and Alnmouth are a short drive away. An absolute must is a Billy Shiel's (www.farne-islands.com) boat trip from Seahouses to see the puffins and seals on the magical Farne Islands. Seven nights for a family of four in Barn Cottage costs from £898; www.ruralretreats.co.uk

and boat trips for pure pleasure or a spot of fishing.If it rains, head to Blue Lagoon Water Park & Adventure Centre, Anna Ryder Richardson’s Manor House Wildlife Park, Folly Farm, the Pottery Shed Café or Caldey Island, all of which are in or just outside

Plas RhianfaPlas Rhianfa is a stunning Welsh chateau in Anglesey, though it wouldn’t look out of place in the Loire Valley. In celebration of one of the UK’s greatest children’s writers, the hotel has created a fun Enid Blyton package for families