Whether you are religious or not, Durham Cathedral has something for you. Beautiful architecture, movie history (some of Harry Potter was filmed here), medieval carvings etc. it’s lovely to see and brilliant that it is being restored and maintained so well. I visited during December 2021 as part of the Durham Lumiere and it was wonderfully lit up on the outside. My visit this week was to refresh myself on the beauty of the inside and it did not disappoint. I didn’t indulge in the cafe but there were plenty of seats and tables that were nicely already out and the prices seemed reasonable. You can take guided tours and visit the tower too. There are numerous staff/guides to help and inform you but if anything, there are so many at times I felt a bit watched! This filters into a criticism. The Cathedrals admission is free but you are encouraged to donate (they recommend £5). There are numerous payment points but the one I didn’t like was the desk where they took payment, and people weren’t able to donate or students with no money seemed to cringe past through the barrier system trying not to make eye contact! Having already donated cash into one of the boxes early on my visit, I had to wait my turn behind a queue of tourists making donations and kind of edge past them. I really think this could be made less intimidating for visitors.

Wonderful cathedral located in the centre of the city on high ground. The tower is magnificent and the 300+ steps to the top rewards you with superb views of the city and surrounding area. Also the Hidden Treasures museum is well worth a visit.

Very impressive building. Coffee shop, gift shop. Free to walk around inside just made a donation. You can also book to go up the towers for a small fee, maybe next time I visit I'd like to give that a go

We visited Durham for the day. We climbed the cathedral Tower & took some beautiful photos. The weather was amazing, giving us stunning views. We had a lovely scone, jam & cream at a little cafe called Cafe Dal, just down from the cathedral. Very friendly owner, it is obviously popular as people were queuing, but it's worth the wait. All the cakes are homemade 😋.

Worth visiting place. Magnificent well preserved cathedral. Once Was a shoot spot for several movies ( including few parts of Harry Potter ). Also there are few interesting old graves in front of the cathedral. Entry is Free but donations is advisable ( to support maintenance), also you can get some tour on payment basement.

Very beautiful views at night during the lights festival. The cathedral is really very ancient and historical with lot of engraved structures and carvings on the stone building walls. It is a fine example of ancient architecture and the creative calibre of the old artists. It should be preserved by the local authorities at all cost as it represents the history of Durham. Standing on the hilltop with excellent views from the riverside, it is one of the most beautiful monuments of the northeast. It is very near to the Durham city centre and car parking can be found at the Prince Bishop's car park.

A must see for everyone, no matter their proclivity to religion. The architecture is amazing and fortunately this is still being looked after and the upkeep is ongoing and specialist skills are being retained. The volunteers are very welcoming and were very knowledgeable when asked questions. The roof top visit is a must for those not acrophobic. The views are incredible but the stairs will be a challenge for some.

Lots of history here. If you book a tour, you get a lot of information. There is also a museum linked to the cathedral. Nice to walk around the site. Harry Potter 1 & 2 were filmed here too. Harry Potter tours can be booked.

We did the roof top tour and it was great - really interesting. Not sure how one gets to do this as a member of the public though, ours was specially arranged. On a clear day the views are amazing from the roof, and the tower visits are open to anyone who can manage the climb! (And Harry Potter movie fans will spot several familiar locations in the cloisters and chapter house.)

Great place to visit. Great architecture. Its free although they try their best to get a £5 per person donation out of you! Well worth an hour wandering around taking it all in.

A glorious space with a fascinating history. Extremely helpful volunteers to answer questions and guide your visit. The 300+ steps up to the roof of the central tower are well worth climbing!

A lovely Cathedral to visit, amazing art work and artifacts. A £5 donation gesture. But, be mindful that it's extra to go into the Tower and art gallery which will set you back £7.50 for each entrance. Overall a lovely few hours spent and the cafe was nice, too. My wife enjoyed the walnut and coffee cake. Would recommend it if in the area.

This was our second visit to this stunning Cathedral. It's so beautiful and lots and lots to see. It's been used in some movies too. There's a cafe (can get very busy) and toilets. It was very busy the day we visited as it was Easter Weekend but it wasn't overwhelming and it didn't spoil our visit. I'm limiting my photo posts so as not to spoil it for anyone.

Phenomenal. Breathtaking. Spiritual. Spectacular. So much to see. The cathedral is free to enter however donations are voluntary (they help so if you can please do). Wheelchair friendly. On the grounds of the cathedral is a car park for blue badge holders only. There is public bathrooms. Old surrounding buildings including library, museum and Castle (£5 entrance for tour one every 30min). The cathedral hosts daily services as well as evening prayer. The cathedral is at the top of the hill. It is a fair incline. Lovely walk up to the church passing Lovely shops, restaurants and coffee shops along the way. Great place for all ages. Phenomenal history. Can spend anywhere for 30min to a few hours here.

Lovely Cathedral it was quiet when we walked round but it was New Year's Eve and Durham itself isn't busy. I'm guessing that's down to fears of omicron. Well worth the suggested donation.

Amazing pieces of history and to just walk around this whole place is just mesmerizing, getting to see all the artifacts and knowing a few movies where filmed here make it that much more special. Really enjoyed the time here with the family and exploring.

Simply amazing and spectacular on all fronts. From stunning architecture that makes you think how on earth they built the cathedral, to stunning stained glass windows and Harry Potter staring cloisters. You have to find to time to visit.

Beautiful Cathedral, inside and out with fascinating history. The cathedral has many volunteer local historians who, when available can provide fascinating insights into history of the Cathedral and its construction. Cafe is good and toilet facilities well maintained.

Its a beautiful cathedral. No ticket fee but one can donate if you like so. The structure itself is 1000+ years old and find many tombs inside the cathedral. One of the most spectacular thing and must see is the musical organ. Also movies like harry potter, snow white and the huntsman & endgame took locations from the cathedral.

Beautiful and splendid cathedral. Durham cathedral is full of history, and was built in the 11th century. It’s the most typical Norman cathedral in England. The space inside the cathedral is large, and there is a huge model of the earth hanging in the middle of the cathedral. It also includes a courtyard surrounded by corridors and was used as a filming place for the Harry Potter movies.

Durham is an amazing cathedral. Easily one of the most impressive in the country. We paid to climb the tower. It was £7.50 each and well worth it. We'll be visiting again

Great to visit. Museum well worth the £7.50 p/p. Lots of interesting things to see. Look for the stone mason marks on the limestone bricks.

What a beautiful place to visit. So much to see in the Cathedral. Amazing architecture, carved wood everywhere I looked. Please if you visit don't forget to look up. The bats had been distributed by the storm a few days earlier and they were flying around the cloisters I couldn't believe how many people hadn't noticed them. There are on this video.

Captivated by this building and it's history. So grateful I knew so little about it before my visit. I was totally unprepared for the impact it would have on me. You have to go to this place, it is an unmissable building if you are are resident or visitor to the uk. Thanks to all the wonderful, friendly and enthusiastic guides, particularly the young man by the huge doors who explained so much about the building's use and architecture, and monasteries in general. Entry is free but please leave a healthy donation if you can. Please note that if you want to visit the castle that it is a university and as such has specific times for guided tours. Although don't let that stop you going to the cathedral if you can't make the castle opening times!

Amazing place to visit. No charge for entry but there is a suggested donation. You can also book on to go to the top of the main tower. Massive cathedral, full of history with so much to see inside.

We only had time for a flying visit today but made sure that we got up to Durham Cathedral. As a building it is very striking, standing above much of the city; inside the stonework is so beautiful and the stained glass is breathtaking. Whilst you are exploring the surrounding ding areas see if you can find the medieval pilgrims route upto the Cathedral as we did. It is marked, but you’ll have to look closely! See the photos for a clue.

