Exploring Hartlepool and County Durham

I regularly visit the north east coast of England as my husband’s family hails from the coastal town of Hartlepool. Despite countless trips, I rarely explore much of the area as we tend to spend most of our time catching up with family and friends that still live there. However, one such trip in 2016, we decided to spend a whole week exploring beyond Hartlepool and I can tell you, there’s lots to see and do in Hartlepool and County Durham.

Over the years, I’ve found that the area of the Tees Valley and County Durham is highly underrated. There are some stunningly beautiful places and the landscape of the Durham Dales easily rivals the neighbouring Yorkshire Dales National Park. Most of it is incorporated into the North Pennines AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and I’m amazed it doesn’t have national park status.

Hartlepool

Our usual itinerary for a Hartlepool weekend would include a walk along the headland or along the sea front at Seaton Carew, partaking in fish ‘n’ chips at Surfside and ice cream at Fizzy Izzy’s – both establishments I can highly recommend.

The weather on this trip however, was wonderful. It played ball for once and gave us some lovely sunny days instead of the usual lousy wind and rain. So a bit of sightseeing was essential…

Hartlepool’s Marina

A walk around Hartlepool’s marina and historic quay is fantastic on a nice day. The marina looks like it is plucked from the south coast of France. Bright blue skies, clear and still; sun dazzling and glinting off the water, the white of the boats even whiter against the shimmering blue.

You can walk all the way around the marina and quay area, crossing the sea lock which is fascinating to see in operation.

Look out for Hartlepool’s resident monkey by the sea lock. He is a reminder of the ‘monkey-hanging’ legend where residents hung a monkey found in the wreckage of a French ship during the Napoleanic wars as they believed it to be a French spy. For this, Hartlepudlians became known as ‘monkeyhangers’. It’s also why you shouldn’t be alarmed when buying ice cream in the area if you’re asked if you want monkey’s blood on it (ie: raspberry sauce) Ewww….I still can’t bring myself to order that!

National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool

The masts of HMS Trincomalee are prominently visible from all around the marina. She is the oldest British warship still afloat and towers majestically alongside the P.S.S. Wingfield Castle, a restored paddle steamer. Both are perfect tributes to Hartlepool’s seafaring tradition and form part of the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool, (formerly: the Hartlepool Maritime Experience.)

The museum features a recreation of an 18^th century seaport, with period shops and buildings designed in authentic architectural styles. The Wingfield Castle now operates as a coffee shop and can be visited free along with the Museum of Hartlepool.

2020/21 prices to access the HMS Trincomalee and Historic Quayside are £8.00 for adults and seniors and £6.00 for children aged 5-15, (if booked online in advance.)

Opening times are daily from 11 – 4pm through the winter season (till end of March 2021) and 11 – 5pm during the summer season.

Please check online for up to date opening times during Covid-19.

Beamish

Beamish is a place our Hartlepudlian friends had been trying to get us to for years, so we made it a priority on this trip. Beamish is a living outdoor natural history museum dedicated to life in the north east over the years. Beamish aims to create an “authentic, immersive experience of the region’s past.”

The site is laid out over 350 acres and focuses on different built up areas linked by a network of paths and a circular tramway and bus route. The different areas include a 1900’s pit village, a colliery, a 1940’s farm, a 1900’s town, and an 1820’s Old Hall, landscape and waggon-way.

Of course, the trams and buses aren’t what you’d see on today’s roads. Of the seven trams in operation at Beamish, you’ll probably see this one below – the Sunderland 16. This was built as an open top tramcar in 1900 and has undergone many uses including a football changing room, a tool shed and an apple store. Eventually she arrived at Beamish in 1989 and put into operation in 2003 after being fully restored.

Everyone has their favourite parts to Beamish and mine would have to include the colliery where you can join a guided tour into a Drift mine. Beamish is built on the site of the Durham Coalfield, so it’s great that there is such a tour available to get a flavour of the industry that County Durham thrived on in the 1900’s.

Wandering around the 1900’s town checking out the different shops is also a highlight of a day out at Beamish. Don’t forget to dive into the sweet shop where you can watch cinder toffee being made and grab a free sample while you’re there.

The fish and chips at Davy’s are to die for, but make sure you eat breakfast early as you’ll want to get in the queue before the place opens for an early lunch, otherwise you’ll be there for ages.

There’s lots more that could be said about Beamish, this is just a flavour… However, it should certainly be on anyone’s itinerary when exploring Hartlepool and County Durham.

