Region
County Durham
Base in Durham city for 2 nights; use a car for the western dales and Beamish, trains for Darlington and the coast.
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Key facts · United Kingdom
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep
- Currency
- Pound sterling (GBP, £)
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- G · 230 V
- Time zone
- GMT, BST from late March to late October
Rules in force · 13Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
- Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
- United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
- United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
- United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.
- England ↗Advance single train tickets are far cheaper than walk-up fares; book 2–12 weeks ahead.
- England ↗Most local bus fares in England are capped at £3 per single journey (2025 rule; check locally).
- England ↗Contactless bank cards work on London transport and on many regional buses; no separate card needed.
- North East England ↗An Explorer ticket covers most buses across the region for a day; buy on board or from the operator.
- North East England ↗Tyne and Wear Metro takes contactless bank cards at gates and validators; no separate card needed.
County Durham is a county of two halves. The eastern spine — Durham, Darlington, Chester-le-Street, Bishop Auckland — sits on the East Coast Main Line and is easy without a car. The western dales, High Force and the upper Tees valley need a car or a long bus ride. Sleep in Durham city for the cathedral and walkable centre; add one night in the dales if you want the moors.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- DarlingtonCity guide
Main rail junction, railway museum, Teesside Airport nearby.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Day trip
- Bishop AucklandCity guide
Auckland Castle and the Locomotion museum at Shildon.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND - Barnard CastleCity guide
Market town gateway to the upper Tees and High Force.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND - Middleton-in-TeesdaleCity guide
Base for High Force and the Tees valley.
Best May–Jun, Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 2 nights
- Durham 2 nights; cathedral, river and one day trip by train
- 3 nights
- Durham 2 + one night in the dales (Middleton-in-Teesdale or Barnard Castle) with a car
- 4 nights
- Durham 2 + dales 1 + Darlington 1 for the railway museums and onward trains
- The A66 and moorland roads can close in snow and ice; the Pennines see harsh weather year-round.
- Darlington town centre on a weekend night needs the usual city caution.
- Western dales have sparse bus service — plan the last bus or drive.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington | Durham | 20 min | check | Frequent East Coast Main Line trains; railway museum and town centre. |
| Bishop Auckland | Darlington | 30 min | check | Hourly branch-line train; pair with Shildon's Locomotion museum. |
| Chester-le-Street | Durham | 10 min | unknown | Short train ride; county cricket ground. |
| Barnard Castle | Durham | check min | unknown | Easier by car; buses are slow and indirect, so the door-to-door time depends on the route you pick. |
| Middleton-in-Teesdale | Durham | check min | unknown | Car strongly preferred; gateway to High Force waterfall. No direct supported public transport route, so time check. |
| Hartlepool | Durham | 55 min | unknown | Train via Newcastle or change at Stockton; check connections. |
Bags between cities
Luggage forwarding availability: check. Travel light and use hotel left-luggage in Durham or Darlington if changing bases.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Darlington | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Bishop Auckland | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Barnard Castle | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Chester-le-Street | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Hartlepool | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Spennymoor | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Consett | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | × |
| Middleton-in-Teesdale | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok | go | ok | × | × |
| Stockton-on-Tees | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
| North East England (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Durhameast coast to Pennine dales | cool | cool | ok | best | best | ok | ok | ok | best | ok | cool | cool |
- County Durham
- Cool maritime climate; the western moors are wetter and colder than the coast. Summer days are mild — exact temperatures check; winter can bring snow on high ground.
Best months are May to September for the dales and coast; the Durham County Show is the first Saturday in July.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Airport (NCL) | Durham | Metro to Newcastle then train to Durham | ~60 min door | The Metro serves Newcastle city centre, not Durham; change to a mainline train at Newcastle. Flights from London, Amsterdam, Paris and other west European cities. |
| Manchester Airport (MAN) | Darlington / Durham | Hourly train | ~2 h 30 to Durham | Excellent global connections and competitive fares; trains run hourly to Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. |
| Teesside Airport (MME) | Darlington / Stockton | Hourly bus | ~30 min to Darlington | Closest airport but only flights from Amsterdam and seasonal Mediterranean resorts. |
| London Kings Cross | Darlington / Durham | East Coast Main Line train via York | 2 h 30 to Darlington | Frequent trains continue north to Chester-le-Street, Newcastle and Edinburgh. |
Regional passes
National Rail tickets
buyBuy advance fares for London–Durham; walk-up fares are much higher.
Local Arriva buses
checkDay tickets can pay off if you make several trips from Durham or Darlington; check current prices.
Car hire
buyEssential for the western dales, High Force and Hamsterley Forest; pick up in Darlington or Durham.
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Parmo (chicken parmesan) | Darlington, Stockton and towns near Middlesbrough | Breaded chicken with béchamel on a pizza base; classic post-pub food. Pork versions exist. |
| Pub meals | Durham, Darlington and village pubs | Small-town pubs are often the best sit-down option; micro-breweries in Durham and Darlington. |
| Afternoon tea | Durham city | Several tearooms near the cathedral; book ahead on weekends. |
Go next
North East England
Train or car
Newcastle, the Northumberland coast and Hadrian's Wall.
Northumberland
Train to Newcastle then north
Coastline and castles; pair with a Newcastle base.
Cumbria
A66 west or train via Carlisle
Lake District and the Pennine Way crest.
North Yorkshire
Train south via York
York, the moors and the coast.
Tyne and Wear
Train or Angel bus 21 from Durham
Newcastle and Sunderland; easy day trip.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 2 bases
- Day trips
- 4, 10 min to 55 min
- Nights suggested
- 2–4 nights
- Ways in
- 4 listed
- Best months
- Apr, May, Sep
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Sources
- officialDurham County Council
- officialNational Rail
- officialVisit North East England
- officialMet Office
- secondaryWikivoyage: County Durham, revision 5288456 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Ask about County Durham
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