Saltwell Park
Visit Saltwell Park and its famous maze
Saltwell Park is often described as the jewel in Gateshead's crown, and it's easy to see why. This grand Victorian park, one of the finest examples of its kind in the country, offers fifty five acres of woodland, ornamental gardens, a boating lake and, at its heart, a proper hedge maze that has been baffling and delighting families for generations. It's the sort of place you can return to again and again without ever quite exhausting what it has to offer.
The lowdown:
Where: Saltwell Park, East Park Road, Gateshead, NE9 5AX (car park entrance off Joicey Road, postcode NE8 4SF for satnav purposes)
When: The park itself is open daily, roughly dawn until dusk. Saltwell Towers, the visitor centre and tearoom, generally opens 9am to 5pm, though it's worth checking ahead as hours can vary.
Cost: Entirely free
Parking: There's a car park accessed from Durham Road (A167) via Joicey Road, with the park also reachable on foot from East Park Road, West Park Road, Saltwell Road South and Saltwell View
Why your wild child will love it: beyond the maze, there are playgrounds, a Pets' Corner with aviaries, woodland paths through The Dene with streams and cascades to explore, and free to use tennis and basketball courts if the energy hasn't run out yet. Saltwell Towers itself, a rather wonderful Gothic mansion, houses a tearoom for when everyone needs to sit down.
Contact: Further information at gateshead.gov.uk or friendsofsaltwellpark.co.uk.