Walking Durham’s Heritage Coast

When you get a day that dawns as beautifully as you can see in the following photos, the only choice is to stay on the coast. In fact: bright, sunny and still are the perfect conditions for a coastal walk along the Durham Heritage Coast.

As we had two cars between us, we drove up to Seaham and left a car at the free car park at Nose’s Point, then drove back down to Castle Eden Dene and left the other car at the small parking area at Limekiln Gill (also free).

We walked the first mile north at beach level and it’s safe to say we had the place to ourselves. In fact, we encountered only three other walking parties in the whole 6.5 mile stretch of coast, only reaching civilisation once again as we approached Nose’s Point.

The Durham Heritage Coast really is a beautiful stretch of coastline, without too many ups and downs to puncture the cliff top walk. One such ‘puncture’ however was worth the effort, as the path dived down below an impressive rail bridge.

There are a number of intriguing geological features along the route including several stacks, the most impressive being Liddle Stack just north of Nose’s Point. The walk culminates with the most stunning view looking south at Nose’s Point with an easy way down to beach level. This walk is easily one of the best things to do when visiting Hartlepool and County Durham.

Hopping into the car, we adjourned to Lickity Split, Seaham’s answer to Fizzy Izzy’s and just as good, if not better. Their apple and cinnamon ice cream sundae is divine! The only problem with this place is that everyone else knows about it too and the queues therefore can be lengthy.

I used OS Explorer map 308 for this walk and I recommend walking from south to north so you’re not looking into sun for the duration. Remember to keep glancing back at the view the other way though!

Exploring Inland County Durham

Unfortunately the weather cannot be beautiful every day. So, when sketchier weather hits, I like to visit towns and waterfalls. Bishop Auckland had always been high on my priority list as I wanted to visit the castle there. Horrendous rain greeted us on arrival though. As we pulled into a town square parking space – it was absolutely lashing it down. Funnily enough, no-one wanted to get out of the car!

National Railway Museum at Shildon

We immediately constructed a plan B: head 4 miles south to “Locomotion” at the National Railway Museum, Shildon. I had seen the place advertised on signs as we approached Bishop Auckland and the chances were, the attraction would be primarily inside. What a little gem the detour turned out to be.

As it was a bank holiday Monday, there was a huge craft, antiques and model railway fair on. The tables stretched down all the lines between locomotive carriages. I confess I got engrossed in the craft fair, finding all sorts of bits and pieces for sewing projects and gifts, causing me to part with a few pounds.

Before I knew it, I was sat with a cuppa after a hard hour’s shopping, admiring the locomotives from a distance realising I hadn’t really investigated the engine shed at all. But that was fine with me. My father who was a bit of a train-spotter in his youth and who was with us on this jaunt, enjoyed the detour for the original purpose of the place.

Auckland Castle

A couple of hours later and we were back in Bishop Auckland (minus the rain) visiting the castle. (Please note: Auckland Castle has since undergone renovation and changed a lot since my visit.)

Auckland Castle is not a huge place to visit, with only a small number of rooms on show to the public. However, what you see is quality. The Throne room and the Long Dining room are the most grandiose of the rooms in the castle, the latter complete with a grand piano that visitors are encouraged to play. My pianist Mum did just that.

The crowning glory of Auckland Castle however, is most definitely St Peter’s Chapel, the largest private chapel in Europe. It was converted in the 1600’s from a 12^th century banqueting hall to what you see today.

The grounds of the castle are well worth a walk around. They are free to enter and home to what can only be described as the most impressive deer house on record. Built in the 1700’s in Gothic Revival style, it was constructed as a folly to provide shelter and a feeding venue for the estate’s deer. It also had a viewing platform from which guests could watch the beautiful animals.

Auckland Castle underwent a huge restoration programme shortly after I visited and didn’t reopen until 2019. I am yet to revisit to see what Auckland Castle looks like now. I know the state rooms will have been returned to their original opulent appearance which I cannot wait to see. Another trip really must be scheduled soon: I can hear Hartlepool and County Durham calling my name.

High Force Waterfall

Our last port of call for the day was to High Force, a waterfall I have been longing to visit for years. It is known as being one of the most impressive in the U.K.

Access is restricted to the hours of 10-5pm in summer (4pm in winter) for safety reasons. We arrived just in time to take in the short easy walk to the force and give us half an hour to revel in the majesty of the spectacle.

