February half-term fun for everyone!

Art, heritage, nature... Indoors or outdoors... Active play or creative crafting... However you want to spend your February half-term, head on down to the Tyne Derwent Way!

Here's a round-up of what's on.

 

Riverside Window Walk 2025

Make a window display yourself or walk out to see what other people have been making! Riverside Window Walk is a simple but brilliant idea - create your own window art and leave your light on, then come along on an evening walk to see them all. This year's theme is Roots Along the River, and the event will take place along Dunston Riverside, from Dunston Staiths to all homes up to Derwentwater Road (A184).

There are three free drop-in workshops where you can create your window display. The dates and places are:

• Friday 21 February, 3-5pm, Big Local Gateshead, Tyne View Health Hub, Teams, NE8 2LS
• Saturday 22 February, 5-6pm and Tuesday 25 February, 10-11am, The Staiths Café, 1 Autumn Drive, NE8 2BZ
• Wednesday 26 February, 11am to 12.30pm, Tyne Derwent Way at Dunston Staiths, on Staithes Road, NE11 9DR

If you want to make your window art at home, you can collect some materials by popping into Tyne Derwent Way at Dunston Staiths (open Thursday 3-5pm and Saturdays 10am to 2pm), or The Staiths Café (open Monday to Thursday 9am to 6pm, until 5pm on Sundays and until 10pm on Friday and Saturday evenings).

And don't forget to join the guided walk on Saturday 1 March to see the finished artworks! The walk is setting off from The Staiths Café at 7pm and heading up to Big Local on Rose Street.

Art workshops

Our series of free drop-in art workshops with Dingy Butterflies continues, with the following sessions coming up at Tyne Derwent Way at Dunston Staiths:

• Saturday 22 February, 10am to 2pm - make your own Gateshead-themed bunting with Jennie Eyre
• Thursday 27 February, 3-5pm, and Saturday 1 March, 10am to 2pm - puppet making with Liv Hunt

Bird walk and survey

Head down to Gateshead Riverside Park for a bird walk and survey with Wild Intrigue on Saturday 22 February, 9-10am, meeting at Pipewellgate Car Park. Discover and help to record the park's wildlife. It's free - just turn up!

Ramblers Walk

Also on Saturday 22 February, 10am to 12pm, take a wellbeing walk with Kath, from St Mary's Heritage Centre to Dunston Staiths and back. It's free but please book.

Dunston: Staiths, steamers and teemers

Join our guide on Thursday 27 February, 11am to 12.30pm, to discover more about the history of the magnificent Dunston Staiths, and imagine the hustle of Tyneside's industrial past. This guided walk is free but booking is essential. 

Family forest fun

There's plenty of forest fun to enjoy with Stomping Grounds in Gateshead Riverside Park. Come down on Tuesday 25 February, 10am to 12pm, for half-term activities for children aged 0-7 years. Parents, carers and older siblings are welcome. Book your place - sliding scale payments are available.

The following week, step into spring every Tuesday, starting from 4 March, 10am to 12pm. Spring term themes to look forward to include beautiful bees, sounds safari, foraging, bug hotels, patterns in nature and tracking woodland animals!

Early signs of spring

There's a week of free family-friendly activities at National Trust Gibside (entry prices apply) from Saturday 22 February to Sunday 2 March to celebrate the early signs of spring. Get your hands mucky by modelling clay snails and planting snowdrop bulbs, then join a treasure trail in the garden where you'll step through time to learn about Gibside's famous heir and her love of gardening.

Get out and explore!

All along the Tyne Derwent Way, you can enjoy nature, culture and heritage on Gateshead's green getaway in your own time. Browse the Railway Quarter and start your walk from St Mary's Heritage Centre, discover the sculptures in Gateshead Riverside Park, pass by the mighty Dunston Staiths, or head up into the Derwent Valley, where you can explore the parkland at the Land of Oak and Iron, Derwenthaugh Country Park, Thornley Woodlands, and all the way up to Gibside.