Spennymoor Airfield

You won't find much left standing at Spennymoor Airfield, but that's rather the point. This is where the Second World War comes alive - or rather, where its ghosts linger in the grass and cracked concrete. The airfield sits near Shildon in County Durham, a sprawling site that once thundered with RAF activity. What remains are the scattered buildings, the runway still visible beneath the years, and the overwhelming sense of what happened here when the war was on.

History enthusiasts will find it genuinely moving. The site has that rare quality of feeling untouched - you're walking where pilots walked, where decisions were made that changed lives. There's no theme park gloss, no gift shop. Just the airfield itself, the landscape, and your imagination filling in the noise and urgency that once defined this place. That said, casual visitors might find it a bit spare. There's no visitor centre to my knowledge, no formal exhibition. You're essentially exploring an old military site, so patience and a bit of knowledge help.

Allow two hours if you're serious about it, less if you're just curious. The ABCT website has details, though opening arrangements seem fluid. Spring or autumn are best - summer heat on exposed concrete gets old quickly, and winter can turn the whole place into a muddy trudge.

If you're basing yourself at The Gables Pod Camping or Eden Grange Glamping, both within five miles, Spennymoor works perfectly as a half-day excursion. It's contemplative rather than thrilling, which suits a quieter holiday perfectly.