North East

Lose yourself in the North East's characterful houses and their glorious gardens, discover atmospheric woodland and rugged coastlines and explore other gems including a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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Cragside House on a spring day. The House is surrounded by green trees and there are some flowers appearing in the Rock Garden that surrounded it.

Place

Cragside

Explore Britain's original smart home which sits at the heart of a grand designer garden.

Emerging spring leaves near the Chapel at Gibside

Place

Gibside

A Georgian landscape garden forged in an industrial past.

Wallington Hall with the courtyard behind, Northumberland

Place

Wallington

Discover Wallington, where a historical house meets rolling hills, woodlands and a walled garden.

South lawn at Seaton Delaval Hall in the spring sunshine

Place

Seaton Delaval Hall

A place of great theatricality, drama and mischief

House and garden in spring at Ormesby Hall with colourful tulips

Place

Ormesby Hall

Home to the Pennyman family, Ormesby Hall, garden and parkland is a green oasis in the heart of industrial Middlesbrough.

The red and white striped tower and white buildings of Souter Lighthouse with its square white Foghorn House topped with two large black horns in the foreground.

Place

Souter Lighthouse and The Leas

A historic lighthouse overlooking nature-rich clifftop grasslands, coastal park and rugged coastline.

A wide aerial view over Crook Hall Gardens on a sunny spring day. Trees and shrubs are in full leaf, with colourful flowers in borders between green lawns. The roof of the café can be seen between the gardens and buildings on the edge of the city, with Durham Cathedral just visible in the distance

Place

Crook Hall Gardens

Characterful gardens on the edge of Durham city, set against the backdrop of a medieval hall.

View of the rocky crag and causeway below Lindisfarne Castle, Northumberland, taken at low tide

Place

Lindisfarne Castle

A castle (that’s not a castle), on an island (that’s not an island).

Cherryburn farmhouse with snake head fritillary in the foreground with blue sky overhead

Place

Cherryburn

Cottage and farmhouse, the birthplace of Thomas Bewick

A visitor walks on a sunny day at Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort, Northumberland.

Place

Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort

Roman wall running through an often wild landscape

The exterior of Washington Old Hall against clear blue sky. Carved stone eagles top the walls either side of a set of stone steps. Trees in leaf are visible and a pink dog rose is close up in the foreground.

Place

Washington Old Hall

Manor house associated with the family of George Washington, first president of the USA

A family on a walk in autumn around Inner Farne at the Farne Islands, Northumberland

Place

Farne Islands

National Nature Reserve home to an internationally important breeding colony of thousands of seabirds and grey seals.

Child exploring the garden at Crook Hall Gardens, Durham

Family-friendly places in the North East

Houses and buildings in the North East

A grandmother and grandchild play together in the gardens, Ormesby Hall, North Yorkshire

Dog-friendly places in the North East

Visitors admiring the autumn view on their walk along the footpath at Hadrian's Wall and Housesteads Fort, Northumberland

Coast and beaches in the North East

Visitors having lunch in the café at Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland

Places to eat in the North East

Young boy rockpooling at Souter Lighthouse and The Leas, Tyne & Wear

May half term holiday fun in the North East

With the next school holidays on the horizon, there are plenty of adventures and activities to be had in the North East. Join us during May Half Term for sports and outdoor games, seashore safaris and pond dipping, or discover where to enjoy a whole week of nature or musical inspired family fun.

Cycling at Wallington, Northumberland in November

Activity

Outdoor activities at Wallington

Reconnect with nature at Wallington and explore miles of footpaths along rivers and through woodland, bring your bikes and try the cycling trail and spot wildlife including red squirrels and otters.

A view along rugged grass-topped cliffs, with Souter Lighthouse in the distance. A rock archway stands in rough sea off the headland.

Article

Outdoor activities at Souter Lighthouse and The Leas

Whether you want to walk, run or cycle, the green open space at Souter Lighthouse and The Leas provides the perfect base for getting outdoors.

Travel by train, bus, bike or on foot for a sustainable day out in the North East

Family walking with coffee out in woodlands

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Places you can visit in the North East without a car

Whether you’re looking to travel by train, bus, bike or foot, there are many places in the North East that you can visit without a car - here's the info to help you plan a car-free day out.

From coastguard lookouts and fishermen's cottages to somewhere cosy inland, with an open fire you and your dog can warm yourselves in front of after a long walk, there are some unforgettable places to stay in the North East.

Puffins on the Farne Islands, Northumberland

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Northumberland and the North East

Discover our places to stay across Northumberland. Whether you're a nature lover searching for somewhere you can spot coastal wildlife, or a history fan looking to explore Roman ruins, these cottages are the perfect base for your adventures.

A staff member in a room with a stone fireplace and antique wooden chairs, talks to a family, who are holding clipboards with activity sheets

Volunteering in the North East

Join the volunteers who help look after the many interesting places in the North East, and ensure visitors have a great day there – from Cragside to Souter Lighthouse and Seaton Delaval Hall.

National Trust staff talking to volunteers before beginning work on Brean Down, North Somerset

Article

Supporter groups in the North East

Meet like-minded individuals in the North East by joining a supporter group near you. Enjoy a programme of talks and trips while supporting special places.

See all events

Event

Gibside health walk

Gibside, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear

Take part in a health walk around Gibside.

Event

Garden tours: history and literary links

Crook Hall Gardens, Durham

Step into the gardens' past.

Event

Delaval Discoveries: Potted History Talk

Seaton Delaval Hall, Seaton Sluice, Northumberland

Join our expert guides daily for an introduction to the gay Delavals, the most notorious of Georgian partygoers and pranksters and discover the story behind Sir John Vanbrugh's 300 year old masterpiece.

Event

Cragside Behind the Scenes Conservation Tour

Cragside, Morpeth, Northumberland

Join the team for a sneak peek behind the scenes at the House. Explore the servants quarters as you climb the narrow stairs, discover what life was like for the staff at Cragside and find out how we use what were their bedrooms today.

Event

Wednesday health walk

Souter Lighthouse and The Leas, Whitburn, Tyne & Wear

Explore the coast on a free guided walk.

Event

Landscape tour

Gibside, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear

Join us on a guided tour of the 18th century landscape garden and visualise the grandeur that once was the pride of George Bowes.

Event

Washington: Fact, Fiction and Folklore

Washington Old Hall, Washington, Tyne & Wear

A multi-media exhibition to celebrate Washington’s past, both real and mythical, marking 60 years as a New Town.

Event

Beaver enclosure safari at Wallington

Wallington, near Morpeth, Northumberland

New for 2024 Following the arrival of beavers at Wallington in the summer of 2023, the first in Northumberland for over 400 years, we're delighted to be working with Wild Intrigue to bring you beaver enclosure safaris this year.

Explore an area nearby

Visitors walking among daffodils at Dora's Field, Ambleside, Cumbria

Where will you visit next?

Discover lots of gardens, historic houses, days out at the coast and more.

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