Jesmond Dene

What it’s like

Free woodland valley with waterfalls, mill ruins and a Pets Corner to wander round on foot or with the buggy.

This is a proper stretch-your-legs valley walk rather than a single attraction, and that's the appeal. The trails wind through woodland past a waterfall and the ruins of a fourteenth century water mill, so even a short walk turns up something worth stopping for. Pets Corner is the bit most kids will remember, a chance to meet the farm animals close up, and it breaks up a longer walk nicely if you've got younger legs in tow.

There's no entry fee, which makes it an easy one to drop into for an hour or turn into a proper afternoon. The paths are pushchair and wheelchair friendly, dogs are welcome off and on lead where allowed, and picnics by the waterfall or the mill ruins are clearly part of the plan here rather than an afterthought.

If your children are into structured outdoor activities, Misitu Explorers runs forest school sessions for 1 to 6 year olds, and the Misitu Club covers a wider 5 to 16 age range. Both are separate from just wandering the dene, so they'll need looking into if that's what you're after rather than assuming you can turn up and join in.

Given it's an open outdoor space with no set opening hours listed, this suits families who like to make their own plan rather than fit round a timetable. Bring your own food since there's nothing on site to fall back on, and layer up because a woodland valley walk isn't the sort of thing you can shelter from if the weather turns.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

Good for toddlers to older kids, especially with Pets Corner as a break

• Bring your own food and drink, there's nothing to buy on site
• Pets Corner is the easiest win for younger kids if the walk gets long
• The forest school sessions need looking into separately, you can't just join in on the day

Plan your visit

Featured in 3 Huddlepin lists

See all Museums in Newcastle · Things to do in Newcastle