Heritage weekend. Take a free open door, then go and find a waterfall.
Mid September on the Northumberland coast usually means mild days in the mid teens, cool evenings and a sea at its warmest of the year, around 13C to 14C, which is still bracing for little legs. Sea fret can roll in off the North Sea and sit on the coast while it's bright inland, so a grey Seahouses doesn't mean a grey Bellingham. Up the North Tyne it's cooler and often wetter, and a few days of rain only make Hareshaw Linn louder. Sunset is getting earlier by two or three minutes a day now. Check the Met Office forecast for the North East before you set off.
Sunset 7.32pm in Alnwick on Saturday. Full forecast (Met Office)
Archive edition. We wrote this one for the website to cover the week of Friday 11 September 2026, so it lists what was on then and says nothing about the weather that week. The emails proper started on Tuesday 29 September 2026.
Heritage Open Days run from Friday 11 to Sunday 20 September, and Northumberland throws plenty of doors open for free, from Seaton Delaval Hall to Berwick's barracks. Schools have been back since Tuesday 1 September, so this is the first proper weekend to go and do something with them.
About 3.5 miles (5.6km) in total, according to the National Park
Allow 2 to 3 hours with small legs, plus a snack stop at the falls
Start: Hareshaw Linn National Park car park, Bellingham NE48 2BW
A path up a wooded gorge in ancient woodland, crossing six wooden bridges (get the bairns counting) to a nine-metre waterfall at the top. On the way you pass the remains of an 1833 ironworks, and the woods are home to red squirrels, dippers and great spotted woodpeckers, plus more than 300 kinds of moss, liverwort and lichen, which is why it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Bellingham is 17 miles north of Hexham on the B6320: take the Otterburn road from the main street and turn left just after the stream.
The car park is small (26 spaces, including 2 disabled bays and EV charging), so get there early on a dry weekend. The National Park says the paths are well kept but have steeper sections and muddy spots, so wear boots or wellies, and we'd bring a carrier and leave the pushchair in the car.
Berwick Barracks, Berwick-upon-Tweed Free (Heritage Open Days), 12 and over
The site manager takes a group of up to 12 round the building work as the Grade I listed barracks is turned into new museum and cultural spaces. Hard hats and hi-vis are provided, sturdy shoes are a must, and you meet in Barracks Square. Details and booking
Seaton Delaval Hall, Seaton Sluice Free, no booking, All ages
Free entry to the home of the Delavals, the family who took Georgian partying about as far as it would go, with drop-in potted history talks and garden walks. The beach at Seaton Sluice is close by if they need a run afterwards. Details and booking
Woodhorn Museum, Ashington Free (the usual entry charge is waived), All ages
The old colliery museum waives its entry charge for the day, with free spotlight tours, lacemaking demonstrations and a pop-up exhibition on mining culture. Full wheelchair access, a Changing Places toilet and the Winding House Café on site. Details and booking
Berwick Library, Walkergate, Berwick-upon-Tweed Free, All ages
A building and coding session using material from the town archives for ideas. Book through Berwick Heritage Open Days on Eventbrite, as it's one of the few events in their programme that isn't drop-in. Details and booking
Sat 12 Sep, 10am to 4pm (Mondays to Saturdays until Sat 19 Sep)
Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Hexham Free, donations welcome, All ages
An exhibition about Northumberland's dark skies and night-time heritage, made with partners including Kielder Observatory and the National Park. A handy dry half hour if you're passing through Hexham on the way to or from Bellingham. Details and booking
Sails all year, weather permitting; book a time online
Seahouses Harbour, Seahouses Adults £22; children's fares on the booking page, All ages
Ninety minutes round the islands with commentary and several thousand grey seals hauled out on the rocks, best at low tide. The seabird colonies have gone by September and seal pups arrive from October. Dogs are welcome on board. Details and booking
Wallington, Cambo, near Morpeth Free, no booking, All ages
The whole estate is free for the day: the house, the walled garden, the Dragon cycle trail and four outdoor play areas. The grounds have steep slopes and loose gravel in places, and mobility scooters can be hired. Details and booking
Lionheart Station, Alnwick Free (Heritage Open Days), All ages
Volunteers show you round the engine shed and its steam locomotives, plus a Victorian North Eastern Railway directors' carriage, in tours of up to ten people lasting about half an hour. The ground is level hardcore and pushchairs are fine; use NE66 2HT in the satnav. Details and booking
Meet at the white building near the Holiday Park cliffs, Berwick-upon-Tweed Free, All ages, families welcome
A guided beach walk looking at rocks and fossils and then at the medieval walls they ended up in. There's a steep slope down to the beach, so leave the pushchair behind, and book on Eventbrite. Details and booking
Daily until Sun 1 Nov; trains from Heatherslaw at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm
Heatherslaw, near Ford and Etal Return £12.50 adults, £6 children 2 to 16, family of four £34; under 2s and dogs free, All ages
A little narrow gauge train along the River Till to Etal and back. Tickets are sold at the Heatherslaw ticket office only, and the coaches take wheelchairs and buggies. Details and booking
Leaplish Waterside Park, Kielder Normal admission; no need to book, pay on arrival by cash or card, All ages
Owls, eagles, hawks, falcons and vultures, with flying demonstrations. It's a short drive further up the North Tyne from Hareshaw Linn if you want to make a day of it; check the centre's Facebook page for display times. Details and booking
Next Saturday the Town Hall, the Mechanics' Institute and Bailiffgate Museum open up, with free 45-minute heritage tours of The Alnwick Garden and backstage tours of the Playhouse. The two tours need booking and places are small, so book now. Details and booking
Fri 2 to Sun 4 Oct, 10am to 8.15pm; evening entry from 5pm
The Alnwick Garden, Alnwick Evening-only tickets £10; up to four under 16s free with each paying adult, All ages
Performers and games by day, then fire jugglers and a show of lights, lasers and fireworks in the evenings. Dogs aren't allowed at the evening fireworks, apart from assistance dogs. Details and booking
The basement and stables become a trail of spooky folklore, witches and giant spiders. Northumberland County Council schools break up on Fri 23 Oct and go back on Mon 2 Nov. Details and booking
Rain-proof
Tip. Heritage Open Days carry on until Sun 20 Sep, and everything in them is free. Berwick's booklet lists every event day by day; most are drop-in, but the guided walks are booked on Eventbrite and fill up, so book early.