This place is absolutely stunning and so magical. It really is a must-see for any Potterhead as Philosophers Stone and Chamber Of Secrets were filmed here in parts. It was also used in Avengers End Game. There are no words to describe how beautiful the exquisite architecture is, and there is plenty to explore. The walk-up to the Cathedral is very steep, but there is a bus from the City Centre that drops you right outside. The staff are all volunteers who are incredibly friendly and welcoming and full of stories about the many features inside the building. There is a lovely cafe and shop inside which is well worth a visit too 😀 It is free to visit but donations are welcomed and you have the opportunity to purchase a candle to light for £1. You can film inside the building but no flash photography.

One of the most beloved and monumental cathedrals in all of England. As an American I am constantly in awe of the sheer variety of immense and majestic buildings here that exist in the United Kingdom. Yet even in that tradition, Durham cathedral is quite special, particularly because of the combination of Gothic and romanesc architectural styles. Heavy and solemn arches inside the nave contrast with soaring vaulted ceilings that represent some of the first experimentations with what would become the early Gothic style. Even if you are not an architectural obsessive or a person who finds serenity in being relieved from the myopia of routine through absorbed into the mystical vastness represented by ancient cathedrals, I still greatly recommend coming here. The museum is unpretentious and quite informative, depicting the lives of the monks who lived here before the Reformation, and I also highly recommend the elegantly serene cloisters that are striking enough that movies like Harry Potter were filmed here.

Being my first time at a cathedral, this experience certainly sets a high standard for future cathedral visits. The details in the sculpting and crafting of this edifice is magnificent. Spent about 4hrs touring this venue and just couldn't get enough. I'd say go there for yourself and find out how fascinating this cathedral is- so much history too!

Lovely Cathedral with a great history of Church of England. Lovely organ. The service was excellent with great memories of Anglican Communion. Proudly Anglican

Truly beautiful and absolutely worth a visit. I was not aware that the Venerable Bede was buried there (as well as St Cuthbert). I will definitely come back for another visit.

A marvellous historical place hold the history of 1000-2000 years ago. Wonderful architectural design. Graves of people from history nearly 2000 years ago infront of cathedral . Historical place must visit. Peaceful quit and clam . Secure

Nice castle set in a bend in the river at the heart of Durham. Sadly most of the castle is student residences so only part of the castle can be viewed and only on the official tour. It was still worth the money for the parts you do see and the informative guide.

It was free entry for the day when we visited, our first time. We had our two grandsons with us, one of whom is studying history and the other likes history too. The guides in each room were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and informative. A fascinating visit.

It brings Harry Potter back in memory, good place to spend time. While going the castle bit of walk is needed in case not using Cab but otherwise fine. Pleasure to visit this place during my visit to Durham

Guided tour is only option but was informative. Book ahead as they have limited numbers. Looks bigger than it is but worth seeing. Interesting to see a castle used for modern day purposes I.e uni accommodation and dining hall.

You can visit with guide there. This castle is really beautiful.

Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been fully occupied since 1840 by University College, Durham. It is open to the general public, but only through guided tours, since it is working as a work building and houses more than 300 students. The castle sits on top of a hill above the River Wear on the Durham Peninsula, opposite Durham Cathedral. The feeling of being in a historic place and at the same time full of life was fantastic.

It’s a wonderful historical well looked after site… it’s worth a visit. You pay a 5 pound tour with a tour guide… ours was a Masters student who was truly very knowledgable and was able to answer all my questions…the tour was so interesting! Go for it! It’s worth a visit

booked the castle tour easily from the visitor centre, the tour guide was really informative on the history of how the castle was formed and reformed by various other people 👍🏻 felt like a very interesting history lesson through the times, seeing how different parts were added to the castle for its different purpose over time definitely worth putting on your visit list ✅

What a great visit, very interesting castle and such good value (£5 per adult ticket)! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and it's got a lot of interesting history. Recommend visiting, just a heads up though you need to buy a ticket as it's only visitable through a tour as it's lived in by the students!

Fantastic tour. The guides were friendly and very knowledgeable. Tour takes about an hour and costs £10 well worth it!

We had a 45 minute guided tour of the castle which is part of the University. The castle is 950 years old. It has been added to over time. It was a gun informative guided walk on a well used castle. We really enjoyed it.

The cathedral is the main attraction, but if you have time, I recommend taking a tour of this stately mediaeval castle. It is a picturesque structure on a hilltop, seeming to stare across the lush green wilds that surround Durham. I recommend arriving here in the morning before the swarms of crowds, which do not practically impair the capacity to visit the castle but do diminish its picturesque qualities. There is something secret and solitary about this castle, this relic of a vanished world, that greatly benefits from being seen in relative isolation. Even if you do not have the opportunity or the inclination to take a full tour through this Castle, which is the only way it can be seen from the inside, I highly recommend walking around Durham in the early morning and looking at the form of the castle on the hill looming with grandeur and majesty over the city.

Great tour, very interesting and informative. Lovely castle

castle tour will cost you 5 pounds for an hour. Don’t need to prebook. you can choose a slot and then book your tour in front of the castle entrance.Please bring student ID to get discount.

The castle is worth to visit, but noted that not all rooms are available for public visitors, because this castle is used as student accommodation, so only guided tour provided. There are 6 zones to visit, including the entry gate, several chapels and the great hall. The student guide was really friendly and patient, shared many knowledge about the history of castle. Strongly recommend to visit when the weather is good.

It's on a guided tour basis but still £5 is the entry free for such a beautiful castle with a guide tour which lasts for 45mins and gets your access to some parts of the castle :)

I wasn’t expecting the castle to be owned/managed by the University and couldn’t understand why all the websites linked back to the university but that explains it! I had a guided tour by Katy who was very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. She explained the rooms, the university use of the halls etc very well. The castle was unlike most castles I’ve visited previously. Less about armour and keeping villagers safe, more about the reformation and uni students. What a gorgeous place to have as your halls! Definitely book tickets days in advance. I only had the choice of one tour (at 16.15) on the day of my booking. About 25 people per tour.

We had booked a guided tour of the castle which lasts around an hour. You get enough time to explore the castle and take pictures. I found it fascinating that the castle is also a student accommodation. The tour guide was very friendly and had good knowledge about the castle. The guided tour costs £5 (you can ask for student discount).

I was staying in Durham and whist there I could not miss paying a visit here. It is my first visit and one I will no doubt return back to at different times of the year. The gardens are beautiful... lots of different areas/rooms with plenty to see in each including a walled garden, a maze, orchard, pools with many seating areas to admire the views. It is a little gem of a place and well worth a visit.

Lovely site I was so glad to have come across. 10-15 minutes or less walk from Durham centre city. We got there near closing time but I would have easily spent hours here! Absolutely beautiful gardens and so glad that I can access it with the National Trust. Beautiful place for a venue also, and kid-friendly areas.

Our first ever visit . Recently acquired by the National Trust. The spring buds were just starting to emerge in the gardens, with lots of daffodils about. A pleasant walk around the various gardens with a view of the cathedral. We'll be back again to experience it in full bloom. The medieval hall is a beautiful piece of architecture and info boards give lots of history on the site. The on site cafe had a good selection of food and the coffee was great. Well recommended.

Delightful place the gardens were small themed and all followed into one another. Weddings are held there and i can see why because there are so many places for photo shoots. We were here in feb but there were still many plants flowering . The white and silver garden was full of snowdrops. I really liked that every part of the gardens had benches or seats so you could sit and enjoy the plants. The resident cat came round with us. The teashop is worth a visit even when the gardens are closed. Reasonably priced we had tea and cake but they also do breakfasts and lunches and lightbites. Would love to come back later in the year for a different take on the garden.

Free parking for national trust members. Cafe with delicious cafe , snacks, cakes, Friendly staff. Beautiful views from garden to the Durham cathedral. Lots of fruits, vegetables and plant's to show kids. Lovely paths with colourful plants, trees and shrubs, few small fountains😁 Definitely worth the money!!

