Saunas,red squirrels and mice. (Cragside)

Member Name: anwar7

Product:	Cragside
Date:	11/06/09 (182 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: see review

Disadvantages: see review

We are always looking for interesting places to take our children for a day out and Cragside in Northumberland comes near the top of our list of favourite places. Cragside is a Victorian house, garden and estate that now belongs to the National Trust. Let me tell you why I rate it so highly!

Getting there.
************
Cragside is situated in Northumberland, 1 mile north of the small town of Rothbury. It is 13 miles south west of Alnwick and 15 miles North West of Morpeth.I am not going to give you detailed directions as you can get these from the AA route finder or any map! However I will say that Cragside is well signposted from all directions.

Arriving via public transport is not really an option I'm afraid, so you will need a car to get there. Once inside the estate distances between the various parts of the property are great so you will need a car to get around.

Arriving.
*******
On arrival you will be stopped at the entrance drive .Cragside does not accept credit or debit cards so you will need to have your cash ready. If you are members of the National Trust entry is free, so have your membership cards ready. You will be given a map of the estate with basic information to help you get the best from your visit. It is worth noting that the house doesn't open until 1 pm at the moment so if you are arriving early then you might want to take some time to explore the grounds first.

Parking.
*******
Parking is free and there are 9 car parks situated around the estate. There are also designated parking bays for those with disabilities. I suggest you head for the main upper level car park and park near to the information hut. From here it is only a short walk to the house, but this car park is also the most convenient to explore the rock garden, pinetum and Iron Bridge.

The House.
**********
Before you reach the house you will spot the information hut. It really is worth calling in to pick up some of the excellent leaflets on offer. I recommend the one on wildlife, well worth the 30p cost! The House is built on a rocky crag high above the Debdon burn and looms above you as you approach. If you have children be aware that cars will be passing through the entrance arch at the same time as you, so take care! Once through the arch there are toilets on your left. There are no toilets in the house .The entrance into the house is via the hallway. There is a welcome desk here and you will need to show your tickets or National Trust pass. You are not allowed to take buggies into the house but you can borrow baby slings or hip carriers.

From the hall you are free to explore at your own pace. The House was the Home of Lord Armstrong who was considered an inventor and landscape genius of the Victorian age. The house is amazing and full of interesting items. In the Kitchen you can see an early Victorian dishwasher and a spit turned by water power. There is *food* on the table waiting to be prepared and a mouse and trap on the floor. Lord Armstrong invented a pulley system so used dishes could be pulled up and down to the scullery to save the maid from having to use the stairs.


There is a sitting room and library as well as a dining room. All the rooms are full of interesting objects from the period. There are plenty of family portraits on the walls. Cragside was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity and there is a room with displays explaining how this was achieved. If you are interested you will enjoy a visit to the pump house situated just below the Iron Bridge.

On the second floor there is a long gallery with a huge collection of shells from around the world, in addition to several cases containing stuffed animals and birds. The house was visited by the Prince and Princess of wales who later became Queen Victoria. The suite of rooms used by the royal couple can be visited. The suite is called the owl suite because of the owls carved on the beds. One of the rooms contains an intriguing sunken bath.

There are several other bedrooms to see .My children enjoy looking at the children's room complete with Victorian toys. On the very top floor there is a room with touch screen computers that will give you a virtual tour of the house and explain what to see. There is also a small playroom with a few toys and puzzles for children to use. I wasn't particularly impressed with this room and think more effort could be made!

In the basement there is a fascinating Victorian sauna with a beautifully tiled plunge pool, not something you would expect to find in a Victorian mansion!

The estate.
*********
Cragside has over 40 acres of gardens and grounds. I strongly recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes as the ground is often steep and uneven. Immediately below the house is the rock garden. This has some very unusual plants and covers over 4 acres. The rocks used are huge slabs and everything is on a grand scale.

The dramatic, newly restored, Iron Bride is situated below the rock garden. The Bridge was originally built in the 1870's to carry the path between the house and garden. My children love crossing the Bridge and it gives great views back towards the house.

There is a pinetum with a collection of various conifers and you can also see England's tallest Douglas fir.