Like nearly all my trips to waterfalls, I always manage to catch them in spate, which is fantastic as they’re all the more awesome and powerful. Compared to the normal images you see of this place, when in spate there is an additional fall of water to the right hand side of the gorge. You get two waterfalls for the price of one!

There’s a small charge for access to High Force: £2.00 adult / £1.00 child, and car parking is £2.00. From Easter to October the gift shop and conveniences are open and you purchase tickets in the gift shop. In low season admission is via an honesty box. Please check online for opening hours during Covid-19.

From the viewing platform at the base of the falls I could see people stood at the top on the other side of the gorge. That viewpoint can only be reached from much further downstream near Low Force. From the carpark at Bowlees Visitor Centre, there is a footbridge that provides access to the other side of the river, so you can walk the couple of miles upstream to High force. Next time I’m in Hartlepool and County Durham, this is definitely top of the list!

The City of Durham

Our last day of pure sightseeing on this trip took us to Durham city itself, a must when visiting Hartlepool and County Durham. After meeting a friend for lunch at Lebaneat: fabulously tasty Labanese cuisine with an excellent and reasonably priced lunch menu, the cool of the cathedral interior was a welcome respite.

Set majestically on a rocky promontory next to the castle, with the city sloping away to the north and surrounded on three sides by a meander in the River Wear, Durham has the most unique setting. As one of the best known cityscapes of medieval Europe, it’s not surprising it was given UNESCO World Heritage Status.

I have no photographs of the cathedral interior as photography is not permitted by the general public. You can apply for a permit for academic purposes or join one of the evening photography sessions to get snaps of your own. But for me on this occasion, I had to make do with my eyes and memory.

The inside of all U.K. cathedrals are impressive, but each usually captures you for a different reason. In Durham, it was the nave pillars which astounded me. Each had eye-catching carved geometric patterns of chevrons, diamonds and vertical fluting and are considered a ‘sculptural tour de force’ unique to Durham.

I could write reams on the subject of cathedrals as they’re one of my favourite things to visit, but nothing can ever do them justice. You have to see them with your own eyes.

Make sure you visit the shop as it is situated in the undercroft and is considered one of the most remarkable, intact monastic vaulted undercrofts in the U.K. Also in the undercroft you’ll find the Lego construction of Durham cathedral. With over 300,000 bricks, it’s as accurate a scale model as possible.

At the time I visited you could add a brick yourself for £1.00 however it should be well and truly finished by now. I have since seen other cathedrals doing the same thing at Chester and Exeter, but Durham was certainly the nearest completion.

After visiting the cathedral, a trip around the castle, now part of Durham University is worth a visit. Also spend some time just bumbling around the old cobbled streets of the town, soaking up the atmosphere and partake in a bit of shopping. As Durham is so compact and has a great range of shops, it’s the perfect place for a spot of retail therapy.

Then take your bags back to the car and head off on a wander round the meander in the River Wear. You can walk down both sides of the river, but if you only have time for one way, make it the opposite side to the city centre so you get fabulous views looking back at the cathedral.

I can’t wait to return to Durham, to see what else the city and indeed the county has to offer.

Future Travel to Hartlepool and County Durham

I come back to the Hartlepool and County Durham area so frequently, that I have generated a list of other attractions I plan to visit.

• Barnard Castle
• The Bowes Museum (2017 update: I have now visited and loved it)
• Raby Castle
• Durham’s Botanical Gardens
• Crook Hall & Gardens
• Hardwick Hall Country Park
• Bowlees Visitor Centre and Low/High Force (2019 update: I visited Bowless visitor centre to see an art exhibition and had lunch there)
• Castle Eden Dene – (2018 Update – Once I got my dog Roger, I started walking here regularly)
• Kynren – an open air night show spectacular at Bishop Auckland. (2016 Update – I’ve now seen it and it was epic!)

Get in Touch!

There is so much to see and do in this area of North East England. I hope this has given you some ideas for your own travel plans. Any questions, please get in touch!

Have you visited Hartlepool and County Durham?

Perhaps you live there and can recommend further attractions and things to see. If so, I’d love to hear from you! Please drop me a line in the comments below…

Further Reading:

Here you can read more about my visit to Penshaw Monument – on one of the hottest days of the 2018 summer I might add.

Or maybe an Afternoon Tea at Wynyard Hall will tickle your tastebuds….

Check out when the Lego Safari came to WWT Washington.

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