Whickham Thorns Outdoor Activity Centre — Local services in Gateshead

We attended a paddleboarding session hosted by Whickham Thorns yesterday (2 adults and 1 child!) and we had a fantastic time paddleboarding! The instructors were absolutely brilliant – especially with the child who was really nervous about trying it for the first time. They were patient, encouraging, and made sure he felt safe and supported throughout, which gave him the confidence to get on the board and really enjoy the experience - and by the end of the session was trying handstands on the board and asking if he could have his birthday party there!

The instructors taught different strokes and techniques, played games and provided free time during the session which kept all of us engaged.

The equipment was all provided (paddles, boards, life vest, waterproofs, and helmets) which made everything stress-free. Considering the quality of the instruction, the time on the water, and the overall experience, the price is a real bargain.

It was such a positive, fun activity for the whole family, and we’ll definitely be booking again. Highly...

I was not even aware that this place existed. Its literally next to Kingsmeadow School in Gateshead. Car park is free but not big. You can also park as soon as you leave the main road. This was our first time visiting the centre. We arrived early so we had a look at the snow tubing session before ours. Kids got very excited and couldn't wait for their turn. After a brief safety talk, each grabbed a tube and off we went up the slope. My 4 years old struggled to carry the tube up the slope. My 6 year old managed but as other adults were overtaking her and jumping queues I had to help. £6 a person for 30 minutes is great value. Kids loved it so we will...

We loved our adventure with you today. Bushcraft, snow tumbling and toasting marshmallow. Three lovely activities in one package. Harvey was amazing on the snow tubing activity so friendly and helpful when I needed support. Thankyou Harvey. Thankyou too to Liam for our bush craft, making fire and toasting marshmallows activity. Liam was really good at demonstrating and communicating what we had to do. We will certainly be...