Delightful County Durham

Day 1

Departing the local area, we travel north with a stop on route before arriving at the 4* Redworth Hall Hotel, with time to settle in before dinner.

Day 2

Today we visit the open-air Beamish Museum, which tells the story of life in the North East during the 1820s, 1900s and 1940s, all set within 300 acres of beautiful countryside. Experience life in the 1820s at Pockerley, explore a 1900s town and see how families lived and worked in the years leading up to the First World War. Visit the Colliery & Pit village and discover how life was on the home front during the Second World War on the Farm with Land Girls and the Home Guard.

Day 3

After a leisurely breakfast, we make the journey to Auckland Castle. This proud home of the Bishops of Durham stands as one of the best-preserved Bishops' Palaces in Europe. Over the last decade, the site has undertaken major renovation work to bring the castle back to its former splendour. Enjoy time at leisure to explore the castle with staterooms designed to tell the history and story of the bishops that lived here. Included in our visit is entry to the Faith Museum. This afternoon we enjoy a journey through county Durham onboard the Weardale Railway.

Day 4

This morning, we visit Raby Castle one of the most impressive intact castles in the North of England. Built in the 14th century by the powerful Nevill family, it has a long history. Home to Cecily Nevill, mother of two kings of England, it was also the scene of the plotting of the Rising of the North and a Parliamentary stronghold during the Civil War. This afternoon we visit Durham.

Day 5

On our final day we will take a morning stop in the pretty town of Thirsk, ever famous as home to the real James Herriott, before continuing our journey home.

D=Dinner, B=Breakfast