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The Alnwick Garden, Alnwick

Companionship careNorthumberland

Days out in Northumberland for an older parent

Nine places in Northumberland that make a good day out for an older parent, from The Alnwick Garden to Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens. For each one: what its own access information confirms, what it costs, how long to allow, and the carers nearby who drive and could take them.

Researched by PrimeCarers from each place’s own website and access information  ·  Updated September 2026

The Alnwick Garden. Photo: Ruth Sharville, CC BY-SA 2.0

Nine days out across eight towns

The best places to take an older parent in Northumberland

Four of them are free to visit or to walk around. The access information for four describes a step-free route, and three confirm an accessible toilet. Where a place does not publish its access, we say so.

The Alnwick Garden, Alnwick

Photo: Ruth Sharville, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Garden · Alnwick

The Alnwick Garden

The Alnwick Garden is a modern garden beside Alnwick Castle, with a grand cascade of water, a rose garden, an ornamental garden, the Poison Garden and a huge wooden treehouse with a restaurant. The Pavilion Café overlooks the cascade.

The garden has smooth solid surfaces and wheelchair accessible routes, free wheelchairs and hire scooters can be booked, there is an accessible car park by the Treehouse, and a carer goes in free.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry, carers free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow
  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh

Photo: Matthew Hartley, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Castle · Bamburgh

Bamburgh Castle

Bamburgh Castle stands on a rock above a long sandy beach, with state rooms including the King's Hall, an armoury and an aviation museum. The views reach along the coast to Lindisfarne and the Farne Islands.

A free shuttle buggy runs from the castle car park up the hill, everyone can reach the first five state rooms including the King's Hall, and carers go in free, though later rooms have steps and narrow passages.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry, carers free

What their access information confirms

  • Café

Their website

Woodhorn Museum, Ashington

Photo: Anthony Foster, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Museum · Ashington

Woodhorn Museum

Woodhorn Museum is on the site of a former coal mine near Ashington, with historic colliery buildings, displays on mining life, miners' banners and the Pitmen Painters collection. The modern Cutter building houses galleries, the Northumberland Archives and a café.

The main entrance has step-free level access, a long indoor ramp links the two floors, and the café has step-free access with well spaced tables.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Café

Their websiteAccess information

Cragside, Rothbury

Photo: PAUL FARMER, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Historic house · Rothbury

Cragside

Cragside was the home of the Victorian inventor Lord Armstrong and the first house in the world lit by hydroelectricity, set in a large wooded estate with lakes and a huge rock garden. A carriage drive winds through the estate.

There are more than 10 Blue Badge bays, an adapted toilet just inside the visitor centre arch and manual wheelchairs to borrow, and the estate drive means much of it can be seen from the car.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry

What their access information confirms

  • Partly step-free
  • Accessible toilet
  • Wheelchairs to borrow
  • Blue Badge parking

Their websiteAccess information

Hexham Abbey, Hexham

Photo: Bob Castle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cathedral · Hexham

Hexham Abbey

Hexham Abbey was founded in 674 and still has its Saxon crypt, with a medieval church above containing painted panels and a night stair. It stands on the market place of Hexham, a busy market town with shops and cafés.

The abbey is in the middle of Hexham beside the market place, so the carer can plan a short visit and a café stop without much walking.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Bolam Lake Country Park, Belsay

Photo: Clive Nicholson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Park · Belsay

Bolam Lake Country Park

Bolam Lake Country Park has woodland and lakeside walks around a lake created in the early 19th century, with a visitor centre and café selling soup, sandwiches and homemade scones. It lies about nine miles west of Morpeth.

There is a fully accessible path around the lakeshore, and the café, visitor centre and toilets, including a disabled toilet opened with a RADAR key, are by the Boathouse Wood car park.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Accessible toilet
  • Café

Their website

Newbiggin Bay and Promenade, Newbiggin by the Sea

Photo: Geoff Holland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Coast · Newbiggin by the Sea

Newbiggin Bay and Promenade

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea has a sheltered sandy bay with a promenade, the Couple sculpture standing out at sea and the Maritime Centre with a museum and café at Church Point. St Bartholomew's Church nearby is one of the oldest on the coast.

The council says the promenade has flat paths with no gradients and is accessible to disabled visitors, with public toilets in the Maritime Centre.

Time to allow
An hour or two
Cost
Free

What their access information confirms

  • Step-free route
  • Café

Their website

Druridge Bay Country Park, Amble

Photo: The joy of all things, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Coast · Amble

Druridge Bay Country Park

Druridge Bay Country Park sits behind a long sweep of sandy beach three miles south of Amble, with Ladyburn Lake, dunes and meadows. The visitor centre and café are beside the lake next to the main car park.

Blue Badge holders park free, and the visitor centre and café are right by the main car park, so a short walk by the lake is easy to arrange.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Free, car parking charged

What their access information confirms

  • Blue Badge parking
  • Café

Their website

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Belsay

Photo: TSP, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Historic house · Belsay

Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens

Belsay is an English Heritage estate with a Greek Revival hall, a medieval castle and a quarry garden linking the two, set in wide landscaped grounds. There is a tearoom in the old kitchen and a café by the castle.

The carer can plan around the hall, the formal gardens and the tearoom near the entrance, and keep the longer quarry garden walk to the castle optional.

