Family Activities in Hexham: Days Out with the Kids

One of the quiet advantages of raising a family in Hexham is how much there is to do without going far or spending much. A historic park with a play area and skate ramp, an ancient abbey and its grounds, a leisure centre with pools and soft play, England's oldest purpose-built prison turned museum, and a scenic racecourse with family days all sit within a few minutes of one another. This is a broad roundup of days out with the kids in the Tyne Valley, grouped by type so you can plan around the forecast. Almost everything here is within a short walk or drive of the Market Place, so it is easy to string two or three stops together without a long car journey.

Parks and the outdoors

The Sele is the obvious starting point and the one children ask for by name. This historic public park of open greenery and lime trees sits right beside the Abbey Grounds, with a children's play area and a skate park, so it covers a good spread of ages in one place. It is a five-minute walk from the Market Place, which makes it an easy first stop before or after a wander round town, and there is plenty of room for a picnic or a kickabout when the weather plays along.

The neighbouring Abbey Grounds add more space to run around, with paths, lawns and a bandstand, and a look inside Hexham Abbey rounds out the visit for older children with an interest in history. Founded in 674 AD with a Saxon crypt beneath it, the abbey is one of the earliest stone churches in England and runs a programme of concerts, exhibitions and community events through the year.

Best for: Best for a free morning with a mix of play, skating and space to run.

Swimming, soft play and rainy days

When the weather turns, Wentworth Leisure Centre is the town's rainy-day workhorse. It has two swimming pools with moveable floors, so there is water suitable for confident swimmers and cautious paddlers alike, plus soft play, ten-pin bowling, a gym and a cafe under one roof, with free parking outside. That combination means you can turn a wet morning into a swim followed by a slide around the soft play or a game of bowling, all in the same building.

Best for: Best for a plan B when the Tyne Valley weather has other ideas.

Attractions and heritage

Hexham Old Gaol on Hallgate turns a trip into town into a genuine adventure. Dating from 1333, it is England's first purpose-built prison, and its museum explores the history of the Borders through interactive exhibits and an atmospheric medieval dungeon that curious children tend to love. Managed by North East Museums, it makes an excellent short indoor stop and pairs neatly with a walk round the Market Place and the Shambles next door.

For something calmer and completely free, Hexham Library inside Queen's Hall on Beaumont Street runs children's activities alongside book lending, with free Wi-Fi and computer access, while the independent Cogito Books on St Mary's Chare has a carefully chosen children's section that is a treat to browse. Round the corner on Market Street, the independent toy shop Mr Wolf stocks wooden and classic children's toys, a proper old-fashioned browse for younger visitors.

Best for: Best for curious children who like stories, history and a good browse.

A day at the races and the pictures

For a bigger day out, Hexham Racecourse at High Yarridge is one of the most scenic and intimate racecourses in Britain, set in the Tynedale countryside above the town. Its jump-racing fixtures from spring through autumn regularly include family racedays with children's entertainment and free entry for under-18s accompanied by an adult, which makes an afternoon at the races a surprisingly affordable family occasion. Check the fixture list before you set off, as dates vary through the season.

When you want an indoor treat, the Forum Cinema on the Market Place is Northumberland's only full-time independent cinema, screening the latest family releases in a friendly, unfussy setting right in the centre of town.

Best for: Best for a special day out, from the racecourse to the big screen.

Planning a full day

A good all-weather formula in Hexham is to start outdoors and keep an indoor option in your back pocket. A morning at The Sele and the Abbey Grounds, lunch in town, then the Old Gaol or the library if the sky opens, or a swim and soft play at Wentworth when the rain sets in for the day. School-holiday programmes at the library and leisure centre add even more, and because almost everything sits within a short walk or drive of the Market Place, it is easy to string two or three stops together without a long journey.

Frequently asked questions

What is there for young children to do in Hexham? The Sele has a children's play area and a skate park beside the Abbey Grounds, Wentworth Leisure Centre has soft play and pools with moveable floors for cautious paddlers, and the independent Mr Wolf toy shop and Cogito Books both have good children's sections for a browse in town.

What can families do in Hexham when it is raining? Wentworth Leisure Centre is the main wet-weather option, with swimming, soft play and ten-pin bowling under one roof. Hexham Old Gaol museum, Hexham Library inside Queen's Hall, and the independent Forum Cinema on the Market Place all make good indoor stops too.

Is Hexham Racecourse suitable for families? Yes. Hexham Racecourse holds family racedays through its spring-to-autumn season, often with children's entertainment and free entry for accompanied under-18s. It is set in scenic Tynedale countryside above the town. Check the fixture list before you travel, as dates vary.

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