If you’re planning to visit some National Trust properties during your stay then Gibside in Tyne & Wear is just part of the fantastic National Trust offer across the North East of England.
Set amid the backdrop of the Derwent Valley, close to Newcastle, Gibside boasts both historic ruins and the space for walking, enjoying wildlife and with some spectacular and perhaps unexpected views. It is one of the few surviving 18th Century landscapes and was designed to make the most of the surrounding vistas and create some real ‘wow’ moments.
There are 600 acres of gardens, woodland and countryside to explore with four marked walks to choose from, The Liberty Trail, The Nature Trail, The Explorer Trail and Valley Views Trail with each one taking you on a different route around the landscape. The many miles of pathways are perfect for peaceful walks where you can enjoy wildlife spotting and with plenty of places to stop and pause, or you might choose to venture off into the wider Estate to enjoy a hike over more varied terrain.
The Column to Liberty in the distance
There are many highlights and landmarks across the site including a restored stable block, ruins of the Grand Hall, the walled garden and garden cottage, the orangery and overlooking it all, The Column to Liberty. However perhaps the centrepiece of the Bowes’ Georgian landscape garden is the neo-classical chapel which was designed by renowned Palladian architect James Paine which sits framed by trees at the end of the half mile-long avenue.
Gibside’s neo-classical chapelThe avenue at Gibside
If you would prefer to enjoy Gibside with the guidance of an expert tour guide then there are both landscape garden tours and history tours, although days and times vary so please do check in advance. There are all the usual facilities you would expect to find at a large NT property, with cafe, loos, shop and second hand book shop and with a varied programme of seasonal events.
National Trust properties are always a superb way to spend a day out during your holiday here and we’re lucky to have some real beauties in this part of the UK. For more NT inspiration take a look at our recent blog post about one of our own favourites, the magnificent Cragside House and Estate.
Northumberland has some great National Trust properties to enjoy, from tiny houses to magnificent estates and you will find each and every one fascinating and an absolute joy to visit. Cragside sits within the Northumberland National Park near the market town of Rothbury and the house, the gardens, the estate and even the drive from St Oswald’s over to Cragside is impressive on the biggest scale. Cragside House and Estate was created by Lord William and Lady Margaret Armstrong, William who was a visionary Victorian inventor and Margaret a keen gardener and together their vision and their passion for engineering and natural sciences transformed a baron land into what we see today.
Cragside House from The Pinetum (image B Wake)
The Victorian mansion was a pioneering home, perhaps the first ever ‘smart home’, it was the first house to be powered by hydroelectricity generated using hydraulics which harnessed power from nearby lakes. Throughout the house you will see many of the ‘mod cons’ that the Armstrongs and their guests enjoyed and their staff used, an early dishwasher, rotating spits, fitted sinks with hot running water and even central heating. The library houses four of the inventor Joseph Swan’s original incandescent lamps and the house shone with electric light, which was powered by Armstrong’s expertly integrated hydroelectricity system.
The gardens are just as impressive, enjoy the formal garden which covers three acres and lies over three levels and enjoys views to the South overlooking the Coquet Valley and the Simonside Hills. There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy the formal garden and it includes the Orchard House, The Clock Tower and The Quatrefoil Pool although the centrepiece has to be the Italian Terrace.
Formal Garden 📷 N ArmstrongFormal Garden 📷 N ArmstrongPinetum 📷 N Armstrong
Enjoy a stroll through The Pinetum which is made up of a collection of non-native coniferous trees all planted especially for their scale and size and is home to some of the tallest of their kind in the UK. Planted 160 years ago, the original trees still stand today and as you gaze upwards they create such a majestic feel and remember to keep your eyes peeled for red squirrels as you saunter. From the Pinetum a walk along the waterside brings you to iconic iron bridge and beyond that the Rock Garden, a rockery on a monumental scale that is filled with azaleas and rhododendrons. Cragside is renowned for it’s annual show of over a million rhododendrons and June is wonderful time of year to see this spectacle.
A riot of colour in the gardens and on the carriage drive
There are over 40 miles of footpaths at Cragside and there are some great walks and trails to help you navigate your way around, choose from The Armstrong Trail, The Gun Walk, Nelly’s Moss Lakes Walk or the Inspiration Walk, all the trails are downloadable on the National Trust website.
To fully appreciate the Armstrong’s creation then be sure to take the Carriage Drive which is a 6 mile route around the Estate with plenty of places to stop and admire the view or park up in one of the many car parks and explore on foot on one of the waymarked walks. Look out for caves, sculptures, the timber flume, boathouses and of course the wonderful wildlife that is resident in this beautiful part of Northumberland.
