Top location to unplug and reconnect

+ A coastal day out, meal plan and postcards

Aug 08, 2025

This post contains an ad with the Big Northumberland Gear Change, who we are working with this week. This is our fourth year working on this campaign as we love the key messages: getting outdoors in our beautiful county (Northumberland), doing wonders for our mental health while enjoying free days out.

Happy Friday 🎉

How has your week been?

It was strange not sending out a newsletter last Friday, but it was also a huge relief to switch off for a week. And the best location to do this? Scotland. Our holiday cottage had no signal (there was wifi but phones stayed in the hallway), it was a twenty-five minute drive to a small shop and our neighbours were sheep, cows and buzzards. Bliss.

We stayed at Home Farm Cottages, Glendarual , returning for a second time, our last stay here being in 2016 when it was just three of us and a bump!

The week was spent moving at a slower pace; catching a ferry over to the Isle of Bute, exploring the gorgeous grounds and shore at Mount Stuart (we will have to return to look round the house another time), skimming stones in Tighnabruich, eating yummy food at The Colintraive Hotel and Benmore Botanical Gardens and looking round the library in Dunoon. There’s a little reel here if you would like to see our adventures.

This newsletter will land in your inbox every Friday morning and includes:

Travel - A round up from Northumberland and beyond.
Kids - A “Rainy Day Corner” (this week is a little different 👀)
A meal plan (because I sometimes hate doing this job, so hoping it saves you from having to wrack your brain deciding what’s for tea.)

News from Northumberland and beyond.

Wild Wednesdays at Woodhorn Museum sound good. Included in the entrance fee (pay once for a year and kids go free!).
A postcard from Scotland.
If you are visiting National Trust properties this summer, look out for the Summer of Play event - we love this addition, free sports activities adding more to your visit. Our favourite ones: Fountains Abbey (North Yorkshire), Wallington Hall (Northumberland), Hidcote (Gloucestershire) .
The library summer reading challenge is always good fun. I like that it gets you calling in to the library more over the holidays.

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea: Planning a local day out.

On Tuesday morning we packed up a picnic and headed to Newbiggin Bay for a walk, explore and play in the park(s).

How to get there

Use postcode NE64 6DB which takes you to the Maritime Centre (Church Point car park). There is free parking here and plenty of spaces.

Catching the bus? There’s the 35 from Morpeth or the X21/X22 from Newcastle and Ashington.

What to do

I couldn’t believe what a lovely spot Newbiggin was. To be honest, it hasn’t ever been on my radar for a day out but it felt like I was on the south coast in a popular seaside town! Lively cafes with gorgeous views across the bay, people swimming in the sea, a nice prom to walk along and independent shops on the high street.

There’s the famous ‘couple statue’ : you will find one looking out to sea, and the other on a raised platform in the sea.

I suppose the highlight for us was the two play parks 😅 one at each end of the bay and with a walkable distance between them. The Maritime Centre is also worth popping in to, with a cafe, gift shop and museum. Fab!

Head over to the Big Northumberland Gear Change website, to find local days out that are free and suitable for children or dogs.

Explore more, just outside your door. Whether you’re craving a quiet stroll, planning a fun family outing, or looking to stretch your legs on a longer adventure, Northumberland’s parks and open spaces are ready when you are.

What’s for tea.

Here’s our meal plan for this week. I always struggle to feel inspired writing the meal plan, so hopefully this might give you some inspiration, if you feel the same.