I loved Crook Hall when Maggie and Keith had it, exploring the house as well as the gardens, and enjoying a relax in the lounge, with the fire blazing and reading the letters to the White Lady ghost. Obviously, I was gutted when it closed, but was super excited to see the National Trust had taken it on. Visited today and was a little disappointed that they still charged £8 entry, but you can no longer look around the house, apart from the medieval hall and there are no plans to restore the house to be more representative of it's era, and open to the public, but instead turn it into a holiday let. Such a shame that a once public place will be limited. Though I know the National Trust does lots of great work I still felt £8 was a little too steep an entry fee, versus what you now get at Crook Hall. I think £6 would have been more fair, but that's just my opinion and I was informed the money goes towards an ongoing green corridor project, which sounds a good project. Must have caught the cafe on a low stock day, due to the coronation, as cake selection was unappealing, compared to before. Cookies, brownies and flapjack. No nice sliced big cakes. 😕 Ended up going elsewhere for cake and coffee. The lady working the reception was really friendly and informative though, as I'd expect of a National Trust place. The gardens were lovely and colourful, as I'd expected.

First time visiting Crook Hall with my National Trust Membership. On entry there’s a large car park, which is free for National Trust members. £3 for 3 hrs non members. The gardens are absolutely stunning and at this time (end of may), there is so much in Bloom. Beautiful mixture of ancient woodland, huge old trees, wildflowers and cultivated plants and flowers - all wonderfully maintained. Several gardeners on site keeping it all in check. There are kids areas, duck pond, vegetable garden (which was sadly closed today), the old medieval hall and a cafe. There are plenty of outdoor seats dotted all around the gardens and amble space for picnicking. All in all a lovely few hours spent. Pray for decent weather as it’s all outdoors!

2023 The entrance fee to non members is £10 per adult. Whilst the attraction is classed as hall and gardens, it is the gardens that are the main attraction. They are, even on a damp August day, very beautiful and well maintained. The Hall itself is mainly not open to the public, with only the mediaeval hall and minstrel gallery along with a servants corridor and one other room being accessible to visitors. The second hand book shop is in this additional room. The books are priced and you pay on the way out at the ticket office. Due to the steepness and uneven nature of many of the paths this attraction is not suitable for people with mobility problems. Dogs on leads are welcomed, there is an additional field in which dogs are allowed off lead.

A lovely little find on our visit to Durham. A short walk from the city centre over the river and you find this little haven. The Medieval Hall is small and doesn't take long to explore and the gardens aren't huge but enough for tired legs that have been walking the city and Cathedral all day. There's a little cafe and a fun maze to lose the kids in 😁

We bought a yearly family pass so no entry fees... car park on a Sunday is £1.40 all day so great place to visit. On a sunny day like today was great walking around... so so many different gardens with so great variety of flowers bushes and tress. I'm not into gardening but it's lovely to see how a space is transformed with hard work. 2 coffee shops to enjoy tea and cakes and also light bites. Definitely worth visiting if you are around that area. Every so often there are themes that you can enjoy and take part, the first time we went there were fairytail stories and treasure hunts etc, this time just had an art exhibition. Great place to visit and enjoy with your family.

13th of July 2022. The day when National Trust opened the Garden for public and Durham appeared on National Trust map! This medieval building added another reason to visit Durham. At the moment the house itself is still closed but you can visit the medieval hall. Not much but still quite interesting building. To me the garden is a real pearl! There is a couple of sections of this lovely garden. We have orchard full of apple trees, pond surrounded by trees, water plants and beautiful views of meadows and fields. Section with vegetables, berries and edibles is really well kept and impressive! Fantastic features everywhere not omitting this part of the garden. Small and bigger ornaments and statues are keeping you in "look for" mode. Great abundance of plants everywhere so no room for any single weed! Lovely planned paths with all shapes of benches here and there gives additional reason to stroll and soak in atmosphere and calmness of the place. The cathedral view is not something extraordinary but still nice as the best place for it is designed as kind of rock plants carpet. I love it! Coffee and cake available in the spotless café and fantastic staff members ready to help is a cherry on top!

Beautiful gardens that includes a maze. Great place for children. Hall itself is just 2 rooms. There's free parking if you're a member of National Trust, a cafe and toliets.

We spent any enjoyable morning here, starting with Coffee/Cake inside the Cafe and finishing off with Toasted Sandwiches/Cold Drinks for Lunch outside the Cafe - both of which were enjoyable. They loose one star because we asked at the Kiosk for a map but the only one he had was his, no other copies available! It may not be huge as gardens go but it is quite convoluted and unless you peer around every corner and through every gate, you will miss something. Please print more copies. There are some slopes involved but nothing too difficult. Def one for those who like “cottage style” gardens. Only really the old Medieval Hall available to look in but still worth reading the info they have displayed. N.T. have done well since taking it over in 2022 but could do with a bit better signage.

Gardens were beautiful all the spring bulbs are out, only small but well worth a visit. cafe was good, had gluten free sausage roll. Staff very friendly

Newly bought by national trust, house not yet open but established large gardens are a hidden gem in the heart of the city. The walled gardens are not to be missed. Good national trust coffee shop and free parking for members.

Beautiful gardens, looked after, mostly, by volunteers. Even at this late stage in the year, there was plenty of colour and a wide variety of plants. We had a warm welcome in the cafe, good coffee and I can recommend the cheese scones. It's a hidden gem in a busy city.

Wonderful collection of small themed gardens centred around a medieval and Jacobite house. The cathedral and castle are World Heritage sites but this is a gem not to be missed, just a ten minute walk from the Framwellgate Bridge. A good clean cafe and bookshop on site too.

Great place to explore with children on a dry and/or sunny day. Lovely gardens. Small buildings to explore. Cafe and plenty of toilets. Lovely bookshop and plenty of places to sit and read. We took our time and left after an hour. Not big, but beautiful.

Interesting grounds and a nice location. Visited here on a Friday morning and enjoyed a lovely walk around the gardens, complete with pretty spring beds, calm ponds, interesting vegetable plots and a wandering cat. The hedge maze is a fun addition but a few too many flies in early spring. The cafe was of a high standard, clean and friendly. The location was very convenient, being able to couple the visit with a quick trip into the town centre within the three hour parking window.

Loved it! What a great day out, huge play area outside and another inside in the cafe, loads of animals to feed, sinks dotted everywhere to wash your hands. We took our 3yo niece and she loved it bottle fed the lambs, held chicks and a rabbit. Everything was clean and tidy, very busy but it was during the school holidays staff running about all over and all of them where friendly. Plenty of toilets about and the gift shop is fab reasonably priced as was the cafe. Highly recommend!

It a lovely day out for all the family. Lots of animals to see and to feed. I got to feed the Highland cows which was amazing!! Plenty of place for the kids to play the play park is really good.

Who doesn't love a farm! Fantastic family day out! The kids can have cuddles with Rabbits, Guinea pigs and chick's as well as feeding goats, sheep and Llamas. There are shows as well as tractor rides. Great way to support your local farmers.

First, I want to say thank you to all staff, you are doing a great job so that our children can get to know nature better. This is a great place for family, you can spend all day here. There are many playgrounds and most importantly, very cute animals. We will definitely go back there again and again.

An absolutely amazing place! So much to see and do! Set in beautiful countryside. The staff are fabulous and so friendly. There is so much to do and the sheep grand national is such a hoot! The children always love it and we have been a good few times now. The food is great. The crazy golf is crazy and the tractor rides are fab. Charlie the Highland cow was a huge hit. You must go and highly, highly recommended!