Nelly’s Moss Lake
As you would come to expect from a National Trust property there are all the usual amenities and there are three eateries offering breakfast, lunch and plenty of cakes and bakes. Cragside is a full day out but please bear in mind that many of the paths are steep and can be rough in places so do wear appropriate footwear. Cragside is one of our favourite days out and we hope you love it as much as we do.
One of our all time favourite days out has to be Wallington Hall, a National Trust beauty that we quite simply love to visit. This elegant 17th century mansion is built around the core of an earlier medieval house and Pele tower and is set in acres of beautiful gardens, woodland, nature trails, ponds and even a hidden walled garden and restored Edwardian greenhouse.
Wallington Hall South Drive (c) Raymond Purvis
Wallington Hall is just a 30 minute drive from St Oswald’s Farm, leaving you time to indulge with a lie-in before setting off to enjoy a relaxing day out. Heading north-east on the B6342 will take you on a scenic route through some lovely rural countryside and small hamlets.
Twenty minutes into the journey you’ll spot Kirkharle Courtyard, and with a small number of craft shops, galleries, a lakeside walk and a cafe it’s the perfect coffee stop.
Kirkharle is in fact the birthplace of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, an English Landscape Architect born in the early 18th century and once described as the Shakespeare of Gardening and as England’s Greatest Gardener! The courtyard at Kirkharle holds an exhibition of his life and work and you can even admire a recently created piece of Capability Brown’s design which has now been made a reality.
Following the discovery of long forgotten plan by Brown, the past 10 years have seen the creation of a serpentine lake surrounded by swathes of new planting. The project began in 2009 and visitors can now enjoy the 1km walk around the lake and there are several benches and viewpoints to sit and take in the design and landscape as once envisaged by Lancelot Brown himself.
A further 10 minute car journey takes you to Wallington Hall itself, and as the Mansion comes into view with its Ha-Ha and Griffin Heads it’s unmistakable. A visit to this impressive and once home of Sir Charles Trevelyan gives insight into this remarkable man and his unconventional family. You can explore the history of Northumberland in huge pre-Raphaelite paintings around the Central Hall or take time to admire the furniture and occasional quirky curiosities in every room.
The Trevelyan family loved being outdoors and close to nature, and the house and grounds are testament to that. The natural yet landscaped gardens are in the style of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, who schooled just around in the corner in the village of Cambo, and the gardens compliment the rural Northumberland setting. There are plenty walks to enjoy, lakes, farmland and woodlands to admire, with lots of places to sit quietly and take in the abundant beauty. Don’t forget to keep your eyes open for wildlife hides, as you never know what you might spot!
The path through the East Wood is a mass of towering trees, colourful shrubs and huge ponds, and is also home to red squirrels, otters, bats and great spotted woodpeckers. Whichever path you take through the East Wood, whether it’s the Serpentine Path, the Centenary Walk with views over to Paine’s Bridge or the longer path that loops around the China Pond and past the impressive Portico House, you can revel in the nature and soak up the tranquility of the landscape.
When you reach Garden Pond, a mini-lake often covered in waterlilies and home to a family of geese, you will catch a glimpse of the jewel in this very large crown, the enchanting Walled Garden. Hidden beyond Neptune’s Gate at edge of the wood, the Walled Garden is an unexpected treat. Although originally built to grow fruit and vegetables, this irregular shaped Walled Garden is now filled with colourful planting & decorative shrubs. Stone steps runs down either side of the Mary Pool, a pond of clear water which feeds the stream that continues down through the garden. Further on yew hedges hide a small nuttery with spring bulbs and ornamental trees, while the cut flower borders erupt with colour through the summer months.
As with most National Trust properties there are toilets, a cafe and gift shop. There are plenty of walks to choose from and all signed so you can pick the one suitable for you, a gentle 1 mile stroll or even a 6 mile hike if you need to burn off that indulgent brunch! With the house and grounds to explore it would be easy to spend 3 to 4 hours at Wallington Hall or you may need slightly longer if you’re going on a longer walk or looking to soak up the atmosphere with coffee and a piece of cake!
Walled Garden Lower Terrace (c) Raymond Purvis
Wallington Hall is truly a joy to explore, you’ll find picnic benches and areas to pop down a rug to soak up the summer sun, the colours are something to behold during autumn but yet the displays of snowdrops and crocuses in the Spring ensure a visit to Wallington Hall is a great day out all year round. We hope you love it as much as we do!
There really is no end of wonderful days out to be enjoyed in Northumberland, whether you’re planning your first visit, you’re visiting for the second or the hundredth time you’ll be sure to leave with fond memories of your time here. If you’d like to enjoy all that’s on offer in Northumberland and stay in an award winning 5* cottage here on top of Hadrian’s Wall itself you can find all prices & availability here. We look forward welcoming you to Northumberland and to St Oswald’s Farm!