Time to allow
Half a day
Cost
Paid entry

Access

Their website does not set out its access in detail, so ring ahead about parking, paths and toilets.

Their website

Regular groups and events in Northumberland

Something to go back to every week or every year, from our research into what older people enjoy doing in Northumberland.

  • Music · MorpethNorthumbrian Pipers' Society, Morpeth branchThe society promotes the Northumbrian smallpipes and border pipes and runs its main branch from Morpeth, with meetings, playing and tuition. A carer can arrange transport to a meeting for someone who plays or simply likes to listen.Details
  • Dancing · MorpethMorpeth Northumbrian GatheringA long running spring festival of Northumbrian music, song and dance held across venues in Morpeth, with competitions and street performances alongside concerts. A carer can pick one seated indoor event and a spot to watch the procession, rather than a whole day on foot.Details
  • ReadingNorthumberland home library serviceThe county council's home library service uses volunteers to deliver books to people who cannot get to a library, alongside the mobile library that serves rural villages. A carer can help register someone, keep a list of authors they like and swap the books over on delivery day.Details
  • Sports · AshingtonWalking football at Hirst Welfare CentreThe Newcastle United Foundation runs weekly adult walking football sessions at Hirst Welfare Centre in Ashington. A carer can provide the lift, stay for the hour and make sure there is water and a seat at the side when needed.Details
  • VolunteeringVolunteering with Northumberland Wildlife TrustThe trust lists volunteer roles across its Northumberland sites, including helping in the cafe and gift shop at Northumberlandia and at its Wildlife Discovery Centre. A carer can help with the application, transport and a regular short shift rather than a full day.Details

Hobbies and carers who share them in Northumberland

At a glance

The nine places side by side

What each place’s own access information confirms. “Ask” means it does not say, not that it is missing.

PlaceTimeCostStep-freeToiletCafé
The Alnwick GardenAlnwickhalf a dayPaid entryYesYesYes
Bamburgh CastleBamburghhalf a dayPaid entryAskAskYes
Woodhorn MuseumAshingtonhalf a dayPaid entryYesAskYes
CragsideRothburyhalf a dayPaid entryPartlyYesAsk
Hexham AbbeyHexhaman hour or twoFreeAskAskAsk
Bolam Lake Country ParkBelsayan hour or twoFreeYesYesYes
Newbiggin Bay and PromenadeNewbiggin by the Seaan hour or twoFreeYesAskYes
Druridge Bay Country ParkAmblehalf a dayFreeAskAskYes
Belsay Hall, Castle and GardensBelsayhalf a dayPaid entryAskAskAsk

Where the places are in Northumberland

The county’s boundary, numbered as on this page, with the main towns for reference.

HaltwhistleBerwick upon TweedPontelandWoolerBellingham123456789
  1. 1The Alnwick Garden, Alnwick
  2. 2Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh
  3. 3Woodhorn Museum, Ashington
  4. 4Cragside, Rothbury
  5. 5Hexham Abbey, Hexham
  6. 6Bolam Lake Country Park, Belsay
  7. 7Newbiggin Bay and Promenade, Newbiggin by the Sea
  8. 8Druridge Bay Country Park, Amble
  9. 9Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Belsay

What it costs

What a day out with a carer costs in Northumberland

Carers in Northumberland charge £18 to £25 an hour through PrimeCarers, typically £20, with our fee included. A four-hour outing is about £80 for the carer’s time. Entry, food and parking are extra, and travel costs are only payable if you agree them with the carer in advance, in writing. The cost of home care in Northumberland has the full figures.

Photographs on this page are from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one.

Questions

Questions families ask about days out in Northumberland

The Alnwick Garden in Alnwick, Bamburgh Castle in Bamburgh, Woodhorn Museum in Ashington, Cragside in Rothbury, Hexham Abbey in Hexham, Bolam Lake Country Park in Belsay, Newbiggin Bay and Promenade in Newbiggin by the Sea, Druridge Bay Country Park in Amble and Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens in Belsay. Each has its own section on this page with what its access information confirms, the cost and how long to allow.

The access information for The Alnwick Garden, Woodhorn Museum, Bolam Lake Country Park and Newbiggin Bay and Promenade describes a step-free route. The Alnwick Garden, Cragside and Bolam Lake Country Park have an accessible toilet. The Alnwick Garden and Cragside lend wheelchairs. Access changes, so ring ahead about anything your parent depends on.

Hexham Abbey, Bolam Lake Country Park, Newbiggin Bay and Promenade and Druridge Bay Country Park. Parking is often charged even where entry is free.

Yes. A companion carer can drive your parent there, walk at their pace, help with the toilet and meals, and bring them home. Visits are booked by the hour, typically £20 an hour here with our fee included. Companionship care in Northumberland shows who is available.

Often. Many attractions let a carer or companion in free, or at a reduced price, with a disabled visitor, and some ask for proof such as a letter or a benefit award. It varies, so check each place’s access or prices page before you go.

Companionship care in the counties around Northumberland

Days out in the areas around Northumberland

Companionship care by town in Northumberland

Each town page shows the carers who list it as home, with their rates and reviews.

Find a carer who could take them out in Northumberland

See carers near Northumberland who drive, with their photos, interests, rates and reviews. Talking to them is free and nothing is booked until you say so.

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