The formal gardens are situated at the far end of the estate and approximately 15 minutes walk away. The formal gardens cover 3 acres and are laid out on three terraces. There is a clock tower overlooking the gardens that dates from 1865.It is worth taking time to look inside the glass house used to grow fruit. It was designed by Lord Armstrong and makes it possible for each plant to receive an equal amount of light. There is a Dahlia walk and an Italian terrace. There are several benches around the Formal garden so you can sit and take in the views of the garden and surrounding countryside beyond.

If you have children then you should leave time to visit the adventure playground. If your little ones are tired then you can drive and park in the Crozier car park near by. The playground is suitable for children up to 12. Although small the playground has a pulley swing, climbing frames and swings. My children have always enjoyed the playground and usually make some new friends too. There are several picnic benches situated at the playground so you can sit and watch your children.

The labyrinth is another favourite with my children. This is a network of paths and tunnels cut from numerous Rhododendrons. We were at Cragside last Sunday and the Rhododendrons were amazing! This is a great place for children to play hide and seek but watch you don't get lost!

The so called trim trail is another good walk to do with children over 10.There are 4 fitness stations each with various of equipment such as bars to swing along, designed to test strength and agility. There is a picnic bench at the first site. This walk is great because the children are always keen to get to the next stop!

Refreshments.
*************
We always take a picnic when we visit Cragside and there are plenty of picnic benches. There is a restaurant that serves snacks and sandwiches as well as hot meals, cakes and ice creams. We have never eaten here but have looked at the menu and the food is on the expensive side. The restaurant is situated in the old stables and has both inside and outside seating for when the sun shines!

Visitor centre.
************
The visitor centre is situated next to the restaurant. I have not actually been inside the centre so can't comment other than to tell you it exists! There are toilets with baby changing facilities next to the visitor centre. I have always found the toilets spotlessly clean.

The shop.
*********
The shop is opposite to the restaurant and sells all the usual National Trust goods in addition to plants from the estate. The prices are on the high side but the quality of most goods on sale is excellent.

Other information.
****************

Visitors with disabilities.
*********************
Cragside is a large estate and the distances between each part are not small. The ground is uneven and the paths steep in places. Many paths are not suitable for wheelchair users. However it is possible to drive around the estate, a distance of 6 miles. There are designated disabled parking bays available. It is also possible to drop a disabled passenger at the door of the house before parking your car.

There is a ramp to access the house and it is possible to have the loan of a wheelchair, although there are only 2 available. There is wheelchair access to 8 rooms on the ground floor and a lift to the second floor giving access to 5 rooms. There are Braille and large print guides available from the reception in the house. Assistance dogs are welcome in all parts of Cragside. I suggest you pick up a leaflet from the information hut by the house for more information.

The Cragside hopper.
*****************
This is a frequent free mini bus service that runs between the visitor centre, formal gardens and house. It is a useful service for tired feet!

Estate drive.
************
It is possible to explore Cragside with your car via the 6-mile one way drive. There are signs to help you identify the various walks. The estate closes at 7pm or dusk and there is no access onto the drive one hour prior to closing.

Entrance costs.
*************
I am not going to give you a full list of prices as these can be found on the national trusts web site. However at the moment summer rates apply and an adult ticket including the house and garden, costs £12 with a child ticket costing £6.00. Children under 3 are free. A family ticket costs £30. If you just want to visit the garden and grounds then an adult ticket will cost £7.70 and a child ticket will cost £3.15 with a family ticket costing £18.55. National trust members have free entry to both house and gardens.

Opening times.
*************
Again I suggest you check the web site before a visit. The opening hours are restricted in the winter. If you are planning a winter visit then I suggest you phone ahead before you visit, as Cragside can be closed due to ice. Paths are steep and can get slippery. We have been caught out!

In the summer the house is open from 1-5 pm and the grounds and garden from10.30 until 5pm, although once inside you can remain until 7pm. The hours will change on July 24th. The house and grounds are closed on Mondays.

My verdict.
**********
As you will have guessed I love Cragside! It has something for everyone, a beautiful house filled with intriguing objects, an adventure playground, trails with interest for older children and beautiful grounds and gardens. Even on a busy day you should be able to find areas where you can be alone with nature.

If you enjoy looking for wildlife then you may be lucky and spot a red squirrel, although we haven't seen any for a while. There are also many species of birds and butterflies to look. The wildlife leaflet on sale in the information hut will list all the animals and birds you might spot. Cragside really is one of England's finest!

Summary: National trust house in Northumberland