Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in North East England, renowned for its riverside cities, industrial heritage, cultural landmarks, and scenic coastlines.
1 Sep
Storytime: Summer of Play is an outdoor storytelling event for children up to 8 years old, featuring weekly stories about the adventures of wildlife. It takes place at Gibside Walled Garden and does not require booking. The event is free but normal admission charges to the venue apply.
11–13 Sep
Heritage Open Days at Gibside offer free entry on Friday 11, Saturday 12, and Sunday 13 September 2026. Visitors can explore parts of Gibside usually closed to the public, including the chapel crypt and special tours of the Banqueting House by the Landmark Trust. Activities include traditional demonstrations and hands-on experiences such as apple pressing. The event provides a relaxed opportunity to explore the historic estate and its natural surroundings.
13 Oct, 20 Oct…
Join walk leaders for a relaxed, approximately one-mile stroll along Gibside Avenue. The walk takes place every Tuesday and is described as a gentle health walk.
24–26 Oct, 28 Oct–1 Nov
Children can make nature-inspired autumn crafts using card, pens and natural materials, with the possibility of creating a corn dolly to take home. The drop-in craft sessions take place at various times during the week.
26 Oct
A family craft activity where attendees can make a bat-themed winged disguise for imaginative play and Halloween-season fun. The activity is suitable for children aged 3 and over, who must be accompanied by an adult.
7 Nov
At Gibside Stables, visitors can talk to volunteer bird ringers and watch them demonstrate bird ringing. The demonstration explains how information recorded about wild birds supports research and conservation.
Gibside is a historic Georgian country estate in Tyne and Wear featuring landscaped parkland, architectural ruins, and restored buildings such as the Palladian chapel and Banqueting House. Visitors can explore both outdoor grounds and significant indoor heritage structures.
7 Oct, 10–14 Oct…
Visitors follow a self-guided trail at the lighthouse, taking on lighthouse keepers’ daily tasks and exploring the building and grounds. The activities include climbing the lighthouse stairs and identifying plants outside.
30 Aug–2 Sep
Summer of Play at Souter 2026 is a family-friendly free event offering a range of imaginative and competitive play activities including self-led games in the gardens and foghorn field plus pop-up events like SEND sports, nature crafts, family yoga, and led games of football, rounders, and dodgeball. The event takes place indoors and outdoors around the lighthouse and its grounds with activities suitable for children of all ages.
17–21 Oct, 24–28 Oct…
Families can follow a self-guided trail through and around the lighthouse, exploring stories of smugglers and shipwrecks through activities along the way.
6 Sep
A guided outdoor walk led by Janet and Steven exploring the history, heritage, and nature around the Three Windmills near Souter Lighthouse. The walk is approximately 6 miles at a group-suitable pace, dog-friendly with dogs on leads, and suitable for children aged 10 and above with adult accompaniment.
27 Oct
A free outdoor sports day during October half term, with archery, football and other games and challenges for different skill levels. Children aged 3 and over can take part when accompanied by an adult.
Souter Lighthouse is the UK's first electric lighthouse, offering indoor historical exhibits and outdoor coastal walks including The Leas and Whitburn Coastal Park. Visitors can enjoy a café, bookshop, rockpooling, wildlife watching, and family events in a scenic coastal setting.
8 Oct–8 Nov (another 30 days)
The autumn almanac is a season-long programme at Gibside featuring autumn décor, exhibitions, floristry workshops, a poetry walk, a Head Gardener’s talk, apple tastings, forest bathing and heritage pottery glazing.
8 Oct
Join the Gateshead Libraries team for a guided walk through Gibside’s gardens, hearing poetry and prose from different periods that reflect the autumn season. Attendees are welcome to bring a favourite poem to share.
2 Nov
A three-hour guided forest bathing experience involving sensory exploration, gentle movement, breathwork and moments of stillness. Attendees will also make simple eco-art and enjoy tea and cakes made with foraged produce.
