Barnard Castle

Dark stone buildings line cobbled streets that wind down to the River Tees, where an impressive medieval castle perches on rocky cliffs above the water. This is proper Teesdale country - all rolling hills, dry stone walls, and vast moorland stretching toward the Yorkshire Dales. The town has that slightly faded grandeur you find in many northern market towns, but it's all the better for it.

Barnard Castle itself dominates the skyline, giving the town its name and a focal point that's visible for miles around. The ruins are extensive enough to spend a good hour exploring, with cracking views across the Tees valley from the great tower. Down in the town centre, The Bowes Museum is an unexpected treat - a French château plonked in County Durham that houses everything from fine art to mechanical silver swans.

Teesdale spreads out in every direction, dotted with archaeological treasures. You'll find burnt mounds scattered across the landscape, remnants of Bronze Age cooking sites, while medieval linear earthworks trace ancient boundary lines across the moors. The hills around here - Grits Hill, Bail Hill, and The Cross among them - offer proper walking country with views that stretch to the Pennines.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The A688 runs right through town, connecting to the A1 about 20 miles east. Darlington's your nearest proper railway station, roughly half an hour by car. The surrounding countryside is what makes this area special though - you're within easy reach of both the Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines, with Teesdale's waterfalls and High Force just upstream.

Staying at one of the local caravan parks gives you the perfect base for exploring this often-overlooked corner of County Durham. You're close enough to nip into town for supplies or a pub meal, but far enough out to wake up to proper countryside views.