NT Cragside

NT Cragside Britain's original smart home. Illuminated with hydroelectricity and powered by hydraulics. We welcome feedback – both positive and negative.
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Ok rhododendrons, now you're just showing off 🩷🌸
29/05/2026

Ok rhododendrons, now you're just showing off 🩷🌸

🍦 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩! 🍦Just for fun… which ice cream flavour are you choosing? 𝑂𝑢𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠:• Mango and passionfruit ...
27/05/2026

🍦 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩! 🍦
Just for fun… which ice cream flavour are you choosing?

𝑂𝑢𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠:
• Mango and passionfruit sorbet
• Chocolate and sea salt
• Madagascan vanilla
• Rhubarb and raspberry
• Salted caramel fudge
• Banoffee pie
• Clotted cream and honeycomb
• Peppermint chip

Tell us your favourite in the comments - or tag someone you’d share a scoop with!

Find your perfect scoop at The Still Room, next to the House or Crozier’s kiosk, opposite the adventure play area.

✨𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝! ✨This morning we headed out early to catch them before the crowds - it's a tough job, b...
26/05/2026

✨𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝! ✨

This morning we headed out early to catch them before the crowds - it's a tough job, but someone has to do it 😉

Purple blooms cascade down the hillsides, and from above the Rock Garden looks like it's blanketed in clouds of colour. Along the winding stone paths, bold bursts of yellow, pink and orange appear. Flurries of flowers are emerging around Nelly's Moss Lakes and the upper grounds too.

🌸 Who's been to explore - or planning a visit soon? We'd love to see your photos!

🌸 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩! 🌸Even more vibrant blooms are bursting into colour, and with the warmer, sunny weath...
22/05/2026

🌸 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩! 🌸
Even more vibrant blooms are bursting into colour, and with the warmer, sunny weather, there’s plenty more to come this weekend.
There are even more pops of pink, red and yellow appearing alongside the Rock Garden paths.

You’ll find some spectacular moments along the Carriage Drive, especially around Nelly’s Moss Lakes, Crozier car park and Cragend. Take your time, stop off along the way, and explore - you never know what pockets of colour you might discover.

We've included some of the best bits below. Click on the images to discover where they were taken.

We’re expecting it to be busy at Cragside this weekend, especially with warmer weather on the horizon and our rhododendr...
20/05/2026

We’re expecting it to be busy at Cragside this weekend, especially with warmer weather on the horizon and our rhododendrons on the verge of flowering. Here’s some top tips...

🚌 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐬 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲
When our car parks reach capacity, we need to temporarily close. However, if you travel to us by bus, you are guaranteed entry. You can visit us using the Arriva X14 (Newcastle Haymarket > Morpeth > Cragside, operates 7 days a week) and the Northumberland Tourism 471 (Alnwick > Cragside > Thropton, operates Monday to Saturday, excluding bank holidays). Cyclists and walkers are also unaffected by closures.

🪪 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥
To help us keep queues moving, please have all National Trust membership cards ready for scanning on arrival - this happens before you park. If our welcome drive is exceptionally busy, for safety, we may not be able to look up your membership details.

🟡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞: 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰
Work is underway on a major roof project at the House. Due to scaffolding, cars can’t pass through the archways as usual to start the Carriage Drive. So, we have reversed the direction of traffic for the duration of the works. Yellow diversion signs are in place to guide you.

🎟️ 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞-𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫
Those using the Carriage Drive will exit at Dunkirk car park on to the main highway. If you would like to come back in, collect a ticket from a member of the team before exiting. This guarantees re-entry on to the grounds – even during busy times. Drive around the main road to the main entrance and present your ticket to the team. Please note, the main entrance closes at 4pm.

🏠𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧
There is a lot of scaffolding on the exterior of the House but the visitor route inside is unaffected. Walk through the House archways, under the scaffolding tunnel, to the House entrance.

The useful information page contains more information to help you plan: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/useful-information-for-your-visit-at-cragside

🌲𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤 🌿This challenging, waymarked walk leads you to some of the most scenic vie...
19/05/2026

🌲𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤 🌿
This challenging, waymarked walk leads you to some of the most scenic views Cragside has to offer, with rolling vistas from high elevations on the grounds. Along the route, glimpses of the Northumberland countryside appear between the trees, creating moments well worth pausing for.

Take advantage of the thoughtfully placed benches to stop before continuing your journey. Along the way, you’ll explore the Formal Garden, cross the Parkland, and enjoy a mini adventure through the Gorge, making this a varied and rewarding walk from start to finish.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬:
*New* Start/finish: Nelly's Moss Lakes
Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: Up to 3 hours
Terrain: Challenging
Waymarkers: Black

Start exploring. View the map: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/views-of-cragside

🥾 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 🥾One of our most popular routes, the Gun Walk follows the path of the Armstrongs’ ga...
18/05/2026

🥾 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 🥾
One of our most popular routes, the Gun Walk follows the path of the Armstrongs’ gamekeepers. On this challenging hike through the heart of the grounds, you'll walk between striking rock formations and along rugged craggy paths edged with rhododendrons. Discover Cragend Quarry – where stone was once dynamited to build the House – before skirting past the tranquil lakes of Nelly’s Moss and descending back down the hillside.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬:
Starts/finishes: Near the House
Distance: 3 miles
Time: Up to 2 hours
Terrain: Challenging
Waymarkers: Red

Are you ready to start exploring? View the map: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/gun-walk-at-cragside

🌸𝐑𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 🌸We’ve had lots of enquiries about this year’s rhododendron display over the past few days, so we ...
15/05/2026

🌸𝐑𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 🌸
We’ve had lots of enquiries about this year’s rhododendron display over the past few days, so we thought we’d share some photos from today (Friday 15 May).

The varieties in the Rock Garden are the first to flower every year, and we’re definitely starting to see some in bloom. As you explore the footpaths, you’ll spot some lovely pops of colour lining the paths, but it's not quite at its peak just yet.

Elsewhere across the grounds, there is a sprinkling of flowers on show, though it’s still early days. The recent cold spell seems to have slowed things down a little, but with warmer temperatures on the way, we’re hopeful the display will begin to flourish.

We're excited to see the gardens and grounds transform over the coming days. More updates coming soon!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 – 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭! 💚If you’re looking for the perfect introduction to Cragside which combines a w...
14/05/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 – 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭! 💚
If you’re looking for the perfect introduction to Cragside which combines a wander with history, then the Armstrong Trail is it. This waymarked walk takes you through the incredible engineered landscape that surrounds the House – where nature and innovation go hand in hand.

Stroll along peaceful lakeside paths, follow the gentle flow of the Debdon Burn, and cross the grand Iron Bridge. Wander beneath the towering trees of the Pinetum and discover how William Armstrong harnessed the power of water to bring his vision to life at the Pump House and Power House.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬:
Start: Visitor centre
Finishes: At the Powerhouse
Distance: 2 miles
Time: Up to 90 minutes
Terrain: Moderate
Waymarkers: Green

Ready to explore? View the map and plan your walk:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/cragside/the-armstrong-trail-cragside

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