Gibside is a Grade I-listed Georgian landscape garden near Rowlands Gill featuring historic ruins, extensive walking trails, and family-friendly outdoor activities including adventure play areas and den building. The venue includes a café, bookshop, and hosts seasonal events and guided tours, welcoming visitors and dogs alike.
30 Aug–2 Sep
The Summer of Play: Lighthouse Keeper Trail is a family-friendly interactive trail event at Souter Lighthouse where participants take on the role of a lighthouse keeper, completing daily tasks and exploring the lighthouse and its surroundings to learn about the historical life of lighthouse keepers. The trail involves climbing 76 steps and outside plant identification. The event is free to join but normal venue admission charges apply. No booking is required.
Souter Lighthouse, managed by the National Trust, is a historic lighthouse showcasing pioneering electric lighting technology and maritime heritage. Visitors can explore the lighthouse tower, engine room, and keepers' quarters as well as outdoor areas including a play area for children and enjoy special demonstrations of the lamps and foghorn.
29 Nov, 5–6 Dec…
Children and families meet an elf and Father Christmas at Gibside Stables for an interactive festive story. The 20-minute experience includes time for children to join in, followed by a small gift for each child and an opportunity for family photos.
28 Nov, 12 Dec
A florist-led workshop where attendees learn floral design and create either a traditional Christmas wreath or a Christmas door swag. Each session is a standalone hands-on craft experience.
Derwentcote Steel Furnace is an early 18th-century cementation furnace near Newcastle upon Tyne, preserved as a Grade I listed industrial monument and scheduled site, showcasing historic steel production methods.
8 Oct, 15 Oct…
A dementia-friendly coffee afternoon hosted by Age Concern Tyneside South at Whitburn Coastal Conservation Centre. Attendees can chat with others or take part in activities such as games, knitting, arts and crafts.
7 Oct, 14 Oct…
A sociable guided health walk around Gibside, with opportunities to enjoy the views and spot wildlife. The route is adapted to the group and may cover up to five miles.
9–10 Oct, 16–17 Oct…
At Gibside’s Walled Garden, gardeners demonstrate pressing apples and talk about the heritage varieties grown there. Visitors can also taste freshly pressed apple juice.
30–31 Aug
Summer of Play at Washington Old Hall 2026 is a family-friendly event featuring US-inspired games and activities, including lawn games like sack racing, skittles, and cornhole, along with crafts such as flag-making and facilitated sports. The activities are self-led in the gardens with some organised pop-up fun. The event runs on the 30th and 31st of August 2026 from 11:00 to 16:00. Admission to the venue is charged, but the event itself is free to attend without booking.
Birkheads Secret Gardens is a biodiverse hillside garden near Newcastle upon Tyne, featuring formal and cottage gardens, woodland areas, wildflower meadows, an orchard, and specialty themed gardens. Visitors can enjoy plant sales and refreshments during free access times for RHS members.
Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England, is a historically rich market town known for its vibrant arts and cultural scene including the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and The Glasshouse International Centre for Music. It features a walkable town centre, excellent rail and public transport connections, and notable landmarks such as the Angel of the North and Gateshead Millennium Bridge.
7 Oct, 28 Oct…
A sociable guided coastal walk led by Trevor and John, with opportunities to enjoy the views and spot wildlife. The walk returns to the Lighthouse Café.
26 Sep
Seasonal floristry workshops at Gibside led by Debbie from The Northern Flower Garden, teaching floral design techniques in a small group setting with hands-on guidance. Ticket includes refreshments and entry to Gibside. Suitable for adults 16+. A creative day out with a nature backdrop.
3 Nov
Join a Gibside ranger for a guided walk exploring seasonal nature and conservation, including insects, fungi and plant folklore. The 2.5-hour ramble may also include a wildlife survey or sightings of roe deer.
4 Jul–1 Sep
Pokémon joins Gibside's Summer of Play 2026, offering a summer of free family activities with play zones including Pokémon Trading Card Game, Georgian games, racket sports, music making, hobby horse racing, wildlife discovery, and guided sessions such as football and axe throwing. The event runs daily from 4 July to 1 September 2026, with activities for children of all ages and a range of outdoor and indoor experiences.
