Welcome to Visit County Durham's Press Area

News

May 2012

• Durham Celebrates Three National Tourism Awards

  Durham is celebrating after three of its tourism businesses have won awards in the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012.

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• Olympic Torch Evening Celebration

  Move to the beat of London 2012. A fantastic fusion of festivities is on offer at this free family spectacular.

  Come along between 5pm-7.30pm on...

• Durham Attraction Goes to the Top of the Class

  Hall Hill Farm, the award winning tourist attraction near Lanchester, has received a big thumbs up from schools right across the north east in its...

• Foodies Veg out at Durham's Gadds Town House

  Foodies are being urged to veg out next week and try something different to tickle their taste buds, as one of Durham’s five star restaurants...

• New Website for Visitors to Durham on the go

  A new mobile website will ensure that visitors to Durham can make the most of their visit with information on what to see and do literally at their...

• An evening in The Pit Village Beamish celebrates Museums at Night

  For the first time ever, Beamish, the region’s award-winning museum, is taking part in the Museums at Night festival and opening its doors to...

April 2012

• Durham Regatta

  Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th June 2012

  The 179th Durham Regatta  takes place on the weekend of 9th and 10th June 2012.   Centrepiece...

• From Georgiana To Boy George - Stephen Jones

  One of British Fashion’s best loved characters, whose client list boasts style icons such as French First Lady Carla Bruni alongside pop divas...

• Olympics come to Raby Castle . . . For Orchids?!

  Orchid growers from across the North East will be lining up to have their prized plants judged at the 12 th Annual Orchid Show on Saturday 5th...

• Fabulous Baker Brothers on menu at Bishop Auckland Food Festival

  TV Stars - The Fabulous Baker Brothers - will be joining members of the TasteDurham Award Scheme plus other producers and food champions at the 2012...

• Lambing Live comes to Hall Hill Farm

  Hall Hill Farm is bringing ‘lambing live’ to people’s homes and helping to tell the story ofthe Durham countryside worldwide, after...

March 2012

• Bishop Auckland Food Festival Gets Durham’s Taste Buds Going Online

  This year’s Bishop Auckland Food Festival is tantalizing taste buds by encouraging Durham foodies to swap and share their favourite recipes...

• Animal Arrivals Help Celebrate Mother's Day

  Mother's Day has an extra special meaning this year at Hall Hill Farm as a newborn calf is reunited with its mother after being found in a ditch...

• English Tourism Week brings new deals to Durham

  Visit County Durham has launched its latest ‘Durham Deals’ as part of English Tourism Week.

  Durham Deals is a must-use online...

• A Taste of Durham Awaits Visitors to Bishop Auckland Food Festival

  Festival goers will be able to savour the very best of local produce this year at the Bishop Auckland Food Festival as award-winners from the...

• Award Winning Attraction Celebrates Record Breaking Year

  An award winning County Durham attraction has experienced a record breaking year.  Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon has seen...

• No Kidding - there's new arrivals at Hall Hill Farm

  The first newborn animals of 2012 have arrived at a popular Durham tourist attraction so early that they have even beat the first visitors.

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• Model Motion - The World of Railways in Miniature

  Visit Locomotion: the National Railway Museum at Shildon on Saturday March 10 and Sunday March 11 for your chance to see the world of railways...

February 2012

• Green honour for Killhope

  A County Durham museum has struck gold.

  Killhope: the North of England Lead Mining Museum has been granted a gold award through the Green Tourism...

• Fun, Frolics and a Baby Alpaca at Hall Hill Farm this Half-Term

  Fun and frolics will return to Hall Hill Farm this weekend, as the popular award winning Durham tourist attraction re-opens for half term.

  Hall...

• Go Wild! At The Bowes Museum this Half term

  Go Wild! at The Bowes Museum during half term with a fun packed programme of events planned for the Barnard Castle treasure house.

  Zoolab wild...

• Gladiator Skeletons Arrive In Durham

  Six human skeletons thought to be the remains of Roman Gladiators have gone on display at a new visitor attraction in the Centre of Durham.

  The...

• Durham voted No.2 of UK’s Top cities

  Durham has been voted the top city in England and the second best city to visit in the UK in a national poll.

  Readers of The Guardian and The...

January 2012

• Locomotion Inspires Five Local Artists

  Something out of the ordinary is happening at Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon. A new exhibition, opening on January 16 2012,...

December 2011

• Lumiere Durham installation SPLASH by Peter Lewis to go on Olympic Park in 2012

  Splash , the extraordinary waterfall made by Canadian artist Peter Lewis, and one of the highlights of this year's LUMIERE Festival in Durham, will...

