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Mummy and Me: Adventures Up North, Darlington (2026)

10/08/2025

Excellent day at The Story in Durham! Interesting and informative talk from a Roman Soldier - Mini Herron asked lots of great questions! Then a mini archaeological dig, looking at artefacts found in the local area and craft session! Perfect Sunday! The Story Durham Durham County Council

16/01/2022

🚂🚃🚃 Locomotion, Shildon DL4 2RE

🅿️ Parking is close to the museum – a 1 min walk, the accessible parking is even closer! Parking is free – which is always a bonus!

🕑 Currently open: Wednesday-Sunday, 10.00–16.00.

🎟 Book Free tickets here: my.locomotion.org.uk/events?view=calendar&kid=439

👱‍♀️ A great way to spend a dull, wet and slightly chilly morning… in fact it’s a great way to spend any morning! Locomotion is a train museum in Shildon.

🧠 A bit of history… On 27 September 1825 George Stephenson’s Locomotion set off from outside the Mason’s Arms public house, hauling the first train to Stockton. Shildon became known as the ‘Cradle of the Railways’ and the world’s first true railway town.

🚂🚃🚃 Locomotion is a wonderful place full of a range of trains from the very first passenger locomotive - Locomotion No.1 - the world’s first locomotive to operate on the Stockton & Darlington Railway, the world’s first public railway – to rather gorgeous coaches from the Victorian and Georgian eras to much more modern trains. As well as the many trains to gaze at there’s also lots of hands-on exhibits and challenges for young ones. Mini Herron particularly enjoyed the ‘Shunting’ challenge and building a bridge (and testing its strength!) learning about ‘tension’ and ‘compression’ in the process!

🎡 Space to Play: There is also a wonderful railway themed outdoor play area with climbing frames, slides, scramble nets and swings.

🔎 Space to explore: The site is partially open-air and visitors can use outdoor footpaths up to 1km in length to view all the outside buildings. These paths are flat and paved – perfect for tiring little legs out! However, there is no access to any of the historic buildings at the western end of the site. These buildings are currently undergoing renovation work.

👱‍♀️ Once a month they also have a play session for under 5’s called ‘Little Locos’. Their sessions are themed and include object exploration, hands-on activities, crafts and stories. These sessions are free – but remember to book tickets online on their website.

🥖 There is a café on site selling a selection of kids ‘lunch boxes’ – which include sandwich, crisps, drink ect, as well as sausage rolls, pasties, chips, and a range of sandwiches for the grown ups - as well as cold and hot drinks.

🍱 There’s also indoor and outdoor picnic tables if you wish to bring your own food from home!

🧻The unisex accessible toilet has baby changing facilities suitable for all parents.

♿ The museum is fully wheelchair accessible – and also includes wheelchair-accessible toilets and parking!

10/01/2022

Continuing our way along the "Way of Life - Northern Saints Trail":

The Auckland Project is a collection of galleries, gardens, parkland and events, within walking distance of Auckland Castle – in Bishop Auckland.

I cannot wait to see everything open – but in the mean time we went for a little nosey and had a lovely walk around the Deer Park.

The Deer Park is huge there is over 150 acres of historic parkland, meandering rivers and ancient woodland. This peaceful, expansive park used to be the private hunting grounds of the Prince Bishops.

After a short walk we came across the beautiful deer house. This is a rare and well-preserved example of 18th century Gothic Revival architecture – a fanciful interpretation of medieval buildings – in the form of a mock castle with battlements, arrow loops, pinnacles and pointed arches. It was built around 1760 and provided a feeding place and shelter for the deer, and also had rooms in which the bishop and his guests could picnic, enjoy the views of the park and take a rest from hunting. How lovely! Now is a great place to play ‘Marco Polo’! Mini Herron felt slightly short changed as there was no deer in the deer house… but she quickly got over it when she discovered sparkling frozen leaves!

Highly recommend as a place to have a leisurely walk - in beautiful surroundings.

03/01/2022

Another stop along the ‘Way of Life – Northern Saints Pilgrimage Trail’:

Escomb Church is one of the most complete Saxon churches in the UK and has been a place of worship since approximately 670 AD. The building materials that make up the church go back a lot further, many were taken from the old Roman fort at Binchester, and Roman inscriptions can be seen on many of the stones used in the construction of the church – my favourite is the ‘6th Legion’ stone which can be found on the outside north wall.

The inside chancel arch is also very impressive – probably a reassembly of a Roman arch from Binchester – which also has medieval paint which is still visible. The octagonal font is also over 800 years old. There’s also many wonderful carvings and inscriptions found within the church and its graveyard.

