Has a hectic Christmas left you in need of an escape to peace, quiet and outdoor space?

A family walk on New Year’s Day does the trick for me. I often seek out standing stones or unusual ancient sites to ring in the new year and blow away those morning-after cobwebs. The Duddo Stones in Northumberland are perfect for this, especially with younger children and toddlers as it’s not a long hike.

(This is a great oxygen-time activity, to help worn out parents recharge. To find out more check out my parenting wellbeing post here)

Hike somewhere new

Walking to an ancient site isn’t something we normally do on a hiking trip. Choosing somewhere different to normal gives a real focus to a walk or hike and adds an air of mystery and excitement, especially for the kids.

It’s a great way to see countryside you might not otherwise explore, to learn about the history in our landscapes and, with a specific end goal, the adults should stay motivated too (even if those headaches refuse to shift!)

5 Reasons to take a family hike at New Year

  1. Walking is GREAT for health and wellbeing
  2. Fresh air helps cure a hangover
  3. Walking clears the head, perfect for planning family adventures
  4. It gets everyone outdoors on an often flat day
  5. Taking the kids is a good excuse (sshh..) for a shorter walk if you’re feeling fragile!

How to plan your visit

First of all you’ll need to find a site that’s not too far from home.

Find an ancient site to visit

Plan a trip by browsing The Modern Antiquarian website. It’s a useful online guidebook for almost all the ancient sites in the UK, with information on what to expect, how to get there and photos of the site.

Pack the relevant OS map or download the app, take snacks, drinks, the right clothing and you’re set.

For tips on how to keep the momentum going, read How to make walking with kids wonderful

Duddo ‘The Stonehenge of the North’

This year I was intrigued by a mysterious site near us, billed as ‘the Stonehenge of the North’ close to the village of Duddo, on Northumberland’s Scottish border.

A dry, bitterly cold New Year’s Day found us driving through raw and rugged countryside. Along the way we were thrilled to spot a huge hare at the roadside and a buzzard feasting some other poor creature. Nature’s cycles at work.

4-standing-stones-on-top-of-hill

The Duddo Stone Circle, one re-erected in modern times & holes where two other have been removed

The attraction of the Duddo Stones is their remoteness, giving the site a strong sense of mystery and atmosphere. They are not visible from the road and we saw nobody else during our visit.

It is one mile of mostly flat walking to the hilltop site, ideal for small children; the perfect distance in chilly weather for our then 6-year-old. We had great fun along the way breaking ice on the puddles and ruts left by farm vehicles.

How to get to the Duddo Stones

Use OS Explorer Map (339) Kelso, Coldstream and Lower Tweed Valley  

The stones are found at Grid Ref NT 936431

Where to park

There are parking spaces for 3 or 4  cars near a gate on private farmland (permission granted by Duddo Farm) at Grid Ref NT 933426

young-girl-in-polar-bear-hat-holding-up-piece-of-broken-ice-in-a-field

Finding bullet holes in frozen panes of ice

Ancient atmospherics

From the foot of the hill the stones appear like a crown and entice you on through an otherwise empty landscape. Bleak, especially on the grey day we visited, but with hidden tales to reveal.

Interestingly, the stones seemed to have more ‘atmosphere’ from the foot of the incline looking upwards (see below photo) than at the summit. It’s not an experience I’ve had a an ancient site before. Up close they seemed less ‘natural’ somehow, perhaps evidence of more recent interference.

Once up the hill, the stone circle has stunning views towards the Borders and the Cheviots.

man-and-girl-walking-up-gentle-slope-towards-standing-stne-circle

Great atmosphere from this position as you walk up the slope

Bronze Age stone circle

The Duddo Stones are 4000 years old, from the Neolithic (Bronze Age). Each is around 2-3 metres high, tapering towards the bottom. The circle is 10 metres in diameter and forms a distinct crown-like feature on the brow of the hill in a farmer’s field. It is potentially a cremation site based on excavated ashes and bones found there.

The enigmatic stones remind me of giant pulled teeth stuck in the ground!

If you’re visiting Northumberland I highly recommend walking to this alluring site (hopefully in better weather than we had!) For more family walking ideas check out the links at the bottom of the page.

Image of bronze age duddo-stone-circle-of-5-stones-standing-on-a-hill-with-mountains-in-background
Image of young-girl-in-polar-bear-hat-walking-downhill-with-standing-stones-on-top-of-distant-hill
Image of information board for Duddo stone circle

Wild wishes for a fantastic family walk to somewhere special on New Year’s day and every day!

More family walks and hikes in the UK

Kids of the Wild’s Walking and Hiking section is regularly updated with route ideas and maps.

One of our favourite family walks is a moorland hikes in Northumberland is at Blawearie near the Cheviot hills.

If you prefer a coastal adventure (with a shipwreck you can stand on!) visit the beach near Howick to find the shipwreck Tadorne

  • Top tip – check the tides at Howick Haven first as the wreck can only be safely accessed at very low tide.

For an inspiring read about the beauty of getting up early for a hike, check out Cool of the Wild’s article Catching the wonder of a sunrise hike

And for routes near where you live, check out Julia Bradbury’s Outdoor Guide

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If you’ve really had enough of everyone after Christmas and all else fails, tell the family to properly take a hike and go on one on your own – but don’t say I suggested it!