Dive into half-term holiday fun

Find out about life below stairs at Belsays Butler School. Picture by Tom Arber.

For those wanting to get out and about in the great outdoors, Northumberland Wildlife Trust could have just the thing.

The trust will be offering self-led photo trails for families at both its Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre at Low Hauxley and Northumberlandia in Cramlington.

The trails involve matching photographs to places around the sites, and they include a prize at the end.

They will run from Thursday, February 21 to Saturday, February 23, between 11am and 3pm.

The activity is suitable for youngsters aged five to 12, and costs £3 per person. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Meanwhile, the National Trust has lots of activities for children to get messy, muddy and in touch with nature.

At Wallington, near Cambo, families can help the gardeners to plant another 100,000 snowdrops to bring the total to half-a-million. Head to the East Wood to get digging.

Indoors, the estate offers a spring flower trail and arts and crafts.

Sessions run from Saturday, February 16 to Sunday, February 24, from 11am to 3pm.

Scientific minds may want to take in Cragside, near Rothbury, where they can try some electrifying experiments in the Young Engineers’ Zone.

Alternatively, visitors may want to step outside and help Ozzy The Owl find his woodland friends, discovering how to help nature along the way.

Activities run from Monday, February 18 to Friday, February 22, from 11am to 3pm.

Seaton Delaval Hall will be looking a little different when it opens for half-term as a major conservation project gets under way. Find out what the trust team has been up to over the winter.

Or how about creating mud pies, building a den or trying geocaching?

Drop-in between Saturday, February 16 and Sunday, February 24, from 10am to 5pm.

Normal admission charges apply at all National Trust properties.

For a glimpse of life ‘below stairs’ Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens is running a Butler School.

The English Heritage venue will see its resident butler offering classes in such things as table etiquette, tea ceremonies and other important duties.

Call in between Saturday, February 16 and Sunday, February 24, from 11am to 4pm. It costs £9.50 adults, £8.60 concs, £5.70 children.