Briar Barn - Fun Days Out

Hall Hill Farm is an award-winning farm attraction near Tow Law in County Durham. It has been open to the public since 1981 and is still a working farm, run by the family who have farmed here since 1925. The land covers 290 hectares of grassland, woodland and crops, and the farm is home to over a thousand sheep.

Visitors can meet llamas, wallabies, Highland cattle, pigs, donkeys, ponies, chicks, lambs and rabbits, and there are friendly rabbits to handle. Admission includes a tractor and trailer ride. You can also play wonky donkey crazy golf and watch puppet shows, with a barrel train and mini jeeps as extras. The farm also takes school and group visits, and offers birthday parties and an Adopt an Animal scheme.

Tip: Tickets can be bought in advance online, and the farm can be phoned on 01388 731333 for help with pre-booking.

Raby Castle is a Grade I listed medieval castle near Staindrop in County Durham, built by the Nevilles between about 1367 and 1390. It has nine towers, a Neville Gateway with grooves still visible from its portcullises, and a large art collection including works by old masters and portraits. It remains a private family home, and the grounds include 200 acres of deer park.

The 18th-century walled gardens are a big draw in their own right. Designer Luciano Giubbilei and Lady Barnard remodelled them, and they came second in the 2025 European Garden Awards. You'll find historic yew hedges, a fig tree brought here in 1786, mazes, a rill, a cut flower garden and a grass amphitheatre with views of the castle. History fans and garden lovers will enjoy both the castle and the grounds.

Tip: Pre-booking tickets online is recommended to get the best price.

The Bowes Museum is an art gallery in Barnard Castle, County Durham, built in the style of a French château and set in landscaped parkland overlooking Teesdale countryside. It was purpose-built to house the collection of John Bowes and his wife Joséphine, and opened in 1892.

Inside you'll find paintings by artists including El Greco, Goya, Canaletto and Van Dyck, alongside decorative art such as porcelain, tapestries, clocks and costumes, plus galleries for fashion and textiles. The star attraction is the Silver Swan, an 18th-century automaton that preens, looks round and appears to catch and swallow a fish. Temporary exhibitions change through the year, and there are family activities, a park and gardens to explore, and Café Bowes for a break, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.

Tip: Check the museum's website for the current Silver Swan showing times before you go, as they differ on bank holidays and school holidays.

High Force is a waterfall on the River Tees, near Middleton-in-Teesdale in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The whole river plunges 70 feet over a cliff edge in two stages. After heavy rain the river also flows over the usually dry right-hand channel, making two falls. In harsh winters the falls have been known to freeze into cathedral-like ice formations.

The falls sit where the Tees crosses the Whin Sill, the hard igneous rock also seen at Hadrian's Wall. As the rock wears away, the waterfall slowly moves upstream, leaving a narrow, deep gorge in front of it. You can see it from either bank. The northern bank is reached by a private footpath on the Raby estate, for which a fee is charged. The southern bank is free, via the Pennine Way footpath across the Moor House-Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve. It suits walkers, and anyone who likes a good waterfall after rain.

Tip: The southern bank is free via the Pennine Way; the northern bank is a private Raby estate path with a fee. Visit after heavy rain to see the extra side channel flowing.

Beamish is a living, open-air museum on a 350-acre site in County Durham, telling the story of everyday life in the North East. Original, moved and replica buildings are staffed by costumed engagers, with live demonstrations and hands-on activities. Trams and buses carry you between the different areas.

You can explore the 1900s Town, the 1950s Town and the 1820s Pockerley Old Hall with its gardens, and the 1900s Pit Village. There are old-fashioned shops and eateries to try along the way, including a pub, a bakery and a sweet shop. Some areas or exhibits may be closed at times, so check the museum's website before you go.

Most exhibits are indoors, but you will be outside moving between them, so dress for the weather and wear comfy shoes. It was named Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025.

Tip: Book your pass online before you visit for faster entry, and download the map to your phone or pick one up at the Entrance Building.

Durham Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and part of the Durham Castle and Cathedral World Heritage Site. A substantial part of the building was completed between 1093 and 1133, and it is a significant example of Romanesque architecture. The nave ceiling is the earliest surviving example of a pointed rib vault. Inside you will find the shrines of the Anglo-Saxon saints Cuthbert and Bede, with St Cuthbert's Shrine just behind the High Altar.

There is plenty to do beyond looking around. You can join a one-hour guided tour, climb the 325 spiral steps of the Central Tower for views over the city, or visit the museum, which covers 2000 years of the North East's history, culture and faith. The museum also has a 1.7m high LEGO model of the cathedral. Harry Potter fans can seek out the filming locations, and there are family activities, a café and a shop. Riverbank and woodland trails around the cathedral can be downloaded.

Tip: There is no parking at or near the cathedral, so use the Park and Ride or the Cathedral Bus into Durham. The tower is stairs only.

Vindolanda was a Roman auxiliary fort just south of Hadrian's Wall, near the village of Bardon Mill in Northumberland. It was occupied from roughly 85 AD to 370 AD and is one of Europe's most important Roman archaeological sites, with live excavations taking place every year. It is also the home of the Vindolanda Writing Tablets, wooden leaf-tablets that were the oldest surviving handwritten documents in Britain when they were found.

On site you can explore the fort and its museum, and see artefacts and films that bring the Roman frontier to life. Guided tours of the fort give an overview of the site and its archaeological highlights. The Trust also runs the Roman Army Museum, based at the site of Magna Roman Fort beside a sweeping stretch of the Wall, and a single Saver Ticket covers both sites. It suits anyone who likes history and wants to see archaeology still being uncovered.

Tip: Combine it with the Roman Army Museum on one Saver Ticket, and check the tour timetable for the guided fort tours.

Brancepeth Castle is a Grade I listed castle in County Durham, about five miles south-west of Durham city. The first castle on the site was Norman, rebuilt by the Nevilles in the late 14th century. The present building is largely the work of the early 19th century, with later improvements by Anthony Salvin. Over the centuries it has served as a fortress and family home, a hospital for convalescents in the First World War, and the regimental headquarters of the Durham Light Infantry.

Today it is the home of the extended Dobson family, who bought it in 1978 and moved their publishing business here. Visitors can take a tour to follow the castle's development from Saxon stronghold to seat of the Neville family. Free, unguided access is offered to up to four of the main rooms on open mornings. The gatehouse has Café Burgschneider, known for its homemade German cakes. The castle is open to visitors on a number of days each year, so check before you set off.

Tip: The castle is only open to visitors on certain days each year, so check its website and book a tour before you go.