20 Best Sightseeing Attractions In Northumberland

Because swell and wind matter more than sunshine on open water. Trips out to Farne Islands and sailings with Puffin Cruises or Golden Gate Boat Trips are decided by sea state, and a bright day with a stiff breeze often rules them out when a still grey one would not. Confirm on the morning rather than relying on the look of the sky where you are staying.

Kielder Observatory depends on cloud breaking, and that is outside anyone's control including the people who run it. Bring the warmest clothes you own regardless of the month, because standing still outside at night is colder than walking about in daylight ever is. Children who are enthusiastic beforehand usually cope; children who were talked into it usually do not.

Cragside House, Gardens and Estate and Paxton House are each recorded indoors and out, so the house takes the weather and the grounds become a bonus if it lifts. That pairing is the most weather-tolerant thing on the Northumberland list, and it suits more ages at once than a boat trip does.

Seabirds are seasonal and the sea is not, which means the coast is worth visiting all year but for different reasons at different times. Ask the operator what is actually out there before anyone promises a child puffins. A cliff and a grey sea is a fine thing in its own right, but it is not what a five-year-old was promised.