Anyone know Ryton, Northumbria? Family stuff to do in the vicinity?

I am taking the family up to a cottage in Ryton next week and need some suggestions for stuff to do. I am planning on visiting 'Noo Cassell' city centre and Beamish, probably go up to the coast to have a look at some beaches. I would like to have a shufti at Hadrians wall too. So, locals, what else is there? Me and the missus would quite like to get out for a fell run too at some point if poss. – can't take the bikes :0(

Newcaslte, Hancock Museum or whatever it's called now, Centre for Life often has something on, Science Museum, Sage and Baltic Galleries.

Hadrian's wall good call there's Vindolanda and the other centre I forget now.

Beaches, spoilt for choise really but go for the ones north of Amble for the cleanest and nicest.

There's also a few Breweries near by.

Ooh, thanks for that Drac. Nice one.

Hancock museum has just had comprehensive refurb including new exhibits although not entirely sure whats there.
If you want pubs, the Ouseburn is good – a little out the city centre.
Fell running from Rothbury would be good – only 25-30mins drive from Newcastle. Also not a bad town for a wander around. (In ten mins). Hadrians Wall up around Once Brewed is nice. (Where they filmed some scene from a Robin Hood film I seem to recall?!)The pub there is alright too!

Guess it depends on how far you wanna go. If its fell running I'd go to my old town of allendale and there are tons of routes on nice open deserted moorland for running or biking.

Tourist sites have already been mentioned: beamish/hadrians wall… the beaches of northumberland are stunning and if you go to the coast try and get up to Bamburgh and Holy Island. Check tide crossings. Hexham is a nice market town, as is Morpeth and Rothbury.

The Hancock is ok and free but I didnt rate the centre of life. If its art try the Laing and the Baltic in Newcastle.

For something different you could go to Killhope Lead mine and go down the mine itself. Another stunning bit of the world, englands last deserted wilderness over there and near alston.

oh just noticed the family stuff… depends on age of kids but still worth doing the hancock/killhope lead mine/beamish/vindolanda and housteads at the roman wall/beaches/bamburgh castle/alnwick castle (early harry potters filmed there), whatever their age.

Oh yeah Alnwick Castle and Gardens forgot about them and they're only down the street from me. 😳

RYTON- my specialist topic.

Agree with all the big points above, but:

If going into town the bus service is quite good, then you can leave the car behind. The Metro Centre influence a lot of the bus routes, so beware. Though MC to town has very good links so you can always turn it into a loop and do two in one hit.

The area is just where Tyne and Wear changes to countryside, and you get an interesting mix.

The pubs on the main road in Ryton/Crawcrook are not my favourites, though you can spot lots of chavs. The pubs in the bottom of Ryton Old Village are a bit better and Brian in the Rising Sun in Crawcrook keeps a good pint. He smiles once a decade.

Good food is a bit of an issue. The Ryton Country Hotel and Hedgefield Hotel all depend on the chef and the spotty teenager serving you.

From the Church in Ryton you can drop down to the Tyne and hit cycle/walking/jogging path land. You can then do a nice loop crossing the river at Wylam and Newburn. The Boathouse near the bridge at Wylam does excellent real ale. The Keelmans at Newburn has its own brewery and does half decent pub grub (though not in a Chelsea willy waving manner). The loop is about 6 miles. Deviate half a mile from the loop on the north side and you can hit Close House. This is now owned by the Sage accountancy chap and is pushing hard to be posh. Does very expensive high teas.

If you are a Civil War buff, then there is the Battle of Newburn Bridge to look into.

If you a railway buff then Wylam is full of history, including a little museum where George Stephenson was born.

Two pubs in Wyalm also do half decent bar food – the Fox & Hound and the Black Bull. The Bistro in Wylam won't poison you either.

Hexham has the odd spot to look at, and Corbridge is quite nice.

Prudhoe castle is worth a look in (though nowt like Alnwick).

If you are after full on empty Northumberland and miles of beaches then you will need to get in the car.

I live in Wylam. Bistro En Glaze is very nice for food, but possibly a bit pricey for a family meal. The Boathouse pub (by the bridge) is good if you like real ale (CAMRA award winning pub with 12 ales on tap). Fox and Hounds is pretty dead. Bull is decent food too.

The Lion And Lamb in Horsely is good food too.

oh………and depending on the family age, this is an excellent walk:

Rothbury

Gibside is worth a visit too. Nice gentle forest walks, ruined stately buildings and pretty much certain to see the Red Kites circling overhead.

Thanks everyone for some great ideas. I had never been to Northumbria until this year and I've been 3 times already. I am impressed by what I've seen so far and I am REALLY looking forward to next weeks trip!

Shhh Sparkle don't tell everyone, we like it quiet.

Now you're making me feel homesick… Greenside lad stuck down South

Bad weather – Prudhoe (pronounced prudda) baths up the road is good for the kids, there's a big wet and wild over at North Shields which is even better, but busy, though it ties in well with a trip to Segendenum (wallsend) museum.

Chopwell woods is nice for a walk, as is Wylam

The mention of the Rising Sun takes me back, it was my regular when I was sixteen, great pint of Boddies…

Fantastic little family run italian restaurant over in Rowlands gill, the Bellini

Steel Rigg to Housesteads as a fell run, park the car and get the bus along, then run back.

Down the river to Tynemouth (castle, priory, volunteer life brigade, beaches, surfing, rockpools) where you could spend several hours. There is a sea life centre there too. Up the coast to St Mary's Island with lighthouse etc.