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From the rolling landscape in the north and west to the rich agricultural lands in the south, the Vale of Durham is a diverse destination with bustling towns, exciting activities and enthralling attractions.
Bishop Auckland is home to Auckland Castle, steeped in history and still the official residence of the Bishop of Durham. The castle is surrounded by the Bishop’s Deer Park - 800 acres of picturesque parkland. And at Escomb, visitors can see one of the finest examples of early Christian architecture in Northern Europe in the restored 7th Century Escomb Saxon Church.
The world famous Beamish Museum is an open-air museum telling the story of the people of North East England. Visit the town, colliery village, working farm, Pockerley Manor and 1825 railway, recreating life in the North East in the early 1800s and 1900s. Beamish stands in 300 acres of beautiful countryside and is not a traditional museum - most of the houses, shops and other buildings have been dismantled, brought to Beamish and rebuilt.
Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon, was the first National Museum in North East England and houses up to 60 vehicles from the national collection. If you’re a bird spotter rather than a train spotter, Beamish Wild, the Vale’s newest attraction, features a bird of prey conservation centre and a high wire adventure rope course – a must for thrill seekers with a head for heights!
The Vale of Durham is also renowned for its sporting prowess, with both Sedgefield Racecourse and Durham County Cricket Club in Chester-le-Street giving visitors the opportunity to experience the excitement of attending a live sporting event.
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