North East Retro Den Arcade

 Hi everyone,

Yesterday we went along to the GEEK-tastic, North East Retro Den Arcade (NERD we seen what you did there) in Felling, Gateshead. It is most definitely a gem of an arcade. With tickets at a ridiculously cheap £5 per hour you'll get unlimited turns on classic arcade games including The Simpsons, Silent Scope, Tekken and Mortal Kombat to name a few. You can even add another hour for only £3!

We did not stop throughout the hour we had there jumping from game to game which kept the younger kids and the older kids (that remembers these games being released) entertained. All with no need to find another £1 for an extra life!

We even found out that you can hire the arcade for your special events, we can imagine some brilliant birthday parties taking place here. In line with this they also have a number of events going on throughout the year including NERD Fright Fest this October in the Boiler Shop, Newcastle. We'll certainly be checking this out and you never know we may just have something special planned for a lucky few 😉.

These guys really do have a passion for video games and it shows with the unreal amount of collectables, memorabilia and toys which are on sale in the shop and through the following website:

 www.gloriouslygeek.com

All in all a fantastic place, with very friendly staff, where you can easily spend a couple of fun filled hours with the whole family.

Give them a follow on Facebook to keep up with all things NERD-y

https://www.facebook.com/Northeastretroden/

#northeastretroden #nerdden #gloriouslygeek #retrogaming #familyfun #notboredoutdoors

Broom House Farm

 Hi Everyone,

We visited Broom House Farm and there Forest Adventure at the weekend. It had been a few years since our last visit so we were very excited to go back.

The Forest Adventure consists of lots of different woodland challenges, climbing frames, zip wires, slides and a fabulous buggy track just to name a few. There are also various trails around the forest from fairy spotting to animals and plants facts. When you a complete a trail the children get a little prize which we thought was a nice touch. The Forest Adventure is ideal for a variety of ages but we would say children 12 and under would get the most enjoyment out of it.

The farm itself is quite small but beautifully kept. There are goats, chickens, pigs, cows, ducks and turkeys. There is no charge to visit the farm on this fabulous location so it really is an added bonus. There was lots of baby animals on our visit which were just adorable and we were rather taken with the goats and their kids.

Broom House Farm has a very nice cafe which is reasonably priced. We saw alot of people eating sausage sandwiches which smelt lovely, as we have a coeliac daughter we unfortunately couldn't partake but did notice that they had a gluten free cake on the menu so could provide a nice for a treat after lunch. There are lots of seating options outside the cafe for food bought from there with a separate picnic area across the far side of the car park for those who bring their own. It did feel a shame that we couldn't eat in the main field as that hosts lots of play equipment and hay bales to play on but it wasn't an issue. This seating option could be ideal if you have little ones who are easily distracted while eating.

Booking for the Forest Adventure opens on a THURSDAY for that weekend and cost £5.95 per person (free car park) which we think is a very good price for a full day out.  You can book tickets here Broom House Farm

Road to the North Pole

 Hi Everyone,

This Christmas, Road to the North Pole is coming to Newcastle Arena. It is a fully immersive 90 minute experience filled with all things Christmas related. There are currently plenty of tickets available and prices starting at £24.50 for early bird admission.

"Road to the North Pole is a premium Christmas attraction located in Central Newcastle. It combines high quality theatrical performances, costumes and state of the art scenery with spectacular storytelling to create the most magical, immersive, walkthrough Christmas experience the North East has to offer. You and your family must work​ together to help save Christmas from Jack Frost. You will get the chance to meet some of your favourite Christmas characters, play lots of exciting games and even make some take home crafts all topped off with a very personal meeting with the REAL Santa where they will receive their very own Christmas gift." (Info from Road to the North Pole)

Full details about this event can be found here Road to the North Pole

Jarrow Hall

 Hi Everyone,

Yesterday we visited  Jarrow Hall . At the moment only the Farm and the Village are open which we found perfect for a few hours of fresh air.

The farm is very well set out and the animals all seemed thrilled to see us. We had a lot of fun feeding and petting them, especially the goats who were very keen to get some treats. The farm is set up to try and match how it would have been in Anglo-Saxon times and the animals are also in keeping with the time. There are goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, bulls and ponies. 

At the end of the farm there is a small Anglo-Saxon village with various buildings to explore. While in the village, we came across an 'anglo-saxon' making some repairs to the village meeting hall. He was extremely friendly and explained all about the building methods he was using and the different ways the buildings were used. He also spent alot of time telling us about life in Anglo-Saxon times and was very happy to answer questions for the kids. He definitely enhanced the day.

The staff on whole were amazing, one gentleman was telling us about the pigs and why they had that specific breed at the farm. Another staff member made the kids names into how they would have written in Anglo-Saxon times along with their ages and talked about the way words were written which the kids loved. They are definitely a credit to Jarrow Hall.

There are picnic tables, toilets and the gift shop is open. If you prefer to not bring your own food, the Hive cafe which is close by is also open.

The price of entry is also very reasonable £7 for adults and £4 for children over 5. This price includes admission for the rest of the year so it really is a bargain. 

You do need to pre-book before you attend but we found lots of slots were available.

You could team your visit with a trip to the local park, ruins and River. More details can be found here: St Paul's Monestry and River Don

The Big Household Treasure Trail Challenge

Hi Everyone,

We spent a fun afternoon taking part in Big Household Treasure Trail Challenge. You start my completing a mini virtual trail in Buckingham Palace and once you crack that case you then can go on to create your own treasure trail, complete with clues and map around your home. If you choose to submit it to Treasure Trails you have the chance to win your own trail made into an actual Treasure Trail!

Full info can be found in the link below:

Big Household Treasure Trail