Old Style Days Out

Rage_in_Eden · 12 August 2005 at 9:22PM

an area with low light pollution is preferable (hence OH and I's ride into the cheshire countryside in the wee hours!!) BUT take a chair and sit in the backgarden and providing there is no cloud- and clear skies are forecast - you will be able to see some - don't forget to wish now!!!

destiny_star2006 · 9 February 2008 at 7:20PM

Hi with the kids breaking up next week i just wondered what you guys do for fun times with the kids to keep them entertained for all of you that live near county durham could you please tell me wheres the best place to go in car bus train whatever thats cheap and cheerfull for a 4 year old little girl!
We do the normal things of going to park feeding the ducks etc but my daughter hates routine pretty much like her mum lol so she likes to do a variety of things
things we do together are the following
1.go to beach in summer
2.go on nature trails we write a list of things to find before we go ie worms pink flowers the list goes on and on and them we find them when out for work and it keeps her mind occupied and tick them off as we go and things that wont rot or are alive we put in a bag and make a scrap book along the way!
3.feed the ducks whilst taking dog for walk
4.go to various parks close to us 5 mins in car etc
5.go to amusements in summer and go to beach {not v mse but she loves it}
6.go swimming
7.tidy back garden make a list of things to look out for pretty much same as number 2
8.play with playdough but i like to get her outside when i can for fresh air excercise
9.watch cartoons again dont like it too much
10.yet to do but want to when got enough cash take her to flamingo land and the likes
11.go to chester le street park 30 mins away in car but has park river swimming pool etc she loves this

so yeah i think thats about all we do give or take a few things depending on weather so please share your ideas on where to go as we have car but dh takes this to work during day and by the time he gets in carnt travel that far with dark nights etc etc but weekends are our family time so please share ideas of either things to do or places to go in and around county durham for cheap many thanks again:beer:

Pink. · 9 February 2008 at 7:30PM

Hi destiny_star,

You've posted some good ideas there. There's an older thread with more suggestions that might give you some more inspiration so I've added your thread to it to keep all the replies together.

Pink

ness_w · 9 February 2008 at 7:44PM

halloweenqueen wrote: »

Anyone know of any good (cheap) places to park in Lincoln? We are not overly far from it but have only passed through and I'd like to go on one of the ghost walks!

You can park on the high street for nothing - about five minutes south of the level crossing in the centre of town. Providing you've got a good handbrake you can also park on the hill just above the town hall.

Ness.

whoops - just realised I am responding to a 2 yo post!

lil_me · 9 February 2008 at 7:46PM

http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/

great for helping with nature hunting, the boys have had little collecting bags etc from them with being part of the kids club. As you are up north as such destiny try Hardwick if you haven't already, great park with ponds, dipping areas for the kids aswell.

Hamsterly Forest is a great place, £2 per car to park.

http://www.wherecanwego.com/whatsonengland/County%20Durham/events.aspx

Tourist info centre in Durham usually has a stack of info if you need it, many locals use them aswell as tourists, library has leaflets aswell.

CLS park is great but gets VERY busy! I prefer to go on a night or later in the day, even when it rains because the ducks appreciate being fed more when noone else goes. Much more rewarding feeding ducks and swans when the weather is iffy.

As for further away, depends what area you fall into but what we used to do is get the train/bus to newcastle then get a metro pass and go everywhere, always had to go on the ferry as the boys love it. We do have a car but once you pay for parking etc and the boys loved the adventure of it. It's ages since we last did that, of course there are more areas covered now inc the Sunderland lines, must nag DP about it as they enjoyed it a lot.

Playdough is much better outside, less mess :rotfl: so easy to make aswell

Keeping old cards and paper scraps, even coloured envelopes for crafty stuff.

lindadykes · 10 February 2008 at 10:37PM

Destiny_Star. I'm lucky enough to live in weardale now, and when the girls were really small we lived in Sunderland so over the years I think we've found most places.

Newcastle:
Discovery Museum is free and can last all day.
Laing art Gallery - Free with a great play area for little ones

Sunderland:
National Glass Centre - You can walk on the glass roof though a bit scary if like me you hate heights and then there is a sculpture walk down to Roker beach.
Museum and Winter Gardens are free and are right next to the park with a kiddies play area.

Shildon - the new railway museum is very good and free.

Weardale - there are lots of nice villages to explore all with easy access to riverside picnic areas with shallow plodging areas. Try Wolsingham, it has a popular park or use the Demesne Mill picnic area. Stanhope has a visitor centre with tourist info where you can pick up lots of leaflets giving details of attractions throughout county Durham. There is also a lovely stretch of river here and a play park. In the summer - though bearing in mind this is the North Pennines you may still need a certain amount of bravery there is also an open air swimming pool. The Slit Woods walk at Westgate was always a favourite spot to picnic when my girls were young, they would plodge for hours and seek out pretty flurospar crystals while I relaxed with a book.

ness_w · 11 February 2008 at 12:29AM

We go geocaching, you need a GPSr and a bag full of swag, but after that you've got endless days out to places you'd never normally go for the price of your travel.

Ness.

furrypig · 11 February 2008 at 9:01AM

ness_w wrote: »

We go geocaching, you need a GPSr and a bag full of swag, but after that you've got endless days out to places you'd never normally go for the price of your travel.

Ness.

Hi Ness
I had never heard of geocaching before! I have just googld it and had a quick read but wondered if you'd tell me a bit more about it?

How did you get involved how easy is it (I read about sheer cliff faces etc etc) and how do you get the coordinates and can you do it abroad? Also I read a US site but where and how much does a GPS unit in the Uk cost?? Can you buy one from the states as we are goin there this week and it might be cheaper??

Thaks for your help!

furrypig · 11 February 2008 at 9:04AM

Will a sat nav work??

This just sounds like a brilliant idea and would be great fr getting the family out for walks etc and to leave a gift and take one sounds really fun!

destiny_star2006 · 11 February 2008 at 11:39AM

where is the cls park in durham im presuming it sounds nice???

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