Top choice in Northeast England
A two-century-old, ivy-clad drovers' inn 11 miles east of Barnard Castle is now the staging post for gastronomic expeditions by self-taught chef James Close, who received his first Michelin star in 2012 and second in 2017. Tasting menus (no à la carte) typically feature 12 to 15 intricate courses, such as in-the-shell razor clams with brown shrimp. Reserve weeks ahead.
In the former stables are three luxurious guest rooms (doubles including breakfast from £180).
15.04 MILES
Monumental Durham Cathedral is the definitive structure of the Anglo-Norman Romanesque style, a resplendent monument to the country’s ecclesiastical…
9.25 MILES
A monumental chateau half a mile east of the centre contains the lavishly furnished Bowes Museum. Funded by 19th-century industrialist John Bowes, and…
27.93 MILES
Part of a sober-minded institute devoted to the study of genetic science, this centre lets you discover the secrets of life through a fascinating series…
15.12 MILES
Built as a standard motte-and-bailey fort in 1072, Durham Castle was the prince bishops' home until 1837, when it became the University of Durham's first…
BALTIC – Centre for Contemporary Art
28.07 MILES
Once a huge mustard-coloured grain store, BALTIC is now a huge mustard-coloured art gallery rivalling London's Tate Modern. There are no permanent…
28.51 MILES
Walking Newcastle's streets, you'd never know this extraordinary tunnel runs for 2.5 miles beneath your feet. Built between 1839 and 1842 as a coal-wagon…
27.96 MILES
Tyneside's rich history is explored at this unmissable museum. Exhibitions spread across three floors of the former Co-operative Wholesale Society…
11.4 MILES
Built in 1788, this is the most complete Georgian playhouse in Britain. It closed in 1848 and was used as an auction house into the early 20th century,…
4.82 MILES
Sprawling Raby Castle was a stronghold of the Catholic Neville family until it engaged in ill-judged plotting (the 'Rising of the North') against the…
6.92 MILES
The stones of the abandoned Binchester Roman Fort were often reused, and Roman inscriptions can be spotted in the walls of the hauntingly beautiful Escomb…
7.62 MILES
The ruins of Binchester Roman Fort, or Vinovia as it was originally called, lie 9.6 miles southwest of Durham. First built in wood around AD 80 and…
9.25 MILES
A monumental chateau half a mile east of the centre contains the lavishly furnished Bowes Museum. Funded by 19th-century industrialist John Bowes, and…
9.63 MILES
Built on a cliff above the River Tees by Guy de Bailleul and rebuilt around 1150, Barnard Castle was partly dismantled some four centuries later, but its…
11.39 MILES
The Richmondshire Museum feels a bit worn, but it's crammed with local history exhibits including Stone Age artefacts and displays about lead mining,…
11.4 MILES
Built in 1788, this is the most complete Georgian playhouse in Britain. It closed in 1848 and was used as an auction house into the early 20th century,…
11.46 MILES
Military buffs will enjoy the three floors of this museum, which pays tribute to Richmond's famous Yorkshire infantry regiment, formed in 1688. The medal…