West Hall Glamping

If the kids are with you, you don’t need to look very far for entertainment. Broom House Farm Forest Adventure (five minutes’ drive) has an activities trail with a zipwire, slides and balance beams to test their agility. Other kids-friendly options include Diggerland (10 minutes), where you can all ride dumper trucks, and Beamish, the Living Museum of the North (15 minutes), where kids can make sweets or visit an Edwardian dentist. The lovely city of Durham (10 minutes) has a spectacular cathedral and castle to tootle around, the Gala Theatre for big nights out and a mass of shops and restaurants, as well as a roaring nightlife in the pubs. You can also time your hols to coincide with international cricket matches at the Emirates Riverside cricket ground (15 minutes). If you’d like to mix in a bit of culture at some point, Ushaw Historic House, Chapel and Gardens (10 minutes) is the venue for outdoor art exhibitions and live music. To see a potted history of the north-east, book tickets for the outdoor musical spectacular of Kynren (30 minutes, summer only) to be amazed by the cast of thousands and dazzling horsemanship.