Amazing day out with my boyfriend. 🚜🐄🌾 not just for kids. My fave bit had to be seeing the hairy Coos

We spent 4 hours here, we had so much fun. I ended up buying 10 food bags because I know what the greedy goats and sheep are like. My son and I held a guinea pig and a bunny too, I think I went mostly for me more than my 8 year old son 😅

Took our granddaughters aged 3 and 8 FANTASTIC place. Clean, friendly, so much to do and definitely not out to rip you off like many places. Never been to a better family place. Only regret is we live too far away to go regularly. We had been on holiday and wanted something to do on the last day before 3 hour drive home. Will definitely return at some point. Huge thank you to all their staff for an amazing day

Just can’t thank Farmer Richard and all the workers on the farm including the ticket office/ shop crew, petting area crew, tractor ride crew, cafe crew, and the lady who hosted the lamb feeding, every aspect of this farm was superb, members of staff were engaged and friendly. Food was good quality, fresh and well presented at reasonable prices, Facilities were among the best I’ve seen with sanitisation stations all around with staff and notices to remind to wash hands. Toilet facilities were in excellent condition and very clean. Being able to stop over after hours in the motorhome in the car park allowed us to also walk with the cattle in the big field. Superb attraction Dave and Rosie x

Received the adoption pack for a highland cow as a gift so we made a trip up from Birmingham to visit. We were told at reception that the cows weren’t available to visit as they were out in the fields during winter, however when we told them we travelled 4 hours, they made arrangements straight away with no issues at all. Richard took us out in their car into the fields where all the highland cows were so we had a very special, unique and personal experiences with just us and the cows, a sheep and even 2 donkeys 😁. We got to feed them and spend a good amount of time out there. Once in a lifetime and very special! I’ve wanted to be close to highland cows for years, so stroking them and feeding them without barriers was beyond expectations. Thank you Richard and Rachel for organising!

I've been following Hall Hill Farm on Facebook for a while and since being in the area thought I'd go visit. Absolutely amazing! I loved every minute! Tickets are a Good price, Cafe prices are Good too and the food was really good. There was so much to so, including a free Tractor ride and obviously my favourite part was seeing the Highlands in person. They are incredibly beautiful. Would definitely recommend and whenever we are in the area, we will be visiting time and time again.

There are plenty of things to do at Hall Hill Farm, my children had a fantastic day. My children loved all of it, but they especially enjoyed petting guinea pigs and rabbits. There are many animals to feed and they organise sheep racing through out the day. My daughter also enjoyed the barrel ride which was £1.50 per ride. It’s a really well run farm and the staff were all excellent. I will be recommending HHF to friends and family if they are ever near.

Superb place for all ages. We sat for a good couple of hours while my granddaughter played in the park. The Highland coos were amazing 🥰 our favourites, especially Cheeky Charlie 😍. The handling sections are fab, chicks, rabbits and Guinea pigs 😊Staff could not have been any more pleasant and helpful. Will definitely be going again 👍👍👍👍👍

To Chris and Wendy, We had a great stay in your lovely apartment, which was of a very high standard, and was was really comfortable and cosy. The facilities were superb, and our first breakfast being provided was a lovely surprise. Thank you, Alison and Duncan.

Kingsgate Bridge View apartment is a great place to stay, overlooking the river and a couple of minutes walk into old Durham. Large and very well appointed apartment with excellent facilities and secure parking. Highly recommended.

Can’t be faulted in any way. Great location for city; beautiful apartment with terrace overlooking the river. Personal welcome and lovely extra touches make this a top class place to stay.

Highly recommended - we had a lovely stay in apartment no 5. The apartment is fitted out to the highest specification with everything we wanted and more, including secure parking and all very close to the centre of Durham. Chris and Wendy, the Hosts, have thought of everything, including many personal touches to ensure our stay was first class. We stop in similar accommodation around the UK on a regular basis and standards vary drastically, often falling short on some of the very basic requirements, despite the cost and rating. Riverside has proved to be the best, and all the little extras make such a difference. Thank you

These apartments are the ultimate. More expensive than some but the quality and where they are situated is out of this world. Words cannot describe the ambiance. The owners go way beyond what is expected of hosts.

Located just a few minutes from the town centre so great for visiting the cathedral and castle. Fantastic apartment & superb river views. Very considerate and friendly owners. Will definitely be returning.

What a fabulous apartment! Perfect location, beautifully decorated, spacious and airy, we couldn't have wanted for a better place to stay for our wedding. Highly recommend!

The apartment will very well equiped, the host met us to show us around and explain how everything worked including giving a rundown of places to eat. We were very comfortable and will return staying in the apartment. We would recommend it to anyone, great location and excellent value for money

My partner and I stayed at the Durham Riverside apartments for 4 nights. Wendy and Chris were amazing and very helpful and responsive hosts. The apartment was beautifully presented to a high standard with everything we needed. It had a balcony that overlooked the river, which was a fabulous place to sit and watch the rowers and the ducks. We very much recommend this accommodation and our hosts.

Lovely spacious apartment, centrally located with secure parking. It is equipped with all you need for a comfortable and relaxing stay. Chris and Wendy have added a thoughtful touch with the welcome pack provided. This was our first visit to Durham and we would have extended our stay if both apartments weren't already booked. We will certainly recommend and hope to return in the not too distant future.

Excellent apartment for a short stay in Durham. Perfect location on the riverside just a short stroll to the main sights and many restaurants and pubs. Amazingly tasteful and comprehensive decor and equipment made it the best short stay we’ve had - in many places over many years. Double glazing ensures quiet nights. The kitchen and the bathrooms are delightful and the beds are very comfortable. Highly recommended.

Absolutely first class - accommodation, parking, facilities, cleanliness, location and a very helpful host. Perfect in every way! We’d have rebooked immediately for the gala in July but unfortunately there was no availability.

Excellent location for the city center, easy to find with parking included. The accommodation is spotlessly clean with every modern facility. The view of the river from the apartment and balcony would be hard to beat. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to stay around Durham.

Lovely place to wander through , a bit uphill in places but also lots of seats to rest on! There's plenty to see and they offer puzzle sheets / hunts for children to do. Cafe and gift shop with nice seating area both indoors and outside.

What a hidden gem. From arriving the staff were really friendly and helpful. We didn't have the nicest weather but that didn't dampen our spirits. The garden is immaculate, great for any ages. We wandered for around 2 hours. If the weather had been nicer or warmer we would have stayed much longer. There's plenty seating dotted around to enjoy the sights.

Stunning, didn't complete the whole forty gardens. Plenty of benches to sit and reflex the scenery. Can't wait to go back in a couple of months for flowers to come out. Ideal for picnic, little cafe which sells tea, coffee, sandwiches and cakes.

Gorgeous collection of plants and trees, easy walking trails, very well laid out. You find a map at every corner, so you can’t get lost. At £4 per person, this is fantastic value. Family friendly walking, fresh air and educational. Parking, cafe and lots of outdoor seating options.

Beautiful gardens to visit. The staff were lovely and friendly, there's easy access too, we paid for an annual ticket as we'd love to keep popping back as the seasons change. Everything is so well looked after. Well worth the visit.

I visited the gardens one wet and windy afternoon, taking someone I am carer for. We had difficulty in accessing the entrance because someone we work with gave us the wrong postcode (for the park and ride car park behind the gardens). The entrance to the gardens there was closed but on pressing the intercom, someone let us in. We went to the pay desk which I'd also the cafe and the staff there were lovely. The weather was awful so we enjoyed tea and teacakes first. Nice little cafe area with plenty of seating. The staff were very kind to the young girl we had took who has additional needs. The gardens themselves will be lovely in Warner weather and there is plenty to see. Sculptures, bamboo groves, tropical greenhouse etc. We will be back.

It's been a long time since we've been here. But from the lovely daffs by the entrance and the trees all around it was a lovely, spring walk. Sights, sounds and smells fresh and calming. Tulips starting to come out, blossoms fading and still to come, primroses and much more to enjoy. The white of the silver birch bark was eerily beautiful. Birds singing. A great time.

