This Easter, get into the great outdoors and explore all that’s on offer at the National Trust. The whole family can enjoy wide open spaces perfect for exploration, coast and countryside places brimming with wildlife and historic houses full of enchanting characters and stories; everything you need for great family fun during the holidays.
If you want to try something new this Easter then the National Trust has plenty to offer. Get creative with craft events at Souter Lighthouse and Seaton Delaval Hall, become a lambing apprentice at Wallington or join the wild rangers club at Gibside.
Plus, over the Easter weekend, the Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt (25 – 28 March) will be inviting families to unleash their inner explorer with adventurous quests taking place across the North East. Everyone will be rewarded with a delicious Cadbury chocolate treat at the end of each completed hunt, and every single Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt will help support special places looked after by the National Trust for future generations to explore.
Here’s a round-up of great days out for all the family, both over the Easter weekend and throughout the holidays, in the North East:
Top Easter weekend egg hunts:
Cherryburn
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Friday 25 – Monday 28 March, 11am – 3pm
Thomas Bewick, a famous Northumberland artist who was born at Cherryburn, loved animals and went on to draw many of them. This Easter, your mission is to follow in Bewick's footprints and hunt for the hidden animals around the farmyard. If you can find them, you can claim your Easter prize. Each hunt costs £2 and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01661 843276.
Cragside
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Friday 25 – Monday 28 March, 11am – 3pm
Bunny has been up to all sorts of mischief at Cragside, hopping around Tumbleton Lake, hiding clues and chocolate surprises for you to find. See if you can help the bunnies into their burrows to receive a Cadbury chocolate reward! Each hunt costs £3 and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01669 620333.
Gibside
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Friday 25 – Tuesday 29 March, 11am – 3pm
Join us for an Easter adventure around Gibside as you hunt for clues and collect your Cadbury chocolate prize. Each hunt costs £2.50 and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01207 541820.
Northumberland Coast, Low Newton
Easter Trail and Rockpool Ramble
Sunday 27 & Monday 28 March, 10.30am – 2.30pm
Join the National Trust Rangers on the beach for a free rock pool ramble, and take part in our seashore Easter Egg trail. It costs £2 per hunt and the rock pooling is free. For more information telephone 01665 576874
Seaton Delaval Hall
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday 26 –Monday 28 March, 11am – 4pm
Bunny has been up to all sorts of mischief, hiding clues and treats that lead to a chocolatey surprise! Follow the hunt around the gardens and woodland to be rewarded with a Cadbury chocolate treat! It costs £2 per hunt, and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 0191 2379100.
Souter Lighthouse and The Leas
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Friday 25 – Monday 28 March, 11am – 4pm
An Easter adventure with a chocolate reward. Follow the clues to earn your delicious Cadbury prize! It costs £3 per child, for more information telephone 0191 5293161.
Wallington
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Friday 25 March – Sunday 10 April, 11am – 4pm
Visit Wallington, home of the adventurous Trevelyan family and follow our Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt through the West Wood to claim your yummy Cadbury chocolate reward. It costs £2.50 per hunt and normal property admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01670 773600.
Washington Old Hall
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Friday 25 – Monday 28 March, 11am – 4pm
Follow the creature footprints around the garden to win your Cadbury chocolate surprise. It costs £1 per hunt and normal admission applies. For more information, telephone 0191 4166789.
Other great family events and activities over Easter
Cragside
Eggsperiment with Eggs!
Thursday 31 March, 11am – 4pm
Experiment with different methods of dying paste eggs and see which brings out the best colours and patterns. Then decorate your hard-boiled egg with your favourite method. The event is free but normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01669 620333.
Cragside
Help Bunny cross the lake
Thursday 7 April, 11am – 3pm
Can you help Bunny cross Tumbleton Lake? Come along and design a boat to help him get across safely. Can you design the best boat? The events Is free but normal admission charges apply. Drop in at the Young Engineer's zone to take part. For more information telephone 01669 620333.
Gibside
Easter Holiday Fun
Wednesday 30 March – Friday 8 April, 11am – 3pm
Free family activities and outdoor adventures during the school holidays. Join us for Explorer Monday, Foodie Tuesday, Wildlife Wednesday, Adventure Thursday and Fit Friday. Each event is free but normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01207 541820.
Gibside
Wild Ranger Club
31 March, 1, 7 & 8 April
Drop your kids off at Gibside to join our adventure filled club. Become a wild ranger, learn to track wildlife, get hands-on looking after habitats, learn some bushcraft skills and discover some of nature's secrets. Each day costs £7.50 per child and normal admission charges apply. For more information telephone 01207 541820.
Seaton Delaval Hall
Make and Do for Easter
Wednesday 30 March & Wednesday 6 April, 11am – 1pm
Try your hand at children's craft activities during the Easter holidays for only 50p per child. Normal admission charges apply, for more information telephone 0191 2379100.
Souter Lighthouse and The Leas
Get Crafty!
30 & 31 March, 5 & 6 April
Keep the kids busy this spring - get hands on and creative, let your imagination run wild! Suitable for ages 3 and upwards. It costs £3 per craft, for more information telephone 0191 5293161.
Wallington
Broomhouse Farm Event – Lambing Shed Live!
Friday 25 March – Sunday 10 April, 12.30 – 2pm & 2 – 3.30pm
Take a short scenic tractor trailer ride through the Wallington estate to Broomhouse Farm where you will get a close-up experience of lambing on a working farm. Enjoy a guided tour of the lambing shed, visit the' lamb hospital' to see how we look after new born lambs in intensive care and help to bottle feed the lambs..........you might even see a lamb being born! £6 adult, £5 child, booking essential via www.broomhousefarm.co.uk
Wallington
Broomhouse Farm Event – Lambing Apprentice
Friday 25 March – Sunday 10 April, 2 – 4pm
Join the lambing team at Broomhouse Farm for an afternoon shift, caring for the pregnant ewes and new born lambs, helping with all of the routine tasks in the lambing shed and getting hands-on experience. This is the only place in the North East where you can be part of a team lambing a large commercial flock and places are limited to two people per session, to ensure you get the best quality experience. No experience needed. Suitable for ages 10+ (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult). £30 per person, booking essential via www.broomhousefarm.co.uk
For more information about great days out in the North East with the National Trust over Easter, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/northeast