always taken away by its beauty. It's such a wonderful site with so much to explore. 

Due to storm damage the upper part of the estate is closed but the lower part is fully open. On our visit we explored the house, lake, river, walled garden, tea rooms and forest areas. The site is so large we do think you can keep coming back and have a different experiences on each visit.

We have held National Trust for Scotland memberships for years now and we do believe it's one of the best things we have ever purchased. There are so many sites and events and activities that you will never get bored.

If you'd like to see the benefits of being a pass holder you can find out more in the link below:

http://tidd.ly/1178fc7e

Adventure Valley

Hi Everyone,

We visited Adventure Valley at the weekend and we have to say we had the best time. There's just so much to do, animals, activities, soft plays, tractor rides, a train, bouncy pillows, donut slide, shows and lots of outdoor play equipment.

We always think the beauty of Adventure Valley is that you can go for a couple of hours or a whole day depending on what you want to do. We opted for the entire day as we were just having so much fun. 

We played for hours as a family which was great. The benefit of staying all day was near to closing time the farm really quietens down so we got the bouncy pillows to ourselves and us adults could have a go. They are so much fun and an aerobic workout!

Another highlight was bottle feeding the baby goats who were just adorable. We could have watched them for hours.

Adventure Valley has a large cafe and also plenty of picnic tables if you bring a packed lunch. Well equipped with toilets and hand washing facilities. It was very muddy at the weekend so do take appropriate shoes and clothing. 

The nation lottery days out vouchers can be used here also. More info about the vouchers in the link:

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2021/11/national-lottery-days-out.html

Souter Lighthouse Bike Ride

Hi Everyone,

We have always enjoyed a bike ride, perfect for a few hours of fresh air and is completely free. One of our favourite routes is along the coast, up to Souter Lighthouse and then onto Whitburn, it's such a picturesque route and it's pretty much a straight route with only a few small crossings to negotiate, so it's ideal for kids.

There are lots of lovely cycle routes in South Tyneside, which you can find in the link below from visit South Tyneside.

 https://www.visitsouthtyneside.co.uk/article/63004/Cycling

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Hi Everyone,

We visited Yorkshire Wildlife Park during half term using the National Lottery Days out offer. Reducing the price for a family of 4 from £66 to £16.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2021/11/national-lottery-days-out.html

We probably picked the worst day weather wise to go as we had snow, hail, rain and wind but thankfully we did get some sunny spells. The bad weather didn't spoil our day at all. The park itself is a good size with a wide range of animals. I think we were most impressed with the polar bears as we had never seen these in real life before. They are beautiful animals.

Our youngest is a huge Zebra fan so was very excited to them, they even seemed to stand and pose for photos which was very cool. As well as animals in a typical zoo setting they also have walk through areas with lemurs and wallabies which were really nice to get close to.

All the animals were amazing but what makes Yorkshire Wildlife Park different is all the play areas. There seemed to be a different area at every turn and so well built, it is like an adventure forest. They were suitable for a range of ages and our 9 and 12 year old thoroughly enjoyed them. There is also a massive free soft play in the park with a area for smaller children. Children of all ages were having a great time in it and to make it even more special it over looked the monkey enclosure so we could watch our monkeys and right next to actual monkeys.

It's a brilliant day out. We were there all day despite the terrible weather. It's always been a place we wanted to try but was a bit put off with the cost, as we weren't sure what to expect but after visiting we definitely think it's worth full price but don't forget to use the lottery offer while it's still available. The money you save can be used in the gift shop and food outlets 😃. We'll definitely be back.

Bill Quay Farm

Hi Everyone,

We visited Bill Quay Community Farm yesterday. This is a small farm with, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, ducks, alpacas, chickens and a petting barn, with small animals and reptiles.

The outside areas of the farm are free to visit but the small animal barn is £2 for adults and £1 for a child, you can purchase small cups of animal feed for £1 each as well. Whilst inside our youngest was able to hold a guinea pig in the barn but the rabbits were not in the mood to be picked up on our visit, she still enjoyed looking at all the animals and spent about 15 minutes inside.

Bill Quay Farm also has a little Gruffalo trail and a cafe which serves gluten free brownies (bonus for us).

It's a nice little farm to spend an hour or two and we really enjoyed feeding the animals, especially the alpacas who were real characters.

There is limited parking at the Farm so do check for alternative spots before you go.

#billquaycommunityfarm #feedingtimeatthefarm #gruffalo #freshair #alpacas #notboredoutdoors

Ouseburn Farm and Seven Stories

Hi Everyone,

Recently we had a few hours to fill so decided very last minute to head to Ouseburn Farm Charity Ltd and Seven Stories. It's so lovely to be able to just do that now and not worry about booking.

We always think that these two places go hand and hand not only because they are right next door to each other in the Ouseburn Valley of Newcastle but they just work as a pair. 

Ouseburn Farm is very sweet it has, sheep, pigs goats and some small animals. You can wander round the gardens and relax in the cafe. The Farm is FREE to enter (donations welcome) they do have a fair few events going on so definitely worth checking their website to see what's on as it would definitely enhance your visit.

Seven Stories has been a favourite museum of ours since the kids were tiny. It's now FREE entry (donations welcome) they have lots of bookable events going on for a variety of ages so again do check the website to see if anything takes your fancy. Our youngest particularly enjoyed our visit. It's a very lovely place with lots of things going on and to engage with, you could easily spend hours inside. They also have a cafe in the book shop and a more formal cafe.

The Farm and Seven Stories are not open every day and opening days can change over the holidays so make sure to check before setting off.

