Hamsterley Forest
Visit Hamsterley Forest
County Durham's largest forest is a proper destination in its own right, the sort of place you can happily lose an entire day in. Hamsterley offers a huge network of walking and cycling trails through ancient woodland, from gentle riverside strolls to more serious mountain biking routes, along with a well loved children's trail based on Julia Donaldson's stories. It's a fair drive out from Newcastle, around ninety minutes, but for a wild child who needs proper space to run, climb trees and get delightfully filthy, it more than earns the journey.
The lowdown:
Where: Hamsterley Forest, County Durham, DL13 3NL
When: Open daily, though hours can vary seasonally, so it's worth checking ahead
Cost: Free to enter, but parking is chargeable
Parking: Charges use number plate recognition, so no ticket is needed. Typical rates are around £2 for up to an hour, £6 to £7 for the full day, rising to £10 on bank holiday weekends. There's currently no public transport to the forest, so a car is essential.
Why your wild child will love it: the play trails and adventure areas are excellent, and the current Julia Donaldson themed trail (following Superworm at time of writing) gives younger children a proper mission to follow through the trees. Older, more confident riders have genuinely excellent mountain bike trails to tackle, and there's a café and ice cream shop near the main car park for well earned treats afterwards.
Contact: Trail details at forestryengland.uk/hamsterley-forest.