All Stitched Up needlepoint kits, designs and classes, Hexham, Northumberland

Threadbare it wasn't. Walking into All Stitched Up on Hexham's high street, I was genuinely surprised by the depth of what's on offer here - it's far more than a shop selling kits to bored tourists. The walls are lined with needlepoint designs ranging from Victorian reproductions to contemporary patterns, and the stock of threads alone could keep someone occupied for hours. I picked up a beginner's kit (they cater well to absolute novices) and spent a solid afternoon working through it.

The real draw, though, is the classes. They run sessions for all abilities, and watching a room full of people - mostly women in their 50s and 60s, but a few younger folk too - work in concentrated silence is oddly meditative. You're not paying to sit in a gallery here; you're learning a proper craft. It's hands-on, practical, and there's real encouragement from the instructor without the fake cheeriness you get in some tourist attractions.

It works particularly well if you're based at one of the nearby glamping spots - East Farm or Northumberland Nook are both close enough for an easy drive. Hexham itself is worth a proper wander, and this fits neatly into a day combining the abbey and the market town's independent shops. Not for everyone, certainly, but if you're someone who enjoys making things with your hands rather than just looking at them, it's absolutely worth your time. A couple of hours minimum, longer if you're taking a class.