Holidaying with Hadrian! A staycation at Hadrian’s Holiday Lodges on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland (REVIEW)

At the Heart of Hadrian's Wall, Roman Britain comes to life! As well as the Hadrian's Wall Trail, there are amazing Roman Forts such as Vindolanda and Housesteads, fantastic countryside and a wealth of accommodation too. 

We were invited to review some new luxury B&B lodges close to Hadrian’s Wall, aptly named Hadrian’s Holiday Lodges. In fact, they are just 120 metres off the Hadrian’s Wall Trail. So read on to discover how we found our complimentary two-night stay … 

5 family-friendly places to see wildlife this spring in the Land of Oak & Iron (AD)

Spring finally seems to have arrived. How much better does it feel to see blue skies and sunshine? I know it improves my mood, and it’s great to be able to get out and about in the great outdoors on family days out and excursions again. In this post we are collaborating with the Land of Oak & Iron and today we are looking at the top 5 family-friendly wildlife spots to visit this spring in the Derwent Valley.

How to make Peanut Butter at home

Peanut butter is so popular in many countries. It’s also very popular with my boys. Peanut butter is a food paste or spread made from ground peanuts. It often contains additional ingredients that enhance the taste or texture, such as salt, sweeteners or emulsifiers. 

However, you can avoid these additives if you make your own at home. And it’s so easy to do. You don’t need much more than peanuts and a blender and gives you a massive saving on the shop bought versions of the spread.

A Family Day Out with Lowry, Berwick-Upon-Tweed in the Scottish Borders

The Scottish Borders are just over an hour away from our home, making a family day out to this part of our region, easily achievable for us. The border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed has the dubious title of being the most disputed town in the UK, as it has changed hands between the English and the Scots 13 times so far. 

Today, the town is the most northerly of England and located in Northumberland but the Scottish border is a just a couple of miles north of the coastal town. A couple of weeks ago we headed north up there on the A1 for a family day trip.

20+ Easy Family Friendly Ways to Reduce Food Waste

Did you know that in the UK we throw away over 7 million tonnes of food every year? That’s nearly 20% of what we actually buy going into our bins. Some of this food will have sadly gone off, but what’s worse is that according to research by WRAP,  more than half (4.4 million tonnes) of this food that ends up in our waste collection, could still have been eaten, which equates to around 13 billion ‘5 a day’ portions.

Food waste can be minimised, and in this post, I’m highlighting some of the ways that I’m trying to cut down on my food waste and I’m sharing some other peoples really great family-friendly ideas too. We haven't eliminated food waste in our house, but we are trying our best. Read on to see how to reduce food waste - helping to save you money and saving the planet.

7 Things To Do This Month - April

Well, April this year started on what was April Fools Day and Easter Sunday, but this month does give us two weeks of school holidays to enjoy, and hopefully some warmer and longer days with not too many April showers! We've been chilling out over the long Easter weekend and planning out our month ahead ... so here are 7 things we are going to be doing in April.

Eating Out At Riley's Fish Shack – King Edwards Bay, Tynemouth

On a secluded cove, underneath Tynemouth Priory on the northeast coastline, you’ll find one of the most innovative and tasty places to eat, in the world, Riley's Fish Shack. In fact, when you are there you really do feel like you are on holiday, not just a few miles from home.

Tynemouth, recently named as one of the best places to live in the North, by the Sunday Times, is also home to Riley’s Fish Shack. It is exactly what it says – a shack (made out of two containers) on the beach (yes, on real sand) that is a restaurant that sells predominantly fish (and a few other things). And it's well worth a visit.

What's On in April - Free Family Fun in North East England - including Easter Hols

There are over 25 free family events and activities in the North East this April which include the Easter school holidays and Easter Bank holidays. So with 30 days, five full weekends, as well as two weeks of school holidays, there should be plenty of time in April to enjoy some quality family events and activities. 

Play By Your Own Rules with Infinity Pitch at BALTIC this Easter (REVIEW)

For the next three weeks, Baltic, the Centre for Contemporary Arts, is inviting visitors to play by their own rules. Infinity Pitch is a new interactive art installation that is for everyone and open daily until Friday 15 April at Baltic on Gateshead Quays on NewcastleGateshead Quayside.

Tasting the Lunch Menu at Chaophraya Newcastle (REVIEW)

***REVIEW***

There is no shortage of places to eat in Newcastle. There are so many different styles of venue to choose from, cuisines and costs. It’s not much more than a year since Chaophraya opened in the new restaurant quarter in Eldon Square, and we’ve already worked with the Thai Food restaurant twice. One for a late Valentine's date and another time to try out their Thai cookery school. So when we were invited along again I decided it would be the perfect time to try out their lunchtime menu.