Explore the great outdoors in North East England

Why sit in an office breathing in air-conditioning when you could be taking a deep breath of sea-air and feeling the sand between your toes on the miles of unspoilt beaches in North East England?

And if that’s not enough to entice you off your seat there’s always the stunning countryside where you can fill your lungs with the scent of the hills either by foot or on two wheels.

The region boasts two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a National Park, two World Heritage Sites and a host of vibrant cities meaning there is something for everyone to discover.

You can explore for a weekend or a week staying in a picture-postcard cottage or a warm and friendly hotel or B&B. And with 15% off selected serviced accommodation and £50 off self-catering on a set length of stay at visitnortheastengland.com/save why would you want to go anywhere else this summer?

North East England has a diverse landscape offering all sorts of delights to adventurous visitors so you certainly won’t be bored on a holiday here.

The region has eight national cycle routes including the famous Coast-to-Coast route which is approximately 150-miles long and goes from the Cumbrian Coast finishing in either Tynemouth or Sunderland. There is also the Hadrian’s Wall Cycleway running alongside one of the most important monuments in the Roman Empire as well as numerous Roman sites, forts and museums.

Another popular route is the Coast and Castle cycleway, which is 220 miles long and goes from Newcastle to Edinburgh. Recent improvements to the route include a new traffic-free route between Alnmouth and Warkworth and the spectacular new coastal path north of Holy Island.

But if it’s a white-knuckle ride you’re looking for why not head to one of the five large forests in the region offering plenty of choice for cyclists?

The two thousand acre forest at Hamsterley, County Durham, could have been made for mountain bikers. The way marked trails are graded from easy, family-friendly routes to extreme, downhill tracks. The terrain is rocky, root-carpeted and seriously good fun, and there’s also a new skills area where you can try out testing moves.

Kielder, Britain's largest man-made forest, has gained a reputation as one of England’s premier mountain biking areas with a number trails suitable for riders of every ability from beginners to experienced mountain bikers. And if you stop for a breather you’ll find a host of things to do and see such as spotting wildlife, sculptures, a Birds of Prey Centre and cafes.

And at Guisborough Forest on the edge of the Tees Valley there are two main routes, the Black route for advanced cyclists requiring high levels of off-road experience and endurance to complete and the Blue route for beginners.

If you’re looking for challenging walks with some of the most breathtaking views in the country there is plenty to test your stamina in North East England. Whether it’s tackling the 270 mile Pennine Way which takes you through the heart of the region or taking in a bit of sea air on one of the many miles of beautiful coastline. St Cuthbert’s Way begins in the Scottish Border town of Melrose, crosses the Cheviots before passing on to Holy Island.

You can also brush up on your Roman history while tackling the 84-mile route alongside Hadrian’s Wall. The walk begins in the vibrant city of NewcastleGateshead before heading to the rugged moorland of rural Northumberland, proving its status as a World Heritage Site. Taking an average of seven days to complete its highest point is at Whinshield Crags where the path reaches 345m (1130ft).

Further south Roseberry Topping in Tees Valley has some of the most stunning views of the region including the landscape icon known as the Matterhorn of Cleveland, which is the result of a geographical fault and an early 20th century mining accident.

And for further inspiration on great places to visit in North East England make sure you tune in to ITV’s Britain’s Favourite View series and vote for your favourite view from the region.

No fewer than three out of 16 of the spectacular locations nominated for the programme - hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald and continuing over the next three weeks – are in North East England.

Clive Anderson has already heralded the beauty of World Heritage Site – Hadrian’s Wall and this Sunday husband and wife acting team Tim Healy and Denise Welch will sing the praises of the River Tyne, and later in the series TV presenter Janet Street-Porter will champion Bamburgh Castle.

For more information on the programme visit itv.com/view or to explore the great outdoors of North East England, log on to Visitnortheastengland.com.