TAKING my two boys to the countryside minus Fortnite and screens, I thought a TV documentary crew was in order. Watching a 12 and ten-year-old detox from electronics in the middle of nowhere was surely worthy of a six-part survival series. But I needn’t have worried thanks to the huge selection of attractions on offer […]
TAKING my two boys to the countryside minus Fortnite and screens, I thought a TV documentary crew was in order.
Watching a 12 and ten-year-old detox from electronics in the middle of nowhere was surely worthy of a six-part survival series.
But I needn’t have worried thanks to the huge selection of attractions on offer in stunning County Durham.
The only Battle Royale I had to contend with was arguments over what we did and when.
It helped having such a great base — the relaxing Heather View Leisure Park set in the heart of the glorious Durham Dales.
“It’s like a five-star hotel!” was the excited reaction from Reggie and Stanley on entering our lodge.
The site is nestled among patchwork-quilt fields and a short walk along the
River Wear from the picture-postcard village of Stanhope.
There’s nightly entertainment in the park and a bar selling decent grub.
The idyllic beer garden runs along the shallow river’s edge, allowing the kids to paddle on the stepping stones.
Dog-friendly Heather View also has children’s play areas, a shop, and, whisper it quietly, good wifi.
But with so much to do within a 30-minute drive, the boys forgot to ask about connection.
A big hit was Adventure Valley in Brasside, the North East’s biggest family fun park.
Crazy golf, a farmyard, tractor rides, maze, go-karts, zip wire, football pitch, and even panning for gold had them entertained for hours.
The only disappointment came when I refused to return the following day
“Why not, it’s better than Thorpe Park”, was the reply.
But we had other plans, and next up was a trip to Beamish, the self-styled “living museum of the North”.
It’s the nearest thing to time travel, as you stroll around 350 acres, walking in and out of villages seemingly untouched for generations.
Costumed staff play the part and bring the scenes to life, whether it’s serving freshly made bread in the Edwardian bakery, or looking after pit ponies in their stables.
The boys were fascinated at a look back in time which felt like “starring in our very own film”.
And apparently it was “so much better than studying a history book”.
It’s certainly surreal wandering around real life mines and a colliery yard, hopping on board trams, and having portraits taken in the Edwardian photographer’s studio.
The boys’ decided the sweets on sale in the 1900 Town’s Jubilee Confectioners were “miles better than those we have today”.
And sadly they should know.
Another day we headed into Durham.
Getting the boys to church has never been easier after they learned that the city’s magnificent cathedral’s Rose Window and medieval Cloister feature in the first two Harry Potter films.
The 1,000-year-old cathedral and its stunning architecture can also be spotted in the Marvel film Avengers: Endgame.
Bill Bryson branded Durham a “perfect little city”, and there was no argument from my two — although lunch in Pizza Express helped.
The cobbled narrow streets offer quaint gift shops and the usual big name outlets and, it’s a great destination on a drizzly day.
Next up, we swapped the deep dark alleys for the deep dark woods of Hamsterley Forest.
The largest woodland in County Durham, with 2,000 hectares, is breathtakingly beautiful.
Five minutes from the car park along a trail we were alone with just the noises of the wildlife for company.
And the boys loved the 90-minute Gruffalo nature trail, excitedly greeting familiar characters from the much-loved Julia Donaldson book at the stage posts.
There are fun play areas, a cafe, and a variety of walking or cycle paths to suit different needs.
We were really spoilt for choice for other day trips.
Allout Adventures in Hexham offers kids quad biking, archery and ‘splat master’ — a less painful version of paintball.
Washington Wetland Centre is hours of fun, with the kids running from otters to flamingos, and exploring 45 hectares of wetlands, ponds and flower meadows.
Despite the blitz of publicity generated by 10 Downing Street, we never did make it Barnard Castle, nor swathes of other tourist hotspots nearby.
But that’s a good excuse to return to this beautiful part of the country.
For the boys it provided a week hooked on outdoor adventures rather than screens and computer games — reason enough to plan a return to County Durham.
STAYING THERE: Verdant Leisure’s Heather View Leisure Park has August bank holiday breaks from £32pp, per night, based on six sharing a superior caravan , arriving Friday, August 28.
Visit verdantleisure.co.uk or call 0330 053 5524 to check availability and book.
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