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Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours.

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You are here > Home > Inspire Me > Short Break Ideas > Summer Breaks > Things To Do

Things To Do

A host of exciting attractions, activities and amazing things to do in Durham this summer.

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  1. Burnhope Reservoir

    Add Burnhope Reservoir to your Itinerary

    Burnhope Reservoir

    Type

    Type:

    Picnic Site

    Wearhead

    Enjoy a peaceful circular walk around this reservoir in Weardale. There's some wonderful woodland trails and lakeside paths to enjoy. It's a very quiet place with a series of picnic tables where you can stop to enjoy the lovely scenery of the North…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Burnhope Reservoir
  2. The Witham lit up at night

    Add The Witham to your Itinerary

    The Witham

    Type

    Type:

    Arts Centre

    Barnard Castle

    The Witham is a community venue for theatre, music, art and social events, facilities range from the architecturally award-winning café bar to a fully-renovated Victorian music hall.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

    Awards

    • Regional and Miscellaneous TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2019TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence
    • Regional and Miscellaneous WTTC Safe Travels 2021WTTC Safe Travels
    More info for The Witham
  3. Cuddle the Alpacas at Hall Hill Farm

    Add Hall Hill Farm to your Itinerary

    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 687 reviews687 reviews

    Hall Hill Farm

    Type

    Type:

    Farm

    Lanchester

    Award-winning farm attraction set in attractive countryside, see and touch the animals at close quarters. Farm trailer ride, gift shop, tearoom, indoor softplay area picnic and play area.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

    Awards

    • Visit England VAQAS 2021VAQAS
    • Regional and Miscellaneous National Farm Attraction of the Year Award 2017National  Farm Attraction of the Year Award
    • Visit England VisitEngland Welcome Award 2024VisitEngland Welcome Award
    • Regional and Miscellaneous TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2025 2025TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2025
    More info for Hall Hill Farm
  4. Dark Skies image

    The Rookhope Arch

    Type

    Type:

    Landmark

    A local landmark is the Rookhope Arch at Lintzgarth, a few hundred yards west up the valley; one of the few remaining parts of the 2 miles (3.2 km) Rookhope Chimney. This "horizontal" chimney (parallel to the ground, which actually rises steeply to…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for The Rookhope Arch
  5. An historic steam train on Tanfield Railway in County Durham.

    Add Tanfield Railway to your Itinerary

    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 495 reviews495 reviews

    Tanfield Railway

    Type

    Type:

    Railway

    Tanfield

    Oldest existing railway in the world, opened 1725. Steam-hauled passenger trains, vintage carriages, 61 locomotives and steam-driven vintage workshop. Please see website for dates and operating times.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

    Awards

    • Regional and Miscellaneous WTTC Safe Travels 2021WTTC Safe Travels
    • Regional and Miscellaneous Trip Advisor Travellers Choice 2023 2023Trip Advisor Travellers Choice 2023
    More info for Tanfield Railway
  6. Durham City World Heritage Site
    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 195 reviews195 reviews

    Newcastle Tour Company

    Type

    Type:

    Guiding Company

    including Durham City and County Durham,

    Discover our award-winning tours to North East England - explore Newcastle, Durham, Hadrian's Wall , Alnwick Castle, Holy Island or Northumberland National Park with us!

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

    Awards

    • Regional and Miscellaneous WTTC Safe Travels 2021WTTC Safe Travels
    More info for Newcastle Tour Company
  7. Dalton Moor Farm Owners Jenny and Tom

    Add Dalton Moor - Vegan Fruit Farm to your Itinerary

    Dalton Moor - Vegan Fruit Farm

    Type

    Type:

    Farm Shop

    Dalton le Dale, Seaham

    Vegan Foods and Drinks, hand made from fresh wild and cultivated plants grown right here on the farm.

    From 15th October we will have Pumpkins available for sale, along with a range of pumpkin and hallowe’en related activities, listed on our website…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

    Awards

    • Regional and Miscellaneous WTTC Safe Travels 2021WTTC Safe Travels
    More info for Dalton Moor - Vegan Fruit Farm
  8. Durham Presbyterian Church

    Add Durham Presbyterian Church to your Itinerary

    Durham Presbyterian Church

    Type

    Type:

    Church / Chapel

    Durham

    Bible-based preaching in a warm and friendly atmosphere. In the evening, after the second service, there is an opportunity to ask questions in an informal setting over tea in a member’s home. Please do join us, we’d love to see you at any of our…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Durham Presbyterian Church
  9. Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre

    Add Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre to your Itinerary

    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 125 reviews125 reviews

    Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Nature Reserve

    Chilton Moor, Houghton le Spring

    Rainton Meadows was created by the restoration of the Rye Hill Opencast coal mine in 1996 by UK Coal in partnership with Durham Wildlife Trust and the City of Sunderland.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

    Awards

    • Regional and Miscellaneous Northern Saints Trails Passport 2021Northern Saints Trails Passport
    More info for Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre
  10. Grand Finale all cast of Kynren view from the tribune

    Add Kynren - An Epic Tale of England to your Itinerary

    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 2392 reviews2392 reviews

    Kynren - An Epic Tale of England

    Type

    Type:

    Event Venue

    Bishop Auckland

    Travel through 2,000 years of history in a single unforgettable evening! Watch as legends come to life – Vikings storm ashore, battles rage, and heroes rise beneath a sky ablaze with magic and fire.

