Historic Durham & Alnwick Castle

June 2022 - September 2023

5 days from £569pp

Travel to England’s beautiful north-east – the birthplace of railways – for a fascinating journey through history. Ride on the South Tynedale Railway, visit Alnwick Castle, the open-air Beamish Museum, Bowes Railway Museum and enjoy a guided walk around the ancient city of Durham.

Roundtrip on the South Tynedale Railway
Visit to Bowes Railway Museum and enjoy a guided tour
Guided walking tour of Durham
Visit to Beamish open-air living museum
Entrance and guided tour of Alnwick Castle and Gardens

Description
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With its winding cobbled streets, famous Cathedral and Castle, Durham is a captivating city with a timeless quality. It is also the perfect place from which we’ll explore the beautiful north-east of England where history and heritage are still very much alive. Experience a real sense of the past at Beamish, the Living Museum of the North, visit Bowes Railway Museum and explore the iconic Alnwick Castle where centuries of history are interwoven with Potter-inspired magic. We also step aboard the South Tynedale Railway to enjoy memorable journeys from a bygone era in this charming corner of the country considered the birthplace of railways.

Day 1: Durham
Make your own way to our hotel in Durham where you will meet our Tour Manager. Enjoy a relaxing evening with dinner served in the hotel’s restaurant.
Day 2: Durham & South Tynedale Railway
This morning, our local guide will meet us at our hotel and take us on a walking tour of this historic city. Highlights include the UNESCO-Listed 900-year old Norman Castle and Durham Cathedral where we have a chance to admire the stunning interior of this iconic, vaulted Romanesque building. At the end of the tour there is some free time for you to enjoy lunch in one of Durham’s many cafes or restaurants. Our tour then continues to the small town of Alston where the former North Eastern Railway Station is now the headquarters of the South Tynedale Railway. Following the former route of British Rail’s Haltwhistle to Alston branch line, this preserved narrow-gauge heritage railway is the highest in England. We’ll enjoy a wonderful roundtrip through beautiful countryside as the train winds its way from Alston into the South Tyne Valley in the North Pennines. This evening dinner is served in the hotel.
Day 3: Bowes Railway Museum & Beamish Open-Air Living Museum
This morning we will travel to Bowes Railway Museum, where we will enjoy a guided tour. Bowes Railway was originally a colliery railway built to carry coal mainly from pits in north west Durham to the Tyne at Jarrow. Afterwards, we continue to the famous Beamish Open-Air Museum, which recreates life in the north east of England during the 1820’s, 1900’s and 1940’s. Step back in time and see how families lived and worked in the years leading up to the First World War, or head to the 1940’s farm and see what life was like on the home front during the Second World War. Experience life in a 1900’s Pit Village showing a colliery community at the time of peak coal production in the north east, and take a look around Rowley Station with its signal box, waiting room and yard just as it was in Edwardian times. Dinner is served in the hotel this evening.
Day 4: Alnwick Castle and Gardens
Today we drive to the charming town of Alnwick, one of Northumberland’s most historic towns. Pronounced ‘Annick’, the town grew as a crossing point on the River Aln and its Anglo-Saxon name ‘Aln-Wick’ simply means ‘farm or trading place on the Aln. We enjoy a guided tour of the iconic castle, which may be familiar from Downtown Abbey and the Harry Potter films but has actually been home to the Percy family for more than 700 years. Enjoy time at leisure for lunch and further exploration of the Castle, the beautiful Gardens and the town of Alnwick itself, which is a beautiful market town full of charm. We return to the hotel where dinner will be served in the evening.
Day 5: Home
After breakfast, you’re free to check out of our hotel and make your own way home.

Please note: we cannot guarantee that all our rail journeys will be steam hauled.

Join us at our hotel in the UK

Picture of - Join us at our hotel in the UK

Make your own travel arrangements at your convenience to join your selected holiday. Simply arrive at the hotel and our Tour Manager will be there to greet you.

If you require any further information to assist with your travel plans, please contact our Holiday Advisors who will be happy to help.

Parking is available at our hotel for those wishing to drive.

Overview

Situated in the historic city of Durham, this 4-star hotel is situated by the Castle, Cathedral and the River Wear. Within the hotel there is an international restaurant where we’ll have breakfast and dinner, a lounge bar - perfect for a drink after a day of exploring and fully-equipped gym. Car parking is available at the hotel at extra cost.