17 Oct–8 Nov
A community art exhibition at Gibside featuring nature-inspired self-portraits created by women and girls from Gateshead. The works reflect on identity, resilience and the restorative power of nature.
24 Oct
Participants make a crescent-shaped Halloween wreath using moss, autumn foliage and dried botanicals, with guidance from Debbie of The Northern Flower Garden. Seasonal decorations are provided, along with tea, coffee and homemade bakes.
1 Nov
A guided walk exploring Wylam’s railway history, including its early railway pioneers and historic lines. The route also visits Wylam Railway Museum and George Stephenson’s Birthplace.
19 Jul, 7 Aug…
Live music in the garden at Gibside features performances by local musicians in the Walled Garden. The event takes place outdoors with various musical acts scheduled throughout the summer, including acoustic folk, brass quintet, male voice choir, community wind band, and classical piano. No booking is needed to attend, but normal venue admission charges apply.
28 Nov 2026–17 Jan 2027
A woodland trail at Gibside invites visitors to discover fairy-themed details, including tiny homes tucked among tree roots and toadstools. The trail follows the woodland path outdoors.
George Stephenson's Birthplace is an 18th-century stone cottage in Wylam, Northumberland, showcasing the home of the rail pioneer and featuring exhibits about early steam locomotives. It is a historic house museum owned by the National Trust, though currently not open to the public.
17–19 Oct, 22–26 Oct…
Families can follow a self-guided Halloween trail through Washington Old Hall and its gardens, discovering historic markings associated with beliefs about witches and spirits and taking part in outdoor activities such as broomstick racing.
Washington Old Hall is a historic 12th-century manor house in Washington, Tyne and Wear, England, notable as the ancestral home of George Washington's family. Preserved and managed by the National Trust, it offers an indoor historical experience focused on England's medieval and early modern heritage.
Washington is a historic new town in Tyne and Wear, England, known for its ancestral links to George Washington and a variety of cultural, industrial, and natural attractions.
13 Sep, 20 Sep
Heritage Open Days at George Stephenson's Birthplace 2026 offers a guided tour uncovering the life of railway engineer George Stephenson in the cottage where he was born. Visitors can explore memorabilia, period furnishings, and learn about The Rocket steam locomotive, with time to enjoy the surrounding natural environment.
Heddon on the Wall is a free-to-access segment of Hadrian's Wall, a historic Roman frontier completed in AD 122 or 123. Visitors can explore this substantial outdoor stretch of the wall and nearby Roman heritage sites, with parking nearby and no entrance fee.
15 Sep, 19 Sep
Heritage Open Days at Souter Lighthouse 2026 offers free entry to the Souter Lighthouse on 15 and 19 September 2026. Visitors can climb the lighthouse tower to enjoy coastal views, explore the keepers cottage to discover the life of a lighthouse keeper, and join expert volunteer talks on the lighthouse and local history. The event also includes refreshments from the Lighthouse Café and a second-hand bookshop visit.
19 Sep
A hands-on autumn-themed terrarium workshop led by florist Debbie from The Northern Flower Garden, held at Whitburn Coastal Conservation Centre near Souter Lighthouse. Participants will learn the basics of making a healthy closed terrarium using autumn plants and natural materials, with guidance on design and care. Suitable for beginners aged 16 and over.
6 Dec
A community Christmas day at Tynemouth Priory and Castle featuring live music, entertainment, food and festive activities. Attendees can also take part in activities with Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade and get water safety advice.
Tynemouth Priory and Castle is a historic coastal site featuring medieval priory ruins and a fortified castle gatehouse, offering visitors both indoor exploration of architectural remains and outdoor coastal scenery. It showcases early Gothic architecture, historic military fortifications, and a rich monastic history dating back to the 7th century.
South Shields is a historic coastal port town in Tyne and Wear, England, known for its Roman heritage, extensive beaches, and vibrant cultural scene with museums, theatres, and festivals.