    Dates

    From:
    18 July 2026to12 Sept 2026Various Opening Times

    Awards

    • Regional and Miscellaneous Weardale Visitor Network Member 2025Weardale Visitor Network Member
    • Regional and Miscellaneous TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2025 2025TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2025
    More info for Kynren - An Epic Tale of England
  11. Castle Bank Butchers Stanhope

    Add Castle Bank Butchers Stanhope to your Itinerary

    Castle Bank Butchers Stanhope

    Type

    Type:

    Food/Drink Producer

    Stanhope

    Offering: A Delivery Service

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Castle Bank Butchers Stanhope
  12. View of the golf course with a golfer in the distance. A sand bunker to the right and tree in the distance.

    Add Golf at Headlam Hall Country Hotel to your Itinerary

    Golf at Headlam Hall Country Hotel

    Type

    Type:

    Golf Course

    Gainford

    Located in the Durham dales in the North East, and set over rolling pastureland around the Hall gardens this enjoyable and challenging course features an abundance of natural features including rig & fur, woodland, streams and ponds.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

    Awards

    • Regional and Miscellaneous WTTC Safe Travels 2021WTTC Safe Travels
    More info for Golf at Headlam Hall Country Hotel
  13. St Mary the Virgin Church

    Add St Mary the Virgin Church to your Itinerary

    St Mary the Virgin Church

    Type

    Type:

    Church / Chapel

    Seaham

    St Mary the Virgin is an Anglo-Saxon church listed as being 1 of 20 pre-Viking churches in the country. Founded around 700AD, the chancel was rebuilt in the Norman period and a tower around 1300. It overlooks the cliffs of the Durham coast.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for St Mary the Virgin Church
  14. Girl looking through a magnifying glass into a bug pot

    Add RSPB Saltholme to your Itinerary

    Tripadvisor

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - 495 reviews495 reviews

    RSPB Saltholme

    Type

    Type:

    Outdoor and Wildlife Activity

    Middlesbrough

    RSPB Saltholme is the perfect place if you’re new to birdwatching or want to get out in nature. Our family-friendly wetlands have a helpful visitor's centre and hides which let you get up close to water rail, avocet and terns, plus a cafe, play area…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Nov 2025to31 Mar 2026Open 09:30 - 16:00
    From:
    1 Apr 2026to31 Oct 2026Open 09:30 - 17:00

    Awards

    • Visit England VAQAS 2021VAQAS
    • Regional and Miscellaneous VisitEngland Gold Accolade 2023VisitEngland Gold Accolade
    More info for RSPB Saltholme
  15. Horden Colliery Heritage Centre

    Add Horden Colliery Heritage Centre to your Itinerary

    Horden Colliery Heritage Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Horden

    Heritage Centre with themed rooms. Mining Museum going back 100 years with 350 archives, photographs of Horden, lots of history, 1940s rooms.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Mar 2026to31 Oct 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Horden Colliery Heritage Centre
  16. Durham walking tour app guide

    Add Digital Walking Tour of Durham to your Itinerary

    Digital Walking Tour of Durham

    Type

    Type:

    Walking Tour

    Durham

    Have fun with a free Durham digital walking tour, while finding out about the city's fascinating heritage.

    Using 360 images, GPS, 3D models and interactive pictures, the Durham walking guide app also poses a series of quiz questions, turning a walk…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Digital Walking Tour of Durham
  17. Middleton in Teesdale

    Add Whistle Crag (Near Middleton-in-Teesdale) to your Itinerary

    Whistle Crag (Near Middleton-in-Teesdale)

    Type

    Type:

    Viewpoint

    Middleton-in-Teesdale

    Easily accessed viewing point with stunning and wide reaching views across Teesdale. Ideal spot to capture the North Pennines National Landscape including drystone walls, scattered settlements and open fell land to the far horizon. 

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Whistle Crag (Near Middleton-in-Teesdale)
  18. Durham Mining Museum

    Add Durham Mining Museum to your Itinerary

    Durham Mining Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Heritage / Visitor Centre

    Spennymoor

    Spennymoor Town Hall has it’s dedicated memorial to the works and lives lost during the mining period across County Durham. Events cover mining in the Northern part of England i.e. County Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmorland and the…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Durham Mining Museum
  19. Stall at Market Place at The HUB

    Add The HUB Market Place to your Itinerary

    The HUB Market Place

    Type

    Type:

    Independent Shop / Local

    Consett

    Shop local at The HUB Consett with over 65 stockists to choose from selling everything from food and drink to crafts, homeware, and jewelry. The quality and selection available is phenomenal. All of the stockists are small and micro North East based…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for The HUB Market Place
  20. Blue Badge Guide David Waite of Guiding You Ltd

    Guiding You Ltd

    Type

    Type:

    Scenic Tours

    including Durham City and County Durham,

    We create and provide guided sightseeing tours by car, coach, on foot; educational, familiarisation, study tours, partner programmes, tour design and planning, visitor & conference services, talks & presentations, heritage guide & speaker training.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Guiding You Ltd
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