Beautiful, wonderful, glorious Kielder forest. We adored it here! Obviously the blue skies and warm sun helped but this is definitely somewhere we’re coming back to. It is a predominantly outdoor place as there isn’t much for a rainy day but otherwise there is so much fun to be had on and off the water, you could easily while away a week here.

This morning, after the kids spent an hour or so playing in the surrounding woodland with some other kids, making palaces and who knows what else, we went for a bike ride round a peninsula. The route was 6 miles and along the way we passed a squirrel hide (still no more red squirrels), sculptures and magnificent views of the bright blue lake.

Sadly, after lunch, it was time to leave and head back to the Lake District. The route took as along B roads through more rugged moorland scenery, along a winding valley. We passed hardly any cars and didn’t have phone signal for most of the way. Worryingly, we also spent time back in Scotland which confused us a bit and made me check the route to be sure we were going the right way!

Northumberland is as remote as you get, probably as it’s difficult to get to and also has to compete with the Scottish Borders, Yorkshire moors and dales and the Lake District, but maybe this isolation is part of its charm.

We’re now back in the Lakes, near Ullswater this time. Strange, but after spending so long in far off places and quiet campsites, this one feels like Glastonbury. It’s not… but it is busier than we’re used to.