Roseberry Topping

 Hi everyone,

Yesterday, we decided to stretch our legs with a little walk up The National Trusts Roseberry Topping in Newton Under Roseberry which is just over an hour away from South Shields. The site is free to visit and there is car park at the base that is pay per hour although we noticed several other free of charge options on the way out.

The walk is advertised as around 30 minutes.  We took a leisurely stroll and did the walk in about an hour each way so I would be surprised at anyone completing the full walk in 30 minutes unless they are very fit. The trail is suitable for all ages, we saw toddlers and walkers of an older age climbing to the summit. The climb is steep but not too taxing. There are many points to stop for a rest and even if you don't make it to the very top the views all the way up are stunning.

The walk takes you through the forest by the old hunting hut and on to the top of Roseberry Topping.  Just to reiterate there are stunning views along the way up.

We were lucky enough to have a magical moment when we got to the top as it started to snow which just topped a memorable day.

There are public toilets located in the car park along with picnic benches.

You can find more information on Rosemary Topping here:

Roseberry Topping National Trust

  

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

Wallington National Trust

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Hi Everyone,

Nothing beats getting out and about and it's even more important at the moment that we can enjoy open spaces and have a sense of freedom.

A National Trust pass offers you access to amazing open spaces  and beautiful properties throughout the year. It's definitely one of the best purchases we have ever made. You can buy your NT pass here:

http://tidd.ly/1178fc7e

This pass offers you free access and parking to sites right throughout the UK. It's brilliant value for money. They would also make a wonderful Christmas gift.

Visit our website: www.notboredoutdoors.co.uk to see lots of reviews from our visits to various NT properties.

We have included a video of our day out at Wallington today. At the moment you can enjoy the beautiful Christmas decorations, a Peter Rabbit trail (£2 charge), a woodland trail, a large wooden play area, a separate castle play fort, walled garden, shop, cafe (takeaway) and various scenic walks. Wallington is a vast site and you can definitely spend all day there. We have visited many times and are still finding new routes and places to explore.

Gibside

 Hi Everyone,

Just because the weather has turned colder it doesn't mean we can't enjoy outdoor adventures.

Autumn is a wonderful time in nature and it opens up alot of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy. From fruit picking to jumping in leaves to nature crafts there's definitely something for everyone.

Fountains Abbey

 Hi Everyone,

We visited the beautiful Fountains Abbey National Trust yesterday (20/9/20) one of our very favourite sites but what made it even more special this time was the children's play area has now reopened and it has lots of new elements too including a pretty amazing tree house.

We were lucky enough to have a lovely sunny day but I have to say Autumn and winter are probably our favourite seasons to visit National Trust sites. With the leaves falling and the crisp air they do have a more enchanting feel. 

The National Trust are still using a pre-booking system to ensure they are keeping the number of visitors on site low. We must say that this has worked really well and over the past couple of weeks the demand for booking has eased so its much easier to book a time slot.

Below is a link to our website to show you how to get a National Trust pass if you haven't already got one. Please feel free to look at our longer Fountains Abbey review and our other National Trust reviews on there too. 

https://www.notboredoutdoors.co.uk/2020/01/scottish-national-trust-offers-ad-hi.html?m=0

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Brimham Rocks and OFFER

 Hi Everyone, 

Today we visited Brimham Rocks National Trust in Harrogate. This is definitely the place to go for adventure lovers and kids who love to climb. Our youngest especially, was in her absolute element here.

As the name suggests this site is filled to the brim with rocks of all different sizes and shapes making some absolutely wonderful structures and most importantly perfect for climbing opportunities. With the varying sizes and shapes there is a definetly a rock that can be climbed by everyone. We really loved that there were, toddlers through to teens and of course adults all having a go and enjoying this outdoor adventure.

Our youngest who is 8 loves to climb anything and everything so attempted pretty much every rock we came across (within reason).

From the various vantage points you can see some amazing views of the country side and lots of farm animals to spot too.

If you don't want to climb the rocks you can just follow the trails rounds and admire the scenery we saw lots of dogs walkers doing exactly that.

The site is free to enter but parking in the large onsite car park is chargeable unless you are national trust members. The toilet facilities and kiosk were open and there was a lovely ice cream at the entrance. This was the busiest site we have visited since lockdown but as its so vast there are plenty of routes you can take to get away from any busier spots. We would definitely recommend going earlier in the day so you can make the most of it being quieter and if you fully explore the site we would say you'd need at least 4 hours.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brimham-rocks

#ad Click below for link to join the national trust, with family tickets for only £9.50pm:

https://tidd.ly/3eZrU9X

Gibside National Trust

Hi Everyone,

Today we visited Gibside National Trust for the first time since it had reopened. There is currently a new booking system in place to ensure the sites don't get too busy and I must say it worked wonderfully. We booked the 10:00-10:30am entry slot and it felt like we had the site to ourself.

We headed straight along the beautiful avenue (completing some wild challenges along the way) upto the stables and onto the play scape, which comprises of various wooden obstacles and objects to navigate round.

From there we headed to the low ropes challenge, this is a favourite spot of ours. Set in beautiful woodland you navigate various rope obstacles. We always time each other and see who can be the quickest to complete the challenge. The ropes are trickier than they appear and keep us entertained for a good while. We stayed here to enjoy our picnic on the table and benches.

After lunch, we headed to the den building area. Another favourite pass time of ours. We spent almost two hours on our creations today and they were pretty impressive, if I do say so myself.

We spent a full day here and didn't get round half of the site. We will keep the river walk, walled garden and geo-caching for our next visit.

The toilet facilities and cafe are open but the main playground and stables are still closed. This didn't take away at all from our day as there is so much to do at Gibside.

Gibside is chargeable but free for National Trust members. I couldn't recommend the benefits of a National Trust membership enough there are a huge amount of sites to visit and enjoy. We've found that the Scottish National Teust membership is cheaper and allows you into all the English sites. For more information on the National Trust Memberships follow the below link:

https://tidd.ly/3eZrU9X

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Easter Activities

Hi Everyone,

With the Easter holidays quickly approaching we have made a list of some of our top pics of Easter events to keep the kids entertained.

Feed the birds

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Hi Everyone,

Head to the beautiful Gibside Nation Trust this Saturday and Sunday (25th and 26th Jan) for their Feed the Birds Weekend. 

You can make a bird feeder to take home, visit the wildlife hide, chat to their resident experts and discover how you can support local wildlife where you live.

11am-3pm, activities free, normal admission applies.

Don't forget we have this brilliant offer just click the link to get your National Trust Family membership from only £6pm:

http://tidd.ly/1178fc7e

Read our recent psot for further information on the National Trusts which can be found here:

http://www.notboredoutdoors.co.uk/2020/01/scottish-national-trust-offers-ad-hi.html