Rowlands Gill (Gateshead)
Derwent Walk Country Park · Photo: Robert Graham
A free green day on Gateshead's western edge: a flat old railway path along the Derwent for scooters and buggies, a picnic deep in a big Forestry England wood, then the ruins of a medieval castle above the Tyne at Prudhoe. Good for families who want fresh air without paying entry fees.
Park · 10:00–11:45 (1h45m)
Start at the Thornley Woodlands Centre and walk or scoot a flat stretch of the old railway line; look out from the viaduct.
A long country park following a former railway line along the River Derwent from Swalwell to Rowlands Gill, with flat paths for buggies and bikes, woodland, viaduct views and bird hides. The Thornley Woodlands Centre is a handy starting point.
Photo: Robert Graham
Nature & gardens · 12:00–14:15 (2h15m)
Picnic lunch, then a woodland trail or some geocaching; free parking.
A large Forestry England mixed woodland on the edge of Gateshead with miles of paths for walking, family cycling and geocaching, plus an easy-access trail and picnic spots. Free parking and no fixed closing time make it an easy, low-cost outdoor morning.
Photo: Robert Graham
Castle · 14:35–15:45 (1h10m)
Explore the gatehouse and keep ruins in the free outer grounds; steep steps on the upper levels.
A medieval castle above the Tyne crossing at Prudhoe with a gatehouse chapel and keep. The outer grounds are free to wander daily, while the inner ward opens on the first Sunday of selected months.
Photo: Chris Tweedy
North EastNewcastle city centre (Haymarket)
Three free stops within a mile of each other: a natural history museum with a T. rex and Egyptian mummies, Newcastle's oldest park for a picnic and a run-around by the lake, then the city's science and industry museum. It works in drizzle because two of the three stops are indoors.
The Great North Museum → Leazes Park → Discovery Museum
North EastWallsend / North Shields
Three free stops with free or cheap parking: a big country park on reclaimed colliery land with a community farm and sand-and-water play, a wooded Victorian dene with a pump track, and a little sheltered beach to finish. Pack a picnic or use the park cafes.
Rising Sun Country Park → Northumberland Park → Cullercoats Bay
North EastSunderland (Roker)
A bracing walk out along Roker Pier, a long play on Sunderland's main family beach, then into the city for a restored Victorian park with a big adventure playground. End inside a medieval gatehouse castle that is free to visit on a booked slot.
Roker Pier and Lighthouse → Seaburn Beach → Mowbray Park → Hylton Castle