#ouseburnfarm #sevenstories #animals #books #handsdirty #clean #crafts #storytime #feedtheanimals #notboredoutdoors

Better Extreme Trampoline Park

Hi Everyone,

We know how popular trampoline parks are and wanted to highlight one of our favourites, Better Extreme in Newcastle. 

Sessions start from as little as £4 per child which is amazing value for money. This park is slightly smaller than some of the other parks but has a Dodge ball area, foam dive pit, tumble tracks and many individual bounce squares, more than enough to keep the kids happy for the full session.

There is also a large soft play frame right next to the trampoline park so perfect if you have younger and older kids as you can keep an eye on the older ones from the soft play area or can make it a longer experience by booking both. 

There is a lovely onsite cafe that is very reasonably priced with plenty of seating. You can also enjoy a game of air hockey or pool for £1 or table football for 50p.

Fab place and great value for money!

#better #betterextremenewcastle #trampolinepark #bounce #tirethekidsout #notboredoutdoors 

https://www.better.org.uk/

February Half Term Ideas

Hi Everyone,

Here is a list of some activities, events and places to keep the kids entertained this February Half Term. The activities included are either free or just have a small charge to help keep the half term costs low.

Stephenson Railway 

Heritage train rides will be available on the 20th, 24th and 27th between 11am-4pm. Pre-booking advised prices start at £4 child and £6 adult.

www.stephensonsteamrailway.org.uk

Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art

Two free family days on the 23rd and 24th drop in anytime between 10am-6pm. Suitable for families of all ages. Full activities on offer can be found on their website.

https://baltic.art/learn/families-early-years/baltic-family-days

Wallington 

On Saturday 19th between 11am-2pm you can help plant trees as part of the green recovery challenge fund. Also between the 19th and 27th 11am-3pm help to plant snowdrops. These events are free but normal admission charges apply.

www.nationaltrust.org/wallington

Souter Lighthouse

On 21st, 23rd and 25th drop in to build a birdhouse suitable for ages 4-11 £5 per box.

Enjoy various sports on Foghorn Field on the 22nd and 24th. All activities are free to take part in.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/souter-lighthouse-and-the-leas

Tynemouth Park

The parks fantastic Jungle Wipeout and Pirate Quest Maze will be back open this February half term along with The Lost World Adventure Golf and the Boating Lake.

Opening and closing times are number and weather dependent so please call 0191 2587593 to confirm.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2021/04/tynemouth-park.html

The Word

On the 22nd enjoy free drop in arts and crafts hosted by Williby Rocs between 10am-2pm 

24th create a Roman Numeral Scroll between 11am-3pm

suitable for families of all ages.

https://theworduk.org/

Cleadon Park Library

On the 23rd drop in between 10am-12pm to have a go at creating a Roman Numeral Scroll. Free and suitable for families of all ages.

http://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/libraries

Fire and Ice Festival Durham

Head to Durham on the 25th and 26th February between 10am-6:15pm for a fabulous trail of ice sculptures, flaming beacons, live carving displays, interactive sculptures and live entertainment. This is a free activity. Read about what to expect in the link below.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2020/02/durham-fire-and-ice-festival-review.html

Morph Trail North Tyneside

Running between 29th Jan and 3rd April throughout North Tyneside there will be 20 Morphs to find allowing you to explore the city on a fun free self led trail. There is a booklet which you can download or the app to help you on your trail.

https://newcastlegateshead.com/events/morph-trail

Parks are always lots of fun and can be a lovely free day out. Our favourite parks can be found here:

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com/2021/07/top-parks.html

Don’t forget you can also search our website for lots of ideas for days out around the North East and beyond.

https://notboredoutdoors.blogspot.com

South Lakes Safari Zoo (Re-Up)

Hi everyone,

On Sunday 25th August 2019, we were lucky enough to visit South Lakes Safari Zoo and take part in a number of their animal experiences, which were amazing and insightful. 

Firstly we met and fed the female Kordofan Giraffes, these are absolutely beautiful and the whole experience was amazing. Seeing the giraffes using their long black tongues to reach out and take the food from our hands was spectacular.

We then moved onto feeding the ringtail and rough Lemurs which were the most gentlest animals we have ever met. They were holding onto our hands whilst taking the food, such a surreal moment. 

By far the most unique experience we have ever had was hand feeding the mother and son Jaguars Bonita and Remi. This was absolutely amazing, to see these animals up close and personal really helps you to appreciate their size and beauty. This is something we will never forget. 

Unfortunately all these animals are classified as Endangered or criticality endanger in the wild due to deforestation, hunting and the tourist trade in their native countries. This is such a shame for any creature let alone gorgeous ones like these. 

We finished the day by feeding the Humboldts Penguins. These little ones like their food and will surround you in an instant but we didn't mind as they are lovely. 

The Safari Zoo in general is fantastic. Unlike other zoos we have visited, this one feels very relaxed and open. It feels more like you are part of the animals world rather than viewing them inside an enclosure. The staff are very friendly and welcoming. Their knowledge is extraordinary and you can see they are extremely passionate about their job. 

As well as pre-booking animal experiences as we have detailed above, there are many opportunities throughout the day to feed and interact with the animals and keepers. 

The zoo is open year round with the exception of Christmas day. It is very reasonably priced but they also have offers available on the door if you purchase a map for £1 or book online to save 20% using the link below. 

https://www.southlakessafarizoo.com/online-safari-saver/

Overall this was a unbelievable and unforgettable trip. We would thoroughly recommend anyone to go and support this fantastic zoo with the work that they are doing whilst making family memories that will last a lifetime. Here are some photos and videos from our time there.