Beautiful any time of the year! A gorgeous place for a stroll and watching the wildlife. Also wonderful for small children, lots of places to hide and have wholesome fun in. The cafe is lovely, soup and a roll on a cold day is gorgeous, as is a sandwich on the veranda in the sunshine! One of my favourite places.

Smashingly place to visit. Great gardens to wander through. Lots of interesting parts such as the indoor bits with fish and cacti. Very reasonably priced too. And a canny little cafe too.

Annual chick hunt is one of the highlights of our year! It's a lovely walk, loads to see and the cafe is gorgeous. Staff are also always super pleasant and friendly.

Only had time for a short vist this Saturday 23/3 but really enjoyed the clever arrangements of flowers ( mainly tulips and daffodils ) and the marvellous cacti in the hot house. I didn't expect to find many staff on duty today so had to guess which examples of great horticultural work had been created by my friend Claire Pragnell. She proudly told me that she had dedicated more than 20 years' service to the Gardens and that she was the only person flying the flag for females ! Well done Claire ! ..... Was it really necessary however for you to donate some of your work boots for one of the displays ?!! ..... ( see enclosed photos). Best wishes ELLIS COXON.

This is such a fantastic place to visit with all the family. The staff were all very helpful on arrival we were given a map of the gardens and also informed about all the facilities on site. There is something for everyone and the children will love exploring the gardens, following the trails. There is so much to see and it’s really very good value price wise. There is a nice cafe and plenty of seating areas around the gardens great place for a picnic or just if you need a rest you can sit and take in the beautiful surroundings.

Absolutely amazing walk around this beautiful place! Plus enjoyed a lovely lunch at the cafe. Will definitely be returning

A university botanical gardens with many different areas that focus on different climates, some in green houses and some outside. Cheap entry ticket prices. We took a wheelchair and had some difficulties doing all the walking trails due to the steep paths (Durham is hilly) especially beyond the fungi arch which is not good for wheelchairs. The café served tasty cream tea and cakes and had friendly staff. Great place to let your children round around.

Lovely place for a peaceful walk. First daffodils are out 😍🌺 June Update: it's magical here with all the flowers out. If you can, come and have a walk. There is a lovely cafe serving light lunch and great cakes plus ice creams. You can get an annual membership to Friends of the Garden and come anytime you want. Love it here.

Fantastic museum with exciting asian and oriental collection.we all including kids loved it. They also have a little treasure hunt challenge for kids to keep them occupied and learn in that process. This museum is well kept and friendly staff too.

Superb museum, well worth a visit. Excellent collections of Oriental, Egyptian, Middle Eastern and Indian art and artefacts. They are the best and most representative collections of any UK museum except the British Museum, IMHO. The displays are well laid out, with just the right amount of information. There is comfortable seating, to rest or to contemplate your favourite piece. The staff are helpful and friendly. It's free to enter, too.

Durham's Oriental Museum is a fascinating place to delve into the cultural heritage of distant lands such as China, Korea and Japan. Artefacts from Ancient Egypt are also displayed. It's a great place to while away a rainy or cold day while viewing objects spanning centuries and, geographically, thousands of miles. It's worth being aware that parking directly outside of the museum is limited.

Small specialist Museum on multiple floors but with lifts. Covers Asian artifacts, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian and Eyptian art plus many more. There are seating areas all over the museum. There is a floor guide. I thought the collection was well signposted internally. There is a small area for self service hot drinks and snacks such as chocolate bars. There is a small shop. The Museum can be tricky to find as it is on the University campus. Use Google maps or similar to locate. It has school facilities. There is some car parking and can be accessed by public transport.

We had a great time celebrating New Lunar Year. Good range of activities for kids, little ones and older ones too. There is a lot of good range of exhibitions and a lovely little shop with some great goodies to take home. Will be back

A really exciting museum layered at different literal depths for different cultures The current Japanese woodblock print exhibition is thrilling but children will like the Mummies and the Chinese dragons.

Fantastic day out! My two boys loved the information areas and we like to explore history whilst making memories, which this was perfect for. The Egyptian room was fantastic as was the other areas within the museum. My youngest was given the chance to make a lattern to, which he enjoed. All staff were polite and welcoming. Highly recommend visiting.

Great day out with the kids. We spent the whole day here partaking in activities and reading all the information on all the fantastic artifacts. Kids really enjoyed the playmobile toys and the colouring. Bring a sandwich!

Interesting and authentic place to visit, a lot of very old exhibits and modern exhibits with a twist that are based on history and culture. Opportunities to dress in the clothing of the exhibits and interactive activities too. Large print guide to the museum was available which I think was a very nice touch. Gift shop is lovely and very reasonably priced, also this place is FREE entry so a little donation in the box is well deserved

A fantastic free museum for all the family to visit. The staff were very friendly and welcoming although the parking is very limited. There's often free activities available for kids and adults to take part in between 1pm and 3pm. The Ancient Egyptian part of the museum is extremely interesting for all ages, it's amazing to see how well preserved a lot of the things are. The gift shop is also very reasonably priced as well as the drinks and confectionery. A great place to visit to kill a couple of hours!

Absolutely amazing experience! Best museum in Durham. Can’t believe I just found this place(because it is quite remote). I love their collections of Chinese and Japanese ornaments and furnitures especially. They also have amazingly good postcards. Highly recommend it!

This was my first visit with family to the museum excellent things to see the Egyptian part was worth visiting as we're other parts I liked the history of Egypt entry is free

Free to get in but can leave a donation. A great day out for all ages. Very friendly staff. Also, there are some interactive areas for kids. If you find the time, go and check this place out. Limited parking spaces. Would recommend.

Nice little place and very interesting. Free entry. I was worried the kids would get bored but there are kids areas on each floor for drawing and dressing up etc. They also gave the kids activity sheets to work through on each level. It means you're able to walk about and look at the displays while the kids are still visible but kept entertained. There is a special display about Hiroshima at the minute which is very emotive. The graphic parts are kept in a curtained off room so kids can't see it. There's a little cafe area with drinks and a gift shop. There are stairs to each level but there's also lift access. The car park is very small but I think there's also an overflow. Staff were lovely and friendly.

Got tickets for the comedy store. Venue was lovely, comfortable seats with plenty of room. Good selection of drinks available at the bar very reasonably priced. I would highly recommend the venue and definitely will be going to see the comedy store again

This is such an amazing venue. My daughter and I have seen a couple of performances here. The tickets are reasonably priced, staff and facilities are 5* I knocked a star off today for one disappointing reason. We have just seen The Tortoise and the Hare. It seemed that we were the only ones who managed to have lunch before we came! 90% of the theatre had all manner of snacks. The row in front of us had stinky rice cakes, sweets, fresh pineapple..... none if it bought at the venue. It really ruined the show for us. They were passing it all around. Crackling bags/wrappers constantly. One of the little girls unfortunately had something go the wrong way, so was coughing herself right. Bless her. If you can't not eat for 35 mins, then you've got issues. I do hope they ban eating during performances. It really ruined it for us, and was completely unnecessary 😔

Very spacious clean and attractive venue. Staff very nice. Only complaint is that despite notices asking people to wear a mask, many didn't and gala staff just let it go. I appreciate it's difficult for staff, but they could have put a message on the tannoy system at the beginning of the performance and in intermission. It was really left to individual audience members and many just ignored the notices. I didn't feel that Gala were concerned about my best interests

Visited the gala with my family Tuesday 28th December 2022 to see the pantomime performance of Sleeping Beauty. What a lovely show to share with the family. Nicely written, well performed, and fantastic engagement with the audience. Absolutely loved it with a special mention to the floor manageress covering the pop corn stand lovely customer service and exceptional performances from Hester the Jester and Sammy the dog. Brilliant! I'd definitely go again.