Is a wonderful place to spend some time in quiet reflection as well as looking around many of its ancient and interesting features.

Also it is only a short walk to the riverside – the river today was raging, so we didn’t go down to the rocky shore – which Mini Herron was disappointed with, we did however walk around Escomb lake – which has 4 beautiful swans and lots of people out fishing – I cannot wait to go back in the spring – where I think the paths may be a bit less slippery!

02/01/2022

The favourite part of my day is when Mini Herron looks up to me with her beautiful green eyes and asks ‘Where are we adventuring to today?’.

Todays adventure was to Gainford – a village outside of Darlington. There’s a lovely riverside walk, with a pebble beach in the meander of the river Tees where the pebbles make the most satisfying echoing sploosh when you throw them in!

We also visited St Mary’s Church which is the start of the ‘Northern Saints – Way of Life’ Pilgrimage Trail’. This is a place with a very rich history - there was a Saxon church here in the C8th, in Anglo-Saxon times, Gainford was part of the Northumbrian Congregation of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne. Later, this area was occupied by Vikings.

Next to the church is a Holy Well or Sacred Spring (St Mary’s Well). A flowing spring comes from the old wall and fills a trough just below the church, which then flows into the river below. Probably used even in pagan times – it is still used today as baptismal water.

So glad we found about the Pilgrimage trails – I think we’ll have a look at a few other places along this trail!

22/12/2021

We always enjoy a little adventure to Hullabaloo and have been a few times over the Xmas period. ‘DreamLand’ is as dreamy as always with its musical clouds, singing beds and story Tipi!

The ‘Wishmas forest’ is a wonderful addition – inviting children to create tree decorations – one for the forest and one for home – and encouraging them to make a wish for Christmas! With lots of pom poms, shiny sequins, stickers and glue it was an instant hit with Mini Herron.

We also went to see the wonderful ‘Mavis Sparkle’ – a cleaner with a wonderful tale to tell. As Mavis thinks about where to work next, she shares memories of her past in a magical way, through stories, magic and shadow puppetry- it was a show with a lot of heart and some genuine laugh out loud moments. Mini Herron’s particular favourite part was meeting ‘Spike’ the hedgehog and a moving mop bucket!

There’s still time to visit – as it's open 10am-2pm the 22nd, 23rd and the 24th December!

We cannot wait for it to reopen on the 10th January – for a new creative play installation!

www.theatrehullabaloo.org.uk/visit-the-hullabaloo Love Darlo Darlington For Culture - the official site The Hullabaloo Darlington mums

21/12/2021

Something free for the kids to do today at the Christmas Marquee in the Market Square in Darlington! 10-4pm - make your own clay reindeer 🦌! I think we can all agree Rodolf is looking pretty good! Also lots of other creative activities to buy! We had great fun yesterday making a crown! 👑 The Creation Station Newton Aycliffe, Sedgefield & Hurworth Darlington For Culture - the official site Darlington mums

21/11/2021

🌚 The Museum of the Moon at Durham Cathedral was on from 13th September to the 11th November.

🌜Museum of the Moon is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter, the moon features 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. At an approximate scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents 5km of the moon’s surface

👩🏼👧🏼 Both myself and miniature Herron found this installation absolutely awe inspiring. Gasps of “Oh wow!” and “It’s huge!” echoed down the nave. She was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

🌜It really was a wonderous thing to behold. It looked amazing and was so detailed – it honestly looked real. I’ve also heard that the ‘Earth’ version ‘Gaia’ is also touring – I hope it comes to Durham Cathedral too.

💰 Durham Cathedral is of course free to enter – but I always pop in at least £5 when I go and always make sure to get something from the shop as its it such a wonderfully kept Cathedral – nothing detracts from its beauty and it is wonderfully maintained.

🕑 Usually open Monday – Saturday: 9.30am – 5.30, Sunday 12pm – 5.30pm.

⛪ Inside, as well as the beautiful cathedral, are the tombs of Saint Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, a wonderful museum (£12.50 for adults, £4.50 for children) a smallish but wonderful Undercroft restaurant and a rather fantastic shop full of good quality trinkets and books. If you are a secret (or not so secret!) Harry Potter fan you can also visit the areas where they shot the first two films. Fun fact…. I saw them film some of these scenes as I went to a nearby college! I was 16 and it was thoroughly brilliant!

💒 I love Durham Cathedral – I spent most of my degree at Durham within the Cathedral walls studying Theology in the Library – what wonderful spot to swot up on medieval theology!

