Family fun at Cragside

A child doing cartwheels on the stone banks of Nelly's Moss Lakes at Cragside. — There's plenty of space to run around (or do cartwheels!) at Cragside. | © John Millar

Enjoy a day of adventures with the kids at Cragside. There's plenty of space to run around (and do cartwheels!) and lots of things to discover as you explore the grounds this summer.

What to wear and bring with you

The terrain at Cragside is varied. It is rocky and gravelly in places with a few hills climbs when you’re out and about. Sturdy footwear for everyone in your group is essential. It's good to keep an eye on the weather. If it’s been raining, make sure you’ve packed your wellies and waterproofs. Don't forget your suncream, hats and extra water for those warmer days too.

Exploring with buggies and pushchairs

Walking to the play area and routes around Tumbleton Lake and Nelly's Moss Lakes are accessible with a buggy however paths are gravelly, rocky and include hills in places.

Toilets and baby change

Toilets at baby change facilities can be found at the visitor centre, Crozier car park next to the play area, and the House.

Picnic area and benches

Picnic benches can be found across Cragside but some of our favourites with the kids are Crozier (next to the play area), at the top of the rocky banks of Nelly’s Moss and around Tumbleton Lake, right next to the visitor centre.

There are lots of places to stop and take a breather when you’re out exploring. There are benches at the tops of hills and nestled under trees so you can take a moment to rest your legs and enjoy the views too.

Play the day away

Adventure play area

Nearest car park is Crozier, via the Carriage Drive.
The kids can balance along the beams of the log mountain, climb to dizzy heights on the witch's hat, clamber up frames, glide on a zip and slide down tunnels. There's plenty of space to run around and make friends with picnic benches nearby to enjoy snacks and nibbles.

Crozier kiosk is also open during the school holidays, serving snacks, drinks and ice creams.

Trim Trail

Nearest car park is Crozier, via the Carriage Drive.
Hop across tyres, swing between bars and climb over cargo ropes on the trim trail. There are four sets of frames to discover on the path between the play area and the labyrinth. Perfect for the ultimate game of the floor is lava.

Driving:

Parking at Crozier car park is highly recommended. To get to the car park, drive through the archways of the House to join the Carriage Drive, a 6-mile loop of the estate. Crozier car park is roughly half way round and well sign-posted.

Walking:

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can walk to the play area too. This route includes a steep climb on a gravel path.

The walking route to the play area starts on the slope between the main car park and the House. Look out for the sign on your left as you walk down the bank towards the House.

Take this path up hill. After a while, the gravel path levels out.

Keep following the path until you reach a T-junction. Turn right.

After a short distance you will come across Slipper Lake – a small lake nestled between the trees. Keep following the path straight on so the lake remains on your left.

This path bends round to the left and after a short distance you will reach Crozier Drive. Ahead of you, you’ll see a large gate. Walk around this gate. The play area is on your right.

Unleash your imagination

Den Building

Next to the adventure play area. Nearest car park Crozier, via the Carriage Drive.
Located right next to the adventure play area, the whole family can get creative and build a grand design. Use the sticks and branches provided to create your dream home, a rocket to travel through space or a ship to travel around the world...the possibilities are endless!

Fairytale quests

The Labyrinth

Nearest car park is Nelly's Moss, via the Carriage Drive.
The labyrinth is a giant maze cut into a forest of rhododendron. Hunt for William the Wizard, create your own tale of courageous quests in the storyteller’s chair and see if you can find Nelly’s Den at the heart of the labyrinth. It's not just for the kids.

Top tip: We want everyone to have fun when in the labyrinth. It’s good to keep the kids in sight as you explore. Before entering, let your group know that if anyone gets lost, they should stand still and shout, so you can follow their voice and find them. If you need further assistance, please call the emergency number on 07818 240 068.

A nature adventure

A walk at Cragside can feel like you're discovering an unknown land. Very different to the rolling hills of Northumberland that surround Cragside, on a walk you can take the kids on walks through dynamited ravines, along stone-stepped paths, between rock formations and alongside sparkling lakes.

