While Durham isn't on the tourist radar for most, the Durham Cathedral is most definitely worth a…read moredetour for those visiting northern England. The cathedral and castle sit perched atop the city along the river. We took the somewhat steep riverside route up to the cathedral, and while it was quite a bit of a hike, the views along the river were fabulous. After exiting, we went via the city streets, which was also a treat as we were able to admire the unique city architecture and cobblestone streets. The cathedral is alongside the university campus, with the adjacent castle being part of the school. There is no fee to visit the cathedral, but there is a suggested donation, with optional paid tours. There's also a gift shop and a place to grab food (architecture is amazing here). Durham Cathedral was used for filming scenes for Harry Potter movies and Avengers Endgame. The cloisters and main cathedral chambers are very picturesque. I'd recommend a visit to the city of Durham and its cathedral if you find yourself looking for things to do in Northern England.

We visited Durham Cathedral in September 2024 on our way from York up to Bamburgh. I had wanted to…read moreexplore Durham as it is another ancient city with Saxon, Viking and Norman history. We chose not to visit the castle, due to time, but that gave us more time at the Cathedral. It was well worth it. We took the self-guided audio tour and it was excellent. It was a relatively busy day - all the new students were moving in - but it didn't feel too crowded. There are many interesting points of interest inside this magnificent building, of course St Cuthbert and The Venerable Bead are the hilights for me. There are lots of beautiful stained glass windows, of course the stunning rose window. There is a great looking cafe, but we did not have time to stop and eat. It looks like a great option for refreshments after a few hours on your feet. We parked at the Riverwalk Mall parking lot and walked over the Framwelgate Bridge to Market Square. Its a short but moderately steep walk up the top of the hill where the castle and cathedral are. Well worth exploring.

This building is even more stunning on the inside as some pictures will show. It has a modern area…read moreto the front entrance but you step back in time in the actual town hall. Beautiful stained glass windows & enormous paintings adorn the walls. Truly on par with Durham's cathedral & history links. If you come to durham then give this place a visit as well as the cathedral. Highly recommended.

Durham Town hall is one of thoseplaces that looks really small from the inside, but actually it is…read moreMASSIVE!! Recently refurbished, the original main entrance has been closed off and the entrance is now through the building next door. In the entrance hall are the famous belongings of 'The Count' he was a polish count who after travelling the world retured to Durham. His house is still standing by the riverside. Meetings and different kinds of fairs are often held here so it's a very useful building! the interior is a little dated, but to me, it just all adds to the authenticity of the place!

Although it's just a ruin in the main, Its well kept, nice carpark for about 15 cars & it's free…read more The best way to take this abbey in, is to include it on a walk as there is nothing else to do here & there are some nice walks out of Barnard Castle. Exactly what I'm doing today

There's not much to see or do here, but at least it's free! It's basically an old ruined abbey at…read morethe end of an off-beat country road. English Heritage have put some information around the place, but not much: a lot is left to one's imagination. There is quite a bit to explore though, and it's possible to conjure up images of what life might have been like there centuries ago. There's plenty of car-parking and on a pleasant summer's day it's a nice spot for a picnic. It's probably worth a visit but don't go with too many expectations!

As a public building goes County Hall is quit Impressive, except for parking. Just a small car park…read morefor visitors which is nearly always full. There is a overflow car park at the DLI museum which is a bit of a walk especially when it wet & windy.

Lovely old Victorian station now used for the modern metro line. Hosts a Market on Saturdays and…read moreSundays and has restaurant, cafe, newsagent and hair dressers too.

Excellent day out, and with the newest dig unearthing more of the site it's well worth a visitread more

Easy to get to from Bishop Auckland Market place and signposted too…read more Out of the way, quiet and Free parking. once the largest Roman fort in County Durham. A small part has been excavated and is open to view and to visit, other parts are being investigated during the summer months. The Fort was built in the second half of the first century AD in wood and later rebuilt in stone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binchester_Roman_Fort what is visible on a visit are a few courses of stone work of buildings and a courtyard surrounding a wonderful bath-house (see photo above)..there's also a section of roadway and numerous quality information boards. a worthwhile place to visit for the princely sum of £2.55 for a whole years worth of visits. http://www.durham.gov.uk/Pages/Service.aspx?ServiceId=6646

Gibside Estate, near Rowlands Gill in Tyne and Wear is the ancestral estate of the Bowes-Lyon…read morefamily. (The Queen Mother was born Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.) The estate chapel and grand walk have been owned bythe National Trust since the 1960s and they acquired some more of the grounds in the 1990s. It's a stunning place with beautiful grounds and lots of wildlife and woodland and riverside walks. My attitude towards Gibside is coloured somewhat by having gotten lost there a few years back following a badly signposted trail - it's a fantastic place but I don't stray too far! Gibside Chapel can host Anglican weddings and on those days the chapel is closed to public access. It is a truly stunning venue for a wedding. Facilities at the estate include a tea room, free car parking, gift shop with regional products and baby changing facilities.

This is my favourite place for a walk at any time of year, although take boots or wellies in winter…read more- even the car park is incredibly muddy! They also have farmers markets every month over the summer (on Saturdays) and these offer product grown there and on other local National Trust properties and NE businesses. Very friendly service, usually some music and you don't have to pay to visit the market (same for the tearoom, shop and loos.) They also have Brass in the Park every month, on Sundays, when local brass bands play in front of the chapel. Take a picnic, some easy chairs, the Sunday paper and enjoy!

The palace green is an ideal resting place on a summers say if visiting the Cathedral, around the…read moresides is limited controlled parking not so sure about driving to it as you have to pass through busy pedestrian streets & market square to get to it, but I believe there isa bus shuttle if you are unable to walk the steep hill to it. Mostly surrounded buy old university buildings. A cafe is located on one side should you need refreshments & public toilets just by the entrance road. Access to the river walks can be reached from various alleyways near the cathedral.

Palace Green is just a simple square of grass between Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle. It is…read morealso faced onto various old university buildings. It is a beautiful spot. Not much good in the rain (which is pretty common in the North of England), and often a bit crowded on sunny days, but still a great place just to sit, if you have a little time to kill in Durham City on a warm day. It's only a square of grass but it is easily better than most small inner city parks, just because of the surroundings.