Places to Visit

The Great Outdoors

North Yorkshire Moors
Discover the moorland, woodland, dales and coast. Explore the geology, villages and buildings, culture, history and archaeology.

Whitby and the north-east coast
Explore the home of Dracula and Captain James Cook, take a sightseeing boat trip or enjoy fish and chips on the promenade. The north east coast is dotted with idyllic seaside villages and beautiful beaches for you to explore.

High Force
High Force suddenly and spectacularly drops 70 feet into a plunge pool below, making it England's highest uninterrupted drop of water. Take one of the many well maintained woodland paths to the waterfall, a great day out for all ages.

Roseberry Topping
Layers of human and geological history have shaped this distinctive and iconic landmark, with its bluebell woods and heather moorland, making Roseberry Topping one of the most beautiful landscapes to visit in the North East.

Museums and Heritage

Durham Cathedral and Castle
Durham Cathedral is regarded as the finest Norman building in Europe. It is the burial place of both St Cuthbert, a great northern saint, and the Venerable Bede, author of the first English history.
The castle has had an extremely interesting history, particularly in relation to the range of functions which the buildings have performed as a fortress and the principal palace of the Bishops of Durham.
The castle now also houses the foundation college of Durham University and an accredited museum, unusual in that it is contained within a living and working college community.

Captain Cook’s birthplace museum
Discover why Captain James Cook is the world's most famous navigator with our exploration into his early life, seafaring career and legacy of his voyages.
The museum tells the story of one of the world's greatest navigators and mariners through themed display galleries housing original artefacts, exhibitions, associated activities and events and a lively education programme.

The Sage Gateshead
Another iconic building on the North East’s landscape, The Sage Gateshead is an international home for music. It houses two main stages of acoustic excellence, a 26-room music education centre, a music information resource centre, four bars, a brasserie and a café.
All kinds of music can be heard here including world, rock, pop, classical, acoustic, indie, country, folk, jazz, electronic and dance music, and its own orchestra Northern Sinfonia is at the heart of The Sage Gateshead’s classical programme.

BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle
Housed in a landmark industrial building on the south bank of the River Tyne in Gateshead, BALTIC is the biggest gallery of its kind in the world – presenting a dynamic, diverse and international programme of contemporary visual art.
BALTIC provides an ever-changing calendar of exhibitions and activities that give a unique and compelling insight into contemporary artistic practice.

Hadrian’s Wall
The best preserved remains of a cavalry for in Britain, built to guard the Roman bridge, which carried Hadrian’s Wall over the River North Tyne.
Explore the foundations of the headquarters building and amble through the well-preserved commandant’s house and military bath house.
Discover the complex of rooms in the bath house which offered customers hot, cold or steam baths.

The Bowes Museum
One of Britain's most fascinating museum experiences. Founded over 100 years ago, by John and Joséphine Bowes, the magnificent building contains the greatest collection of European fine and decorative art in the North of England. The designated collection contains works by Goya, El Greco and Canaletto.

Shopping & Market Towns

The Metro Centre
MetroCentre is one of Europe's largest shopping and leisure centres and it has everything you could possibly need for the perfect day out. With almost 330 shops including major department stores such as Debenhams, House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer, MetroCentre has something for everyone all under one roof. From top European retailers offering unique brands to price conscious stores to suit all pockets, MetroCentre has it all.

York
Wander the web of shopping streets to browse the amazing array of independent boutiques, vintage stores and popular high street names  such as Marks and Spencer, Fenwick and Mulberry - all flaunting the season's latest arrivals or hop on a bus to the Designer Outlet to discover famous label fashion at great prices.

Newcastle
Newcastle is home to the huge Eldon Square shopping centre and houses department stores such as Fenwick, John Lewis and one of the largest Debenhams stores in the country. Some of the more intricate cobbled side streets offer boutique and designer stores such as Vivenne Westwood.

Yarm
The beautiful market town of Yarm offers boutique shops, design houses, jewelers and restaurants and is just a 15 minute drive from Rockliffe Hall.
Take a stroll down the river and admire the architecture of the Railway Bridge, before discovering the shops on the cobbled High Street.

Other market towns in the area include Richmond, Northallerton, Thirsk and Darlington.

Family Days Out

The Forbidden Corner
The Forbidden Corner is a unique labyrinth of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises created in a four acre garden in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. The temple of the underworld, the eye of the needle, a huge pyramid made of translucent glass, paths and passages that lead nowhere, extraordinary statues - at every turn there are decisions to make and tricks to avoid. This is a day out with a difference which will challenge and delight adults and children of all ages.

Lightwater Valley Theme Park
Lightwater Valley Theme Park is jam packed with over 40 thrilling rides and attractions for all the family. The line-up comprises some amazing rides, including Europe’s longest rollercoaster - The Ultimate, as well as the mighty Eagle’s Claw and the Wild River Rapids.
Located in the grounds of Lightwater Valley Theme Park, you'll also find an awe-inspiring Birds of Prey Centre. and the Lightwater shopping village is open all year round and is home to an oasis of retail therapy that appeals to all ages and tastes.

Flamingo Land Theme Park & Zoo
Flamingo Land is a fun day out for all the family with rides to suit all ages, from thrills to spills and family friendly rides.
There is also a zoo which focuses on carefully creating the most natural environments for all guests. Flamingo Land is currently home to well over 120 species of bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile and fish.

Aerial Extreme
Aerial Extreme’s tree based High Wire Adventure Course, set within the beautiful 250 acre grounds of the Camphill Estate in North Yorkshire is a truly a remarkable experience as you climb into the forest canopy and the adventure begins.
With over 25 exciting tree top elements, it doesn’t matter whether you are a novice adventurer or a serial adrenalin junkie our course, which can vary in height from 3m to 14m above the ground, will certainly delight you.