The Rocky Ramble

On this short but circular hike you will clamber up stone steps, duck under giant boulders and travel along winding paths cut between the rock. This waymarked walk starts at Dunkirk Car Park - the first stop point around the Carriage Drive. Look out for the brown waymarkers.

Download the Rocky Ramble directions

The Gorge

A trek through the Gorge is a mini adventure. As you walk through this dynamited ravine you will descend rugged steps that have been chiselled into the rock. At the mid-way point is a wooden bridge where you can watch water cascading over waterfalls into the river below. To get to the Gorge, walk through the Pinetum until you reach a stone bridge, and turn left through the gate. See if you can spot the little House carved into the cliff as you explore.

More walking and places to find

Nelly's Moss

A walk around Nelly's Moss is a family favourite. It's reasonably level and follows the banks of the twin lakes at the top of the grounds. During the summer, you can spot dragonflies skimming the water's surface, frogs and toads hopping along the paths in front of you and herons dipping their feet in the water. Pick up the blue waymarkers from Crozier car park, roughly half way around the Carriage Drive.

Download the Nelly's Moss Lakes walk directions

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Two children climbing on a tree sculpture called Douglas at Cragside. The artwork is the face of a mythical green giant. His face his made up of leaf shapes. He's not smiling, but he has a peaceful expression as though he's watching over the woodland. — Take a selfie with 'Douglas' in the Pinetum. | © National Trust Images / Annapurna Mellor

Cragside's Summer Challenge

This activity sheet is filled with nine things to do and places to find. See how many you can tick of the list during the holidays.

1. Go on a quest through the labyrinth.
2. Walk around Nelly's Moss Lakes.
3. Follow the Rocky Ramble.
4. Discover the Gorge.
5. Find all the colours of the rainbow in the Formal Garden.
6. Take a selfie with 'Douglas', Cragside's friendly giant in the Pinetum.
7. Make a big build in the den building area.
8. A game of the floor is lava along the trim trail.
9. Play the day away at the adventure play area.

Pre-download your finder sheet here.

History hunts and the House

It wouldn’t be a summer in Northumberland without a rainy day (or two!). There’s lots of ways for the kids to creatively explore Cragside’s pioneering past and discover why we call it Britain’s original smart home.

Critter Crawl
Free, self-led, all ages
Along the Critter Crawl, the kids can find out about the creepy crawlies that like to make a home a Cragside House and why we need to catch them. Using a trail card, the whole family can go on a hunt for over-sized critters in the rooms. The trail ends in the Conservation Studio where you can discover more about how we care of the House and examine the bugs we have captured over the last few weeks.

Explorer Packs
Free, self-led, recommended for children under 5
The Explorer Packs are a great way to introduce Cragside’s history to pre-school children. In the packs are glasses, a wooden toy camera and a magnifying glass so children can creatively explore and get up close to some of the objects on display.

Smart Trail
Free, self-led, recommended for children under 12
Why is Cragside’s House Britian’s original smart home? The Armstrongs filled the House with innovative technology and gadgets for efficient, modern living. There is evidence of their innovation and technology all over the House. Look out for the Smart Home trail cards in different rooms, with clues for things to find. Can you find all 8 objects?

The Electric Room
Free, drop in. This space can be busy.
Step inside William Armstrong’s laboratory at the House. This interactive space has been imaginatively created to bring Armstrong’s electrical experiments to life once more. With lots of buttons to push, you can discover more about his fascination with power and how he photographed electricity moving through water.

A family of three, one adult and two children, are enjoying a stroll through the Pinetum at Cragside on a sunny day.

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Things to do in the gardens at Cragside

Explore the ultimate designer garden. With spectacular vision, William and Margaret Armstrong transformed the grounds from a bare moorside into a fantasy mountain landscape. Created for beauty and function you’ll discover towering trees, overflowing flower beds, trickling burns, dramatic water cascades and engineered lakes that were created to harness the power of water.