Been here often to see comedians. Lovely venue, tickets well priced compared to venues in Newcastle and you get comfy seats. Only downsides is the quality of the toilets-not very pleasant and need upgrading.

Good value for money & the staff are always helpful and pleasant. There were quite a few people there but again the bar was shut! They need to rethink the provision of drinks for theatre goers. Worst facility drinks wise in Durham & as a result they must be losing a lot of income

Many visits to the Gala over the years but first time with the seats out for a gig. Half Man Half Biscuit. People from all over the country enjoying our little city. Staff as friendly as ever, and easy access into and out of the theatre. Hopefully get to see more bands in this venue now.

The current (Christmas 2022) panto is a must-see event. It is very well written and most definitely very well performed, with all the classic slapstick mayhem comedy and more. It's got more than enough story and magic for the kids to get involved. The music is arranged and directed to perfection, not to mention the musician's skill in their performance. This story has an excellent twist to an old classic. I am not going to say anything about the performances. You will have to go and see it for yourself. I loved it, as will you and your kids. If anyone has anything bad to say about this panto, I can only think they have not seen it or have sour grapes. Please go and see it for yourself.

PROS: Nice bar/cafe area. Reasonable prices. (Was completely empty when we first went in though) Theatre not too bad. Clean and comfy and accessible. Overall a clean and tidy building. CONS: The toilets are truly awful. Pokey, dingy and grotty looking, and not to too graphic, some of the toilets were not clean........🤢 Total let down compared to rest of building. Need renovating ASAP. In terms of what's on offer at the Gala I'd say it's pretty poor these days, like they've just given up trying. I can recall going to see some great theater shows (Birdsong, On the way to Durham) and doing a war time walk through theatrical event. I got a voucher to use at the Gala for my birthday and I genuinely struggled to use it. Hardly any proper theatre shows on, over the whole year, and other stuff on offer is very mediocre.

Very good comedian lovely theatre pricey tho £2.80 for half a lemon n lime

It's a fantastic theatre for our family to watch our yearly pantomime . Two hours of fun and laughter for £20 per person.

Nice and clean with friendly staff. We were here Christmas Eve for Cinderella panto. The show was good, we all enjoyed it. We were up on the 1st floor and had a good view of the entire stage. We will return again.

This panto was exceptional. I've been to loads of pantos as a primary school teacher around the North East and this was one, if not the best panto I have been to. My two grandchildren loved it too. Well done Gala theatre and the very talented cast.

Really nice place. Cafe/bar. Drinks can be taken in to theatre. Clean. Seat reasonably comfortable Have been here twice to watch performances. Booked tickets on line or pay at the desk. Only been in 1 area so can't speak to the rest of the Gala.

Came here for lunch with a friend. This was my first visit , the atmosphere was very relaxing and prices very reasonable with plenty to choose from the menu. Staff very friendly and helpful too

This afternoon I took the grandchildren to see the panto Cinderella. What a fabulous time we had. The cast are all so very talented. The gala staff were exceptional, so friendly. Thank you

Just been to a Pantomime . Was Brilliant loved every minute of it. All very good actors. Everyone one was excellent at their parts. Well done to Everyone who took part from Actors to staff & management.

As an independent cinema, this is a lovely venue. Only been in screen 2, which is smaller than major cinemas, but seats are comfortable and very clean. The price is £5 so it's reasonably priced. Will definitely be going again.

Beautiful place to visit! Very open so needs to be a nice day to go as little cover. Lovely little food & drinks hut that sell fresh eggs too. The forest is a lovely little walk (flat open shoes not recommended)! Gorgeous river views too

Tucked away in the beautiful Durham countryside alongside the River Wear, Finchale Priory is a well preserved building considering its age. We only put in a quick visit, but what we saw was a well preserved, well looked after site. The cafe was a little gem. Very pleasant staff eager to help added to our visit. We will visit again and take a bit longer on our visit.

Really enjoyed our visit. Kids loved the place. We had a great time. Parking a little expensive and cafe wasn't open but other than that a lovely day.

Beautiful Abbey with lots of interesting areas to view. Nice feeling about the place. Have a wonder around it for five minutes or take an hour and you enjoy ever minute your there and still not see it all. Had a coffee and toastie from the little cafe. The river walk is worth the time to walk along.

Nice and calm place to visit. Building' s structure/architecture is preserved to a great extent. You can also take a short walk along the river. Entrance to the priory is free to everyone. Maintained by English Heritage, but the car park is run by a private landlord. Parking is £4 per vehicle and payable at the exit by contactless modes.

Great ruined Priory, beautiful for walking round. English Heritage but surrounded by caravan park so have to pay £3 for parking. Good walk across bridge and along riverbank.

Beautiful place, the river walk is very pretty. You can buy food to feed the ducks at the shop, and there are plenty of seats down the river walk to stop at if you need to. There is no admission but you pay for car parking which is £3. This requires cash (coins) for the machine. If you pay in the shop it’s a £5 minimum card spend.

What a lovely place for Sunday family day out, parking available for £4 payment is contactless by the exit, cafe and toilets available too, free entry to visits the ruins of the castle. My kids enjoyed it so much! We than took the walk to the woods across from the bridge and it was lovely!

Quite reflective atmosphere. The surrounding area was very well organised and cared for. Lovely little snack area and clean toilets. The river and scenery was outstanding. Very enjoyable stop off on our journey south.

The priory is set next a beautiful river and is well looked after. Unfortunately even though it’s an English heritage site it still s unlike the vast majority, the priory has a private parking charge of £4 and pay to use toilets. It also lacks any information about the history of the priory which was a real shame, I wouldn’t waste your time and money visiting.

Beautiful ruins to explore great that it is free to visit also. This would have had 5 stars if it wasnt for the "angry man" we had to deal with as got back to gates at 4.01pm to find them locked and no one around there was still other visitors inside. No shout or any warning luckily after a walk around to look for any other way out spotted a man at parking barriers and managed to get his attention he was not happy having to come back. Yes we should have been out on time but no excuse for his rudeness.

Wonderful place to visit. A nice walk around the priory. Not forgetting the little tea room with fantastic service. I can recommend going here any time of the year. FYI, parking is £4 all day and contact payment at the exit but free to walk around the priory, which is so worth it.

Nice tidy little site with information boards to aid your understanding. There is a caravan/tourer campsite also located here. Site has public toilets and a picnic/bbq field, there are also some tables to use. Parking is £4 but be aware it is payable on exit and is contact less only.

Beautiful, peacefully location. Quirky Priory well preserved. Nice to explore. On private land so £4 parking fee.

This is a beautiful priory next to the river. I took about 45 minutes walk there.

Finchale Priory is easy to find, sign posts right to the gate. Where isn’t so obvious is where to park. The guy in the pick-up likes to give the orders, and was quite eager to tell us the side of the Prioy up the road is private. The Priory is of a decent size, a decent hour would get you to see most of what’s on offer. It’s quite typical of what Priory’s are about. Steeped in history. There are some lovely preserved stone, arches and windows. How great it would be to see how it looked when in its prime. The bridge leads to some walks and the whole area is surrounded by the river and trees. There was a cafe on site which served basic drinks, and a few choices of food. There was no dairy free option on the hot drinks. The staff were very pleasant and my dad enjoyed his hot dog. Facilities wise, there was a toilet, it was very clean, a little shop and the tea shop. There is a contactless pay machine to get out of the gate, it was £4.00. All in all, we enjoyed our visit. Other than the guy in the pickup being a little abrupt, I’m not a mind reader, nor stupid, we had a lovely time there.

On the banks of the River Wear, in a beautiful wooded setting, stand the extensive remains of Finchale Priory. It was founded in 1196 on the site of the hermitage of St Godric, a retired sailor and merchant, who settled here after a life of adventure and travel. The priory was an outpost of Durham Cathedral and functioned as a holiday retreat for the monks of Durham until its suppression in 1538. The story of Finchale can be read in its surviving remains, from St Godric's original church and tomb through the 13th century priory and its later rebuilding.

