Glebe Centre

The Glebe Centre sits just outside Peterlee and functions as the town's main sports hub - a proper working facility rather than a tourist attraction in the traditional sense. What you'll find here depends entirely on what's on: indoor sports halls, courts, and activity spaces that host everything from badminton and volleyball to gymnastics and swimming lessons. It's the sort of place where locals come to actually do things rather than wander about taking photos.

If you're stopping with kids during a park holiday at The Barn at Easington nearby, this is worth knowing about mainly for rainy days or if anyone in your group wants to burn energy properly. The centre runs various drop-in sessions and classes across the week, though you'll need to check their website for current timetables and whether anything suits your dates. Swimming pool access and court hire both have associated costs, but rates are reasonable.

It's not a destination in itself - you won't travel to County Durham specifically to visit a leisure centre. But if you're based at The Barn and the weather turns grim, or if your kids need more structured activity than the park can offer, it's convenient and well-equipped. Allow an hour or two depending on what you're doing. Ring ahead to confirm opening hours and what's actually available on your visit dates, as sports centres often shuffle their schedules around school holidays.