Back to Nature at Cragside National Trust

 #ad Hi Everyone,

We spent a lovely day at Cragside this Good Friday and it was so lovely to be back visiting such a beautiful location.

Every time we visit Cragside, we find ourselves on a different route as the site is just so vast. This visit, we took a stroll around the lake with hot chocolates purchased from the cafe (takeaway only). We later ate our picnic at one of the tables over looking the lake which was a simply stunning view.

We then moved on to explore the river and the rocky paths leading up to the main house (currently closed due to covid restrictions). The scenery around Cragside is breathtaking and there are so many points to stop and admire it, with ample seating options.

After this, we moved onto the formal garden which was so peaceful and was filled with flowers. We also enjoyed watching the sheep milling around the adjacent field.

From here, we took a beautiful drive up to the higher parts of the site. Again we walked along another stunning lake and were able to have a peek at the play area which is currently under construction. We can't wait to go back when it is finished as it looks amazing. In this area there are more walks and a fantastic labyrinth. We didn't take on the challenge this visit but you can find previous reviews at NotBoredOurDoors . The labyrinth is always lots of fun and well worth a visit.

Cragside is such a vast site we find it impossible to do everything in one visit. For us this means there is always something new to discover whenever we go. The site is suited to all ages and it was lovely to see a range of families enjoying themselves today.

If you wish to go Cragside it, like most National Trust properties, is working on a booking system to ensure the site never becomes to busy. We personally think this works really well for a more relaxed feel. The site is also free for members, if your not already a member membership can be bought here:

National Trust Membership

Cragside Review

 Hi Everyone, 

We recently visited the wonderful Cragside National Trust in Morpeth. Cragside is a absolutely enormous site with so much to do. You can easily spend a full day exploring. 

On arrival after visiting the visitor centre and facilities we choose to do a trail that led us over the iron bridge allowing us to have wonderful views of the rivers and the main house. The trail then winds it way through the forest and passes by the old power house. We once spotted a deer while on this route. 

After exploring the forest we headed back to the house to enjoy a picnic outside. The house is set on top of a hill so the views of the surrounding vistas are wonderful. The house itself is currently closed but even just being outside is a lovely experience. 

Next we headed back to our car and drove to the labyrinth, you can walk the full route but as we've said Cragside is huge so a lovely scenic drive was a good option for us. Our kids love the labyrinth wich is set on the forest with wooden statues and tree house you can easily spend a few hours getting lost on. This is our children's favourite part of Cragside. 

After this we visited the adjacent lake. The lakes are beautiful at Cragside, surrounding by heather with a very mountain feel to them. There are lots of paths to walk around with plenty of seating to fully enjoy the views. 

Throughout the site there are toilet facilities, cafés and kiosks and plenty of seating areas. This review only contains a small snippet of what Cragside has to offer so we do recommend you check out their Web page to see more. Cragside is chargeable but free to National Trust members. We couldn't be without our membership so feel free to check the below link out about how to get yours. 

https://www.notboredoutdoors.co.uk/2020/01/scottish-national-trust-offers-ad-hi.html?m=1

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cragside