November 2011

• International Recognition for Durham Heritage Coast

  Durham’s magnificent Heritage Coast has achieved European recognition and was one of only three entrants honoured with a formal ‘Special...

October 2011

• Autumn Days Out Go Further with Durham Deals

  Visit County Durham has teamed up with tourism businesses right across the county to provide visitors with many ways to save money this autumn.

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• It's Official, Durham Cathedral is Britain's Favourite Building

  Over the last few weeks the Guardian newspaper has been running a poll to find Britain’s favourite building. Durham Cathedral was elected...

• Make a break of it when Lumiere returns to Durham

  When Lumiere returns to blaze a trail through Durham next month there will be many short breaks on offer to tempt visitors to make the most the...

• Durham Book Festival

  Durham Book Festival 2011, with over 60 events, and books on all subjects, offers something for everyone. The festival brings a wide range of...

September 2011

• LUMIERE - The UK’s largest light festival returns to Durham

  The UK’s largest light festival returns to blaze a trailthrough Durham this winter with 30+ installations including works by Tracey Emin and...

• Boost to green tourism

  An  environmentally friendly transport link for tourists has taken to the road in Upper Weardale.

  The 16 seater mini bus isfully accessible...

• Steam Shuttles York to Shildon!

  Steam and diesel shuttles will be running between Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon and the National Railway Museum in York on...

• 50 Years of Porsche at Raby Castle

  The Porsche Club of Great Britain are hosting their seventh Annual Northern Show at Raby Castle, Staindrop, nr Darlington, Co Durham on Sunday 18 th...

August 2011

• Miniature Shetland Pony Rehomed at Durham Farm Attraction

  A Durham tourist attraction has re-homed an orphaned miniature Shetland pony as it prepares for the busy school holiday period. The...

July 2011

• Davy’s Fried Fish Shop at Beamish

  Davy’s Fried Fish Shop at Beamish will be open to visitors from Friday 15 July, serving a real taste of the past and is expected to be...

June 2011

• On Track For A Great Toy & Train Collectors Fair

  The annual Toy & Train Collectors’ Fair returns to Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon on Saturday July 2 & Sunday...

• Vivienne Westwood at the Bowes Museum

  This exhibition celebrates the ingenuity and creativity of British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, focusing on her designs of the ultimate...

• Barnard Castle Band are Music to Castle’s Ears!

  Music lovers will be delighted when visiting Raby Castle, nr Darlington this weekend. On Sunday 12 th June, Barnard Castle Band will be joined by...

• More Recognition for Durham

  Durham has achieved a top 6 place in a poll to find out the nation’s best-loved small cities and towns. Research carried out by You Gov...

May 2011

• Baa Baa Hall Hill Farm Sheep, Have you any wool?

  The sheep are ready for shearing at Hall Hill Farm, and top shearer Gary Tyers is giving demonstrations of this traditional skill over the Bank...

• Carry The Forest In Your Pocket

  Hamsterley Forest can be found on your iPhone now that the Forestry Commission England has launched a free iPhone app to find your local...

• Cycling spectacular returns to Durham

  The thrills and spills of competitive cycling will be returning to the streets of Durham this month as the city again plays host to the Halfords Tour...

April 2011

• Wing Your Way Over To The North Pennines Big Birdwatch

  Visitors are expected to flock to the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty over the weekend of Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 May when the...

• Royal Wedding Blossoms at Raby Castle

  The Royal Wedding is coming to Raby Castle this weekend, but we’re not talking about bride grooms, cakes and the household cavalry,...

• 30 Years of Fun and Frolics at Durham Farm

  A Durham tourist attraction is celebrating 30 years in the business this April.

  Hall Hill Farm first opened as an attraction on 12 April 1981,...

March 2011

• Durham Attraction is a Mootastic Day out

  Mini Moos farm in Edmondsley, Co Durham, recently re-opened its doors to its fantastic farm park with a difference. Mini Moos is home to a wide range...

• Durham County Council launches new Culture Card

  Visitors to Durham can now buy a Culture Card and enjoy free entry for a year to Durham County Council's visitor attractions: Killhope the...

• Full steam ahead for a Durham day out

  Durham has a well-earned reputation as the “cradle of the Railways” and if you love steam you’ll love what’s on offer at some...

January 2011

• New visitor maps showcase county towns

  A series of new visitor maps have been launched to showcase market and coastal towns in Durham.

  The maps for Seaham, Barnard Castle, Bishop...

September 2010

• Get value from your visit with new autumn Durham Deals

  Get value from your visit to Durham with new autumn Durham Deals .

  Visit County Durham has teamed up with leading visitor attractions,...