Durham Dales

The Durham Dales is made up of Teesdale and Weardale and is a peaceful, rich and varied landscape of moors and hills, valleys and meandering rivers. Dotted with picturesque villages and market towns, the Durham Dales is also home to the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Spend time in Stanhope, the green and tranquil market town at the heart of the Durham Dales and home to the Durham Dales Centre, where you will find an award-winning tea room plus a number of craft shops.

Visit High House Chapel, the world’s oldest Methodist Chapel still in continuous weekly use, and the Weardale Museum – a small independent folk museum where visitors can discover what life was like in Weardale in the 19th Century.

Take the pleasant woodland walk to High Force, the highest unbroken fall of water in England, where the River Tees spectacularly drops 21 metres - an awe-inspiring sight! Another remarkable sight is The Bowes Museum with its wonderful history and outstanding treasures, located in the delightful market town of Barnard Castle.

The peace and tranquillity of Eggleston Hall Gardens, with its nursery specialising in rare and unusual plants, is a great place to take a moment to enjoy the beauty of nature with over 4 acres of gardens.

One of England’s most impressive Medieval castles, Raby Castle was built in the 14th Century and is surrounded by beautiful walled gardens and extensive parkland which is home to herds of fallow and roe deer.

Hamsterley Forest is a fantastic adventure playground of woodland with walks, cycle routes and horse riding trails open to all. Visitors can hire bikes in the forest and tackle a range of rides to suit all abilities.

Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum, is the most complete lead mining site in Great Britain and features a huge working water wheel. Visitors can experience the life and work of lead mining families and put on hard hats to descend into the mine to take a tour underground - an unforgettable experience!

For more local visitor information on Weardale and Teesdale, take a look at www.discoverweardale.com or www.exploreteesdale.com. Please note that not all accommodation on these sites are inspected or accredited.