We had never been here despite living only a few miles away We got talking to one of the as staff who kindly offered to give us a tour guide round the abbey Geoff was lovely he told us the whole story as to how this place first started He was knowledgeable and friendly and made the whole trip a whole different experience and learnt so much about the history behind it

Great place to visit, has two wonderful museums, DLI, our local regiment and the archeology museum, tells you history of Durham and surrounding areas. Nice gift shop in the library.

Great for historical people like me

Absolutely beautiful cathedral. Attended a graduation ceremony, and you couldn't find a better location

Fabulous part of Durham city sitting amongst world class views of the Cathedral and the Castle. We often come here for a walk around, as well as it being the focal point of Lumiere and other festivals and initiatives.

Pawnee area which is surrounded by the history of Durham. Cathedral, Castle, Old triads hospital, original Police Station and historic crises library and history of Scottish prisioners.

Lovely buildings and the Heritage Centre was interesting - especially the film about the Cathedral.

Great view of the cathedral and university college. Close to shops. Currently is hosting a university covid testing site.

A square of a field along from the grave yard. Big Bank to get up to get there no car parking.

Absolutely wonderful place to spend some time, very tranquil, beautiful scenery

Great quiet and peaceful beach. Our dog absolutely loved it. Lovely local walk.

We went to Seaham pebble beach kids loved it only thing that would have made it better is warmer weather

Seaham beach is forever changing due to the rapid coastal erosion and the active slumps on to the beach. Caves and stacks are coming and going all the time. Look down and you'll soon see the famous sea glass amongst the sand. Great little walk, dog friendly too

Nice view and lanscape with snow around, Nice to come and relax for a bit by walking

Stunning coastline with so much to explore. Our family thoroughly enjoy weekends walking or cycling along it.

This was fairly beautiful and we were very fortunate to go fairly early in the morning, before it got too packed to be safe. Sadly there are often far too many people flocking to the coast for a walk during a pandemic. We did not go into Seaham itself and stayed to the coastline where there were fewer people.

Lovely safe place to swim at The Slope; Seaham Harbour's private beach.

It's a really lovely beach with has a fantastic view of the sea. Great place for a quiet stroll along the beach as well.

Beautiful this morning out with our Don spriner dog he loves the water very safe & you can park right at beach harbour no wind warm sun .Plenty of little cafe's.Cappcino water for dog.

Good place with good views and rocks too. Got little crowdy on 1st April. We parked the car down wards and had to walk up to go do to the beach, but very short walk

Beautiful place nice walk

Lush walks in any season from the beaches down to Hawthorn Dene and beyond to take in the full coastal walk. Weather permitting can spend hours here.

I love to walk along the cliff top and admire the scenery at anytime of the year. It is also a great place for my dog to stretch his legs and have a play with his animal friends without disturbing anyone. This area is very popular with locals and a lot of foreign visitors.

This is a truly wonderful area, well set up and prepared for walkers and richly supplied with wonderful scenery. There are many places for taking in lovely coastal views if you just want to visit without completing any of the coastal walk (but do walk it if you can). There are seats here and there for a rest and perhaps some quiet contemplation. We encountered some of the very friendly locals.

Nice beach and full of people collecting seaglass. The locals are friendly and there’s lots of local coffee places too. Great little find day out for the family

Nice clean beach with some shops and a little harbour with small yacht. On the hill top, there are a lot of small restaurants and a shopping centre with ASDA, B&M, etc. Even the car park is free of cost. A fine day out with family and kids.

Beautiful soft sand away from all the hustle and bustle of fun-fairs and amusement arcades, just a chip shop, which is all you need for a trip to the beach

Lovely beach with stunning cliffs and views. Easy to get to by bus or train and only a short walk from the town centre. Steps down to the beach can be very slippery, so be careful! Perfect spot for hunting the world famous Seaham Seaglass

Lovely stroll along the beach, with friendly people, and lots of dogs playing, loads of people looking for and collecting Seaham glass.

Free large carpark. Wonderful views and great beach walk. Suitable for children, elderly and pets.

It's just so nice and unspoilt... A great place to walk and clear your head... Lovely views and fresh air with a bit of history thrown in for good measure...

Lovely beach . Great living so close to such a beautiful place. Love taking my chocolate Labrador max down to the beach as he loves running along the wall on the walk.

The treasures that this beach holds are unique. I haven't found anywhere else sea glass pieces like on this beach. I loved it!

Absolutely delightful place. Different beaches to wander along and fabulous cafés. Love it here.

Great sea glass beach. Spent the whole day there and found some amazing peices. Be patient though, most of the sea glass is small pieces among the pebbles. Don't expect to turn up and find huge peices like you see on Instagram 😉

Well worth the 3 hour drive . Seaham is such a beautiful place to visit . Plenty of history to see Free car parking. Plenty of shops and cafes . Very dog friendly . The beach was nice and clean , plenty of rock pools to investigate and was great fun , finding sea glass amongst the pebbles.. Brilliant family day out

Nice place to come for a walk around. Clean, tidy and a reasonable sized free car park. Walk down some stone steps to the pebble beach. Probably not the most comfy place to come sunbathe but you can pick up plenty of pebbles.

Very nice and good place to go day out with kids.

Gentle walk along the costal path. Lots of free parking, some lovely cafes and stunning sea views. World War I sculpture’Tommy’ is magnificent

Lovely little town and plenty of sea glass 😁

Lovely staff and free to visit.

Interesting exhibitions and friendly staff.

We have been to the cafe several times while visiting my son at the university. The cafe is lovely and hiden away but has good coffee and cakes.

This is the place I thought I was gonna study!! I went to Stockton on tees instead.

As a local, this was my first time in. A very interesting small display of archeology of the local area and of the D L Is history in Co.Durham. Very Good.

Lovely place to visit lots to see and staff and curators were very friendly and knowledgeable

There is an exhibition here about the battle of the somme. Not sure which is the worse affront to humanity......the senseless waste of millions of lives or the staggeringly high prices in the cafe.

Wonderful place to go to and has a fabulous gift shop and cafe.

A lovely hidden treasure of a place. Spent a wonderful afternoon exploring. Stunning refectory to eat in. Great preloved bookshop. Very friendly staff. Beautiful gift shop. Stunning chapels and theatre. Lovely gardens. Loved it!

We are regular visitors both me and my son. The grounds all beautiful and well maintained. There is carts of toys you pull out to the grass area for the kids to play with. We had fun at the nikki noo noos event and made dens and roasted marshmallows on her camp fire. The place its self is stunning to walk around and see all of the original features. The staff are very warm and welcoming.

Happened upon Ushaw by accident on the way to Durham and what a gem of a find. A quick change of direction to pass an hour or so we thought. Nice and easy to park and bought a day ticket from a very friendly staff member. 4 Hours later ….. a great day out that included; meandering around the halls and chapels, great tasty lunch at a very reasonable price, fascinating tour from an old boy student, loverly meander around the gardens with amazing views. We enjoyed it so much that we bought an annual ticket in the way out so we could finish off the areas that we missed. Yes so much to see.

This was a visit rather than a stay. The buildings used to be a Catholic seminary. If you are interested in architecture then the buildings themselves are very interesting. They include elements from all members of the Pugin family and there is an interesting exhibition about the Pugins. There are also some exhibits about the formation of the seminary in the early nineteenth century. However, it is lacking in any history post World War 1. We went in Winter and a couple of hours were sufficient. This included a light lunch in their cafe which was very pleasant. In Summer there are also gardens to enjoy. It is a place with much potential.

Very interesting day out, lots to see and do from the ornate chapel to the grounds. The cafe used to be in the Big Hall serving delicious hot food, smaller cafe now with less choice but still all good and comfortable arm chairs.

