What's On and Things To Do Around Ryton

Join a history tour to hear all about Gibside and how it came to be. The vision of coal baron George Bowes, Gibside is one of the few surviving 18th century designed landscape gardens. It was fashioned with two things in mind: spectacular views and ’wow’ moments.

Delve into Gibside’s past through a new and exciting installation by mixed media artist Fiona Curran and visit her architectural folly by the Orangery.

There is so much fun to be had with the humble stick. From building tiny mouse houses to creating huge dens, identifying trees and making stick art. Spend your May half term discovering just how much you can do with a stick. Booking Not Needed. Dogs on leads welcome.

Gibside is delighted to host Great Run Local who organise free weekly 2km and 5km timed runs that are open to everyone and are safe and easy to take part in. The runs will take place at Gibside each Sunday throughout the year.

Sculptor Andrew Burton has researched the tempestuous story of Mary Eleanor’s second marriage to Andrew Robinson "Stoney" Bowes as well as looked at the original urns that once graced Mary Eleanor Bowes’ original orangery.

Get fit with the help of Body and Mind Lifestyle on a Nordic Walking class. Whatever age, fitness level or goal, it’s a different way of enjoying the outdoors and working your muscles at the same time. Walking, using the poles provided you have support to work out harder as you’re on the move.

It’s been proven that getting outdoors for a relaxing stroll can improve your health and wellbeing. So how about joining in a Health Walk every Wednesday from 11am. You can meet a guide at Visitor Reception for a walk around the grounds, as well as meet new people.

Whether you are new to sewing or have been doing it as long as you can remember, the Gibside Sewing Group meet weekly and everyone is welcome. The Gibside Sewing Group meet every Thursday morning at 10.30am in the main caf.

Every month we open up the floor at Gibside Pub for Showcase night. Whether you’re simply looking for somewhere to relax and be entertained, or you happen to be a budding musician and would like to show off your talents this could be for you.

Gibside Pub can be found inside the main caf every Friday and Saturday evening until 9pm. And although it may be on the small side, it is nestled within an 18th-century garden as well as being the only pub in the village. Inside you’ll find Wylam Brewery ales on tap, lager, wine, cider and soft drinks available.

Explore Gibside after hours. The summer sun and lighter nights are ideal for longer adventures, so we’re opening the whole estate until late. Stroll around this eighteenth-century landscape garden while the sun sets, celebrate history through two contemporary art installations and down your picnic blanket.

Whether you’re new to running, a youngster or an Olympic athlete, all runners are welcome at Gibside parkrun, a free 5km timed run every Saturday at 9am. It’s an opportunity to enjoy running in a historic garden where the background noise includes birdsong, perhaps a lawnmower or two, and not much else.

Enjoy the fantastic acoustics of Gibside Chapel with live music from local performers and choirs (1.30 - 2.30pm) followed by a traditional Anglican service (3pm). Free entry. Booking Not Needed.

Meet author of best-selling biography Wedlock, Wendy Moore, and hear the turbulent story of Gibside’s most famous eighteenth century heroine, Countess of Strathmore Mary Eleanor Bowes. Follow Eleanor’s life through its most scandalous and controversial period, her marriage to conman Stoney Bowes.

Enjoy a 7 mile guided walk around the furthest reaches of George Bowes’ landscape park and farm. Uncover some of Gibside’s views and lesser trodden paths. Our guided walks are sociable and led by experienced guides.

Running alongside the Gibside Marathon, enjoy a scenic route and a real running challenge. How many laps of our marathon course can you do in 24 hours' Footpaths range from tarmac, hardcore and trail. Water, juice, salty snacks and sweets will be provided. Booking Essential. Phone: Online entries only.

Running alongside the 24 Hour Race, take part in an evening run around a varied and scenic route. Take part in a multi-lap race. There is a strict 5 hour limit to ensure all runners complete the race before dark. Booking Essential. Phone: Email only.

Shakespeare’s comedy of love and intrigue, magic and mayhem, is brought to life in a funny and exuberant production. Four young, unsuspecting lovers become entangled in a magical affray and soon no mortals are safe in those bewitching woods outside Athens. Booking Essential. Phone: 01207 541820.

Discover what’s living below the surface of a pond. We have nets, underwater cameras and experts on hand so you’ll have everything you need to discover the wildlife living below the surface. Maybe you’ll see a rare great crested newt. Booking Essential. Phone: 01207 541820.

Eachwick is an early summer garden, with rhododendrons and azaleas. The beech woods are carpeted with bluebells. The walled garden protects the herbaceous borders and kitchen garden area, along with grandchildren’s climbing frames. We are creating an arboretum with a small lake. This is work in progress.

Get inspired by Thomas Bewick this half-term with artsy fun. Activities include charcoal pictures, printing fun and storytelling. Plus, see how the rangers make their very own charcoal. Booking Not Needed.

Meet the rangers and see how they make barbecue charcoal from invasive rhododendron, and learn why it’s important for woodland health to remove this species. You’ll also get to prepare your own wood to turn into charcoal pencils and then take them home with you. Booking Not Needed.

Artist Mark Fairnington will present a series of miniature oil paintings at Cherryburn this season. The oil paintings have been made to reflect Cherryburn, the surrounding landscape, and the work of Thomas Bewick. Mark has been inspired by a series of walks he has made around Cherryburn and Northumberland.

