Northumberlandia is often classed as one of the best free attractions in the North East - that definitely warranted a visit with our daughter.
With the weather looking good, we packed our lunches and put on our walking boots to spend an hour or two at the park near Cramlington.
Northumberlandia, the Lady of the North, is a giant land sculpture in the shape of a reclining female figure and is among the top 20 parks in the North East according to Tripadvisor ratings. One reviewer called it a "great free attraction" and "great place to explore with kids or walk/run for exercise".
The attraction is free however small donations are invited, with the money going towards maintenance of the site. So what do you get to see and do?
Well, as soon as you walk up, the sight of Northumberlandia is stunning. Our eight-year-old let out a long "wow", firstly because she was amazed by the size of the huge landform. And secondly, she could work out different parts of the body, with the help of an information panel.
From ground level, she excitedly pointed out the face, chest, hands and knees, and took no time to climb up one of the viewing mounds to see what it looked like from a height. The top of the head looked steep but she was willing to hike up to it.
The face is the highest point - the chest, hands, hip, knee and ankles are lower. If you or your children are nervous of heights, it might be best to avoid the top-most parts. There are also no railings, except at the top of the head section. So younger children might need supervision.
Our little one loved climbing to the highest point and did so several times, holding our hands the first time but then independently. The views from there are fantastic, not only can you see the whole of Northumberlandia, but also the surrounding parts of the county and a surface coal mine next to it.
There is a network of paths, alongside three ponds, that take you around the structure. Our daughter certainly enjoyed exploring and navigating her way around, finding routes to every part of the landform.
It doesn't take long to walk around Northumberlandia. The structure is around a quarter of a mile long. It can easily be done in less than 45 minutes, an hour tops, depending on your speed and the amount of time you take at each viewing point.
There are a number of picnic tables around the site. We picked one near the biggest pond to have our lunch. Although, there is a cafe if you wish to grab a bite there. And, there are also toilets.
After food, we followed a woodland trail where youngsters can learn about trees, mini beasts and birds. There is a bird viewing area and a few wooden structures for the kids to balance or play on. This trail is small and can be done within 10 minutes, again depending on how long the children want to explore the area.
Our daughter chose to climb all the parts of Northumberlandia again and walk around the different routes. She thoroughly enjoyed exploring such a unique landmark and marvelled at how it was made, as did we.
This free attraction is definitely worth a visit with your children but it won't fill your day. It's short and sweet. If you want a full day out, it's best to plan other things around this trip.
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