20 Oct
Participants can use foam leaf-shaped stamps and fabric-printing techniques to add their own print to a collaborative portrait of Mary Eleanor. The completed artwork will be displayed in the Walled Garden alongside self-portraits from the Roots of Me project.
2 Sep
Cloud Shrine is a gentle flowing movement and restful sensory immersion class aimed at people with energy-limiting chronic conditions such as M.E. or long COVID. The session includes gentle flow movements, a horizontal Body Scan Meditation with sound bowl, and ends with a warm drink, designed to help attendees with mental health and physical wellness.
10 Oct, 15 Nov
A historian leads a challenging six-mile walk around Gibside, exploring its industrial past, the Bowes family and historic remains hidden across the estate.
13 Dec, 20 Dec…
A series of Christmas music performances at Gibside Chapel features local groups, including an orchestra performing music from The Nutcracker, a male voice choir and classical piano pieces.
29 Oct, 26 Nov…
Join Gibside’s Head Gardener on a guided walk through the formal gardens and inner pleasure grounds, with seasonal highlights, horticultural history, gardening-team insights and tips.
29 Nov, 5–6 Dec…
Children can make Christmas cards, paper baubles and wreaths during drop-in seasonal craft sessions, and take their creations home.
17 Oct–8 Nov
Children under 8 can follow a harvest-themed quest around the Walled Garden, solving puzzles and discovering facts about apples along the way.
31 Aug
Family Games: Summer of Play at Gibside is an outdoor family event featuring classic school sports-day games such as egg-and-spoon race, parachute challenge, foam javelin throws, space hopper races, and blindfold games. Participants can drop by without booking to take part in the family challenge on the grass, with the meeting point at Green Close Field beside Gibside Hall. The event requires normal venue admission fee and runs on 31 August 2026 from 13:30 to 15:30.
18 Sep, 20 Sep
Heritage Open Days at Washington Old Hall 2026 offers free entry to explore the historic manor house and gardens on 18 and 20 September. Visitors can learn about the building's history related to George Washington's ancestors, browse the second-hand bookshop, and enjoy a picnic on site.
27 Oct
Meet Mabel, a rescued common pipistrelle bat, while Ranger Tim explains bat biology, dispels myths and discusses how to help protect bats. The encounter takes place in small timed sessions.
7 Sep, 5 Oct
Local musicians perform live traditional music from England and Western Europe in Washington Old Hall, bringing the historic hall to life. Performances by duo Julie and William occur on the first Monday of the month, featuring music from the medieval period to the 20th century. No booking is needed, but venue admission charges apply.
31 Aug–1 Sep
Parachute play: Summer of Play is an outdoor event at Gibside where families can drop by to play classic parachute games like creating a giant colourful mushroom, playing cat and mouse, and shark attack. It is a free event but normal venue admission charges apply.
28 Oct
A family craft event where visitors can take part in hands-on activities, such as origami or making colourful crafts to take home.
30–31 Aug, 3–7 Sep…
The North East Festival of Blossom 2026 presents the 'Blossom Through a Wearside Lens' photography exhibition at Washington Old Hall. This exhibition showcases a selection of photographs from a competition celebrating the beauty of nature in Sunderland. The photos are displayed around the gardens. The event is free to attend but normal venue admission charges apply, and no advance booking is needed.
29 Oct
Families can take part in outdoor agility games, racing through ladders and jumping over hurdles to test their speed, balance and coordination.
Hylton Castle is a medieval stone castle ruin located in Sunderland, England, managed by English Heritage and surrounded by parkland. The site features heraldic devices on its western façade and an adjacent chapel and is protected as a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument. Restoration plans include community use with a café and exhibition spaces, making it a historical and cultural visitor attraction.
8 Oct–8 Nov (another 30 days)
A photography exhibition showcasing the work of National Trust volunteer photographer Tony Blackett, exploring the details and perspectives found around us.
17 Oct–15 Nov
Families can follow an interactive Stranger Folk trail through Gibside’s landscape, solving clues and encountering creatures from British folklore as part of an app-based adventure. The app is designed for children aged 7–12, and the group can play together at their own pace.