Celebrate Father’s Day by spending some time in the outdoors learning all about bushcraft. You’ll be like the original wild child Thomas Bewick and enjoy a day of outdoor fun with Dad.

Demi Lovato plus Jax Jones. Artists performing: Demi Lovato.: Tickets avaiable.

Cheeseburn: ten acres of landscaped gardens, contemporary sculptures from around the world and unique sound installations throughout the grounds.

Come and take part in a worm themed trail and learn more about how valuable gardens are for wildlife. This is an outdoor event. No toilet facilities available. Drop in any time. Free event but donations are welcome.

Robots – then and now, developed by the Science Museum in London, tells the 500-year, work in progress story of building automated machines, from the humble beginnings of 16th century mechanical automatons to the latest humanoids – and everything in between.

Always losing those notes you put in a “safe place”, never to be found again? Sick of wasting time searching for your to-do list, or returning from the shop without milk because you left your shopping list at home (for the third time this week)?

If, like us, you’re a lover of candlelight and would love to make your own bespoke candles then come and join us and get creative. All materials for this workshop will be provided and a range of teacups, jars and quirky vessels for you to take your sweet smelling scents home will be provided.

This garden illustrates how to make a cottage garden on a steep site with loads of interest at different levels. Planted with acers, roses and a variety of cottage garden and formal plants. Water runs gently through it and there are tranquil places to sit and talk or just reflect.

It’s Friday night and Ben knows that means only one thing - staying with Granny! There will be cabbage soup, cabbage pie and cabbage cake and Ben knows one thing for sure - it’s going to be soooooooo boring!

Speed Dating in Newcastle How speed dating in Newcastle works By simply arriving at venue for the Speed Dating in Newcastle event, you will be greeted by our friendly professional hosts. They will settle you in by briefly explaining the format of the evening and confirm how many people you will be dating.

Big Fish Little Fish are back in Newcastle with a ’Carnival’ themed event at our brand new venue - Northumbria Students Union! Join our award winning, critically acclaimed family fun event for the post-rave generation of parents - helping them to be responsibly irresponsible since 2013.

Newcastle Bach Choir joins forces with a guest choir from Newcastle’s twinned town Gelsenkirchen, Germany, to sing Mendelssohn’s Elijah - a wonderful musical journey through key events in the story of Elijah, including a dramatic retelling (resinging?

The biggest one day Agricultural Show in the North, with over 2,000 animals from Cattle, Sheep, Horses, Alpacas, Pigs, Goats, Rabbits, Cavies, Birds, donkeys and so much more! Three great arenas with Atkinson’s Action Horses, Police Dog display, Birds of Prey, The Sheep Show, Tug of War and Wrestling.

Bywell Castle garden is set on the river Tyne beside the Ancient ruin of Bywell Castle where Henry VI fled from the battlefield of Hexham in 1464. We have a wonderful view of the river Tyne, a woodland garden and a kitchen garden and orchard.

Follow the online digital trail to find Stamfordham’s HIDDEN TREASURES  Hidden Treasures is a brand new, free, arts trail in the beautiful village of Stamfordham, Northumberland. You download the trail onto your smartphone (or iPad, tablet, whatever) and roll on up to the village green.

Sophie reads about an exciting creature called a Penguinpig on the Internet. Filled with delight and intrigue she sets off alone on an adventure to find the adorable creature, leading her to the Zoo. But what will she find inside?

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is a series of women-only events raising money for research into all 200 types of cancer. Race for Life Gateshead is a 5k (or just over 3 miles) and is an achievable distance for all ages and abilities.

Beamish Hall are bringing the whole family together this Father’s Day, we aim to keep the family entertained while Dad enjoys the football on a large screen. There will be a BBQ on the Lawn, Football Games, Fairground Rides, Face painting and much more..

The garden is attached to an award winning specialist plant nursery (5 Chelsea Gold Medals and winner of the RHS Presidents Award 2015).

Enjoy the hustle and bustle of a Georgian Country Fair at Beamish Museum. Experience a fair like no other as The Squire of Pockerley sets about hiring his staff for the coming months! Here’s just some of the many things on offer at the fair; Be amazed by the Georgian Peep Show.

On the 9th and 10th June the roads and streets at Beamish will come alive with the sights and sounds of stunning classic vehicles from the Morris Car Club. Up to 20 cars will be on display at the museum and travelling around site, a brilliant opportunity to see some amazing vehicles first-hand!

Join the folk at Beamish Museum as they celebrate their Sunday School Anniversary, a big event for the community, when children wearing their finery would have taken part in a service before gathering for a picnic and treat.

The North East Police History Society will be putting on a display of items and exhibits at Beamish Museum. Visit the North East Police History Society exhibition in the Collections Study Room (near Open Stores) to learn about policing in the past. As with all daytime events, your Unlimited Pass is valid!

The 48th Beamish Safety and Reliability Run is taking place on Sunday, 17th June 2018! This event is for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles registered before 1956. Beginning and finishing at Beamish, the run will follow a 150-mile route around County Durham and North Yorkshire.

North East Submariners Monthly meeting

Belsay Horse Trials is organised by Laura and Peter de Wesselow, who live at Belsay and represent the current generation of the Middleton family, alongside a committee of volunteers. Eventing is one of very few sports that genuinely allow people to compete equally, whatever their experience.

Join Matthew Fitch on a guided walk around Northumberlandia. Learn about the wildlife and the site whilst enjoying the fresh air and benefits of walking. No booking required just drop by the café.