Used to love going here, went a few days ago and it’s all changed. Charging to walk around the grounds £6 per person and £4 for children. Considering its a short walk not really value for money and all the fencing has spoilt it. I understand about fund raising but the prices are not reasonable unless you live at nearby postcode where it is cheaper. There are nicer places to visit for free.

First visit to the Historic House and Chapels of Ushaw College. If your going to be a regular visitor suggest an annual membership. On arrival you see the playing field used by boys to play cat...which us explained on a notice board and inside the house. The house and chapels are magnificent with intricate architecture, splendor, and stained glass. Many garden trails and activities for children - check out the website

What a truly beautiful place! A former Catholic seminary for over 200 years until 2011 now open to the public and with rooms. We were met by Sam the duty manager who is very friendly and informative. Our room was excellent. There are 9 beautiful chapels here and an art gallery. The place feels full of history. There is also a lovely garden. Staff and volunteers are all so friendly and welcoming. We will definitely be back to this very special place

It's a North East gem with plenty of good value activities for families throughout the year. We've now attended the Halloween and Xmas lights events several times and both have been enjoyable and just about right for our kids ages and attention spans. I hope this place continues to go from strength to strength as it is an undersung asset in the rich fabric of our local history. The big plus for us is the accessibility of the trails - we have a pushchair and mobility issues to factor in to our visits. The staff are always friendly and helpful as well. Good place for a picnic in the warmer weather and beautiful views across the countryside from every angle.

Really good stay. Welcomed late on a Friday (around 10pm) by a friendly chap called Rob. Room lovely, tea, coffee, milk sachets, biscuits. Towels provided. Wet room style shower nice and clean. Good view out of the window. Stunning gardens and architecture. Breakfast good (Danish pastries, cereals, toast, fruit, bar with staff for teas coffees fruit tea etc) also had oat milk (a sign by the cereals might be a good idea?). Very quiet lovely to wander around the grounds. Taxi into Durham was about £15. Would highly recommend.

My friend and I went to enjoy the Christmas carol service at St Cuthberts chapel. A lovely evening spent with like minded people. The history of the college can be seen everywhere and is well worth a visit.

Had one night b&b, fascinating location. Room nice and comfortable and quiet. Continental breakfast was good. Nice you also get free entry to the chapels and exhibition.

We saw an advert in a leaflet that had been sent out by the schools in our local area. They have different events on over school holidays and that was our main reason for going. We looked at the prices that you pay on the door and then realised that an annual pass worked out at great value and most events are covered in the annual pass. A family annual pass is £39. That has covered our first 4 visits that we would have paid for already. We will be going back for more events. The house is amazing and worth a look at and is stunning inside but the best part is the chapels. The main chapel is stunning and you need to sit down for 10 mins and take it all in. Before seeing this in a leaflet, I didn’t even know it was there. Highly recommend.

Lovely place, I'm not a religious person but I do like interesting architecture especially the large chapel, really knowledgeable guides who can tell you all about the buildings. I think this place is well worth a visit

Amazing place to visit. Stunning architecture around every corner. Brilliant staff and volunteers. Such a stunning find. So glad we bought yearly passes well worth it. Can't wait to visit again.

Fantastic place to visit especially if you are religious. So many chapels to see each individually decorated in amazing styles. We joined the guided tour which was led by a fantastic guide who had many personal insights on the treasures to view. Without these insights you would never notice many of the hidden gems - for example, the mouseman mouse on one specific piece of furniture. If you are planning a visit, would highly recommend joining this tour. Also a lovely cafe on site with very reasonable prices. We spent 4 hours there which passed very quickly. Well worth a visit if you are in the Durham area.

We stayed here for a few nights while visiting the local area. The room was basic but very clean and comfortable. It was great to stay in such a beautiful building and location. A great places to stay if going to see Kynren.

Excellent place to visit. Plenty to see and do even if there are no outdoor events on simultaneously. Nice cafe too! Well worth a visit or annual membership.

Had an excellent visit. Lovely staff nothings a bother to them very helpful. l will definitely be returning. It was snowing when we were there, so we were unable to see the garden but the Chapel alone is well worth the visit.

The chapel is amazing. Unfortunately there is a lot of work taking place for new exhibitions so the visit was limited. We have a yearly ticket so looking forward to visiting in the future, also looking forward to the gardens in full bloom.

Just came on a day visit, and wasn't disappointed. Lovely historic building with lots of interesting features and artefacts. The cafe sold gorgeous sandwiches and cakes at reasonable prices. The formal gardens were fairly small, and would have looked much better in a season other than winter. I would definitely recommend it.

Lovely historic house, chapel and gardens. All the staff are friendly and helpful. Nice cafe which serves hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, cakes, sausages rolls, pies etc

Ushaw College offers a captivating journey through history, making it an ideal destination for a day out or overnight stay. The friendly staff and pleasant café add to the overall experience, making it a memorable visit for all.

For some reason, I can't seem to leave a review for Ushaw College itself...I haven't stayed in the hotel but live close by and we go all the time. It is a fab place to spend a few hours wandering the grounds - they have a gorgeous garden, a large open field and a play area for kids - and visiting the house. We almost always go to the café as well, with their friendly service and nice selection of food and drinks. A real highlight is the children's playroom, the pre-loved books room (you find some great stuff for next to nothing!) and the chapels. If you go at the right time, you'll even hear a nice lady playing the organ. If you haven't already bought your yearly pass, do it!

Didn't see rooms, have any service but we did see the Ed Sheeran orchestra candlelight at this venue. Very easy to get too and the event was very relaxing. If you see an event here please give it a try.

Informative spot, good video on Durham and the dialogue treasure was incredibly interesting

Duram cathedral is utterly stunning. The history of the place is amazing. And the skill and genius of the builders,working with the limited technology of the time left me feeling very humble. Go there .

Very helpful for the first day of my trip. I had a huge backpack and was allowed to drop it off at the locker and wandered around the city. Two young female and male staff were extremely friendly and nice. I love the souvenir that I bought there as well. However, the reason I gave two stars was my horrible experience with one old female white staff the next day. I asked for the same thing if I could drop my backpack at the locker, but she angrily said ‘this is not a place to drop off your personal item and go. As soon as you step out of this building, you have to bring your backpack.’ Astonished, me and my friend just said yes and left the place. In the meantime, I saw one white guy putting his bag in the locker. We were outside for a few seconds and then that guy came out without his backpack. So why didn't that old female staff stop him from doing so? The only possible explanation was the difference of races. Given that her talking and behaviour was very rude to us (non-whites) while she did not act in that way to the white guy, I felt that we were discriminated by the skin color. Given that this city is highly white dominant city, maybe her behaviour is acceptable in Durham? Such an awful experience and I sincerely hope that that old female white staff should get punished and correct her 19 century's racist behaviours.

Although smaller than one would have liked, the information given was first class. I particularly liked the video story of Durham cathedral all done in lego characters. Well worth a visit!

Excellent films telling the story around St Cuthbert and the beginnings of Durham Cathedral. Very informative. Learnt a lot and made us want to visit Lindisfarne, St Cuthberts initial burial place.Great place to find out info about Durham, staff friendly and very helpful.

Lovely staff and knowledgeable volunteer guides. Interesting displays and exhibition. Pretty little medieval herb garden. Can buy tickets for tours of Durham Castle and souvenirs of Durham/gifts there.

We stubbled across this, so glad we did. The lady was very informative. Showing us and a group facts about Durham on a 3d map. Which really helped us.

Sweet little museum just around the corner from the cathedral. Worth the £5 entry, although parts of it do look like a school history project, it’s very informative and offers a lot about the history of the area

Great place to visit , refurbishment is underway, so will visit again

Good place , nice atmosphere , buying ticket for this place