Durham, Durham

22/09/2021

💭🐦☁️Living the Dream at 'Dreamland' at Hullabaloo💭🐦☁️

Dreamland is a beautiful sensory play installation in Hullabaloo’s creative play space.

👱‍♀️ Today we spent a wonderful afternoon at The Hullabaloo. After scoffing a delicious scone in the beautiful café, Mini Herron was chomping at the bit to see the new installation! The last time she was inside this space it was her second birthday – she is quickly approaching her fourth – so has really missed this wonderfully whimsical creative play space. I love the open ended play here, with such scope for the imagination. ‘Dreamland’ does not disappoint. Musical clouds, singing beds, bubbling fish, a huge tipi (perfect for a story!) and huge birds in the sky… it really is gorgeous.

🎨What I’m also loving at the moment is the outdoor space – with the painting area, wooden blocks, water table and huge foam building blocks – it’s a wonderful addition during these slightly warmer months!

🗒I would say come after 12pm – it’s so much quieter!

🧻Toilets are wonderful, accessible and child friendly!

👶👱‍♀️The Creative play space is aimed at ages: 0 - 4

📅 When: 20 Sep – 24 Dec

🕑 Time: 10am – 2pm

The Hullabaloo Love Darlo

19/09/2021

📚📖 Darlington Library 📖📚

After the madness that was lockdown, I've been taking Mini Herron to Crown Street Library every week and she has been really enjoying it. She's made a real dent in the Mr Men and Little Miss collections! She loves looking at the back cover and picking out the ones she's read and the ones she's going to look for next!

👧🏼 The children's section of the library is outstanding. An excellent selection, which is well organised. I'm also loving the bright furniture and the wonderful reading benches! It's a wonderful environment to spend an hour a week and help foster a lifetimes love of reading.

☀️🕶 The summer reading challenge was a really excellent idea too. In order to combat the 'reading dip' over the summer holidays Darlington Library had a wonderful idea of inviting children to 'win a prize' every time they borrowed a book. There was a wonderful selection of prizes from a Nintendo Switch, to a cuddly bunny, Lego sets to scooters! Mini Herron was so very lucky to win a star projector! She was chuffed to pieces!

I'm so glad we've made going to the library a weekly ritual! 🔖

🕑 Open Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm

🧻Toilets just next to the main entrance.

Darlington Borough Council Darlington Libraries

24/08/2021

Seahouses Mini Golf: ⛳🏌️‍♀️We are not a competitive family – until it comes to Mini Golf!⛳🏌️‍♀️

This is now the second time Isabella had been able to join in and she really enjoys it! However, its not strictly golf to her, more like hockey… and if she gets frustrated a bit like football…..
18 holes in total, all with a Northumberland theme, lighthouses, castles, islands… you name it! I won by the way. 🤣

Within a 2 min walk there are a whole host of beautiful fish and chip shops – as well as Farne Gift shop – you will not leave empty handed!

Adults – £3.50, Under 16’s – £2.50, Family ticket (2 adults and 2 kids) — £10.00.

www.thebunker-seahouses.co.uk/Seahouses-Crazy-Golf/

21/08/2021

🌸🌼🏵Alnwick Gardens🌸🌼🏵– what a lovely day out – we spent a good 5 hours here the other day. A real jewel in the Northumbrian crown.

👱‍♀️👵👩‍🦰 An excellent day out for young and old alike! (If it’s a nice day perhaps bring a spare change of clothes for the kids – I saw a lot of soggy kids on the way back to the carpark!).We spend time browsing the gardens and freaking out about how many poisonous plants we have in the garden (after visiting ‘The Poison Garden’). Mini Herron especially liked all the fountains and the bamboo maze…. And she wants to live in the treehouse… and has no fear of wooden wibbly wobbly bridges…. unlike mummy…..

💰Tickets still need to be pre-booked at the moment – but its really saves time – no queuing or messing about – straight in – which is what we like! Adults: 14.85, Concessions £13.20, From 17th July, Kids go free! Kids go free with a paying adult (max of 4 kids – any over that are charged £5.50).

🥖There is a café on site which does scones, sandwiches, pizzas, drinks and the likes, the Treehouse does more upmarket... and expensive meals.

🅿️ Carpark is £3.50 for all day – you do not have any option for less time – but it’s a reasonable rate if I’m honest! NE66 1YU

🧻 Lots of clean and accessible loos!

The Alnwick Garden Alnwick, Northumberland Northumberland VisitEngland

Mummy and Me: Adventures Up North