Briar Cottage in Durham Dales - woodburner, beams

Durham County, the Land of the Prince Bishops, is a hidden gem perfect for history, art and countryside lovers. Briar Cottage, a superior 2 bedroomed cottage, sleeps 5, has countryside views and is 2.5 miles from Auckland Castle and Kynren. It's ideally located to explore the county and great for those looking for a romantic break. Durham Castle and Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the old market town of Barnard Castle are within half an hour's drive and the coast forty minutes. Recently renovated, Briar Cottage is over 170 years old with original features such as open beams, a flagstone kitchen floor and bedroom fires (non-working). Outside is a quaint walled cottage garden to relax in with table, chairs and a bench. There is plenty of free on street parking directly outside of the house. * Bedroom 1 - super king or two singles and on request a single pull out sprung mattress trundle bed, suitable for a child. Please let us know your preference in advance as bed formation cannot be changed on arrival. * The unevenness of the kitchen flooring and rise of the staircase is not suitable for children aged five or under, nor guests with mobility difficulties. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions and we're happy to be contacted during your stay. Escomb is a small village two miles outside of Bishop Auckland and lies within the North Pennines, a designated Area of Outstanidng Beauty (AONB) and UNESCO Global Geopark. The village boasts a pub, river, lake (leading to two fishing lakes) and a children’s outside play area. The name Escomb probably means a “park or enclosed place for cattle” and is famous for having the oldest intact Saxon Church in England built in approximately 680AD. Visitor attractions in Bishop Auckland - Auckland Palace, Deer Park and Castle which houses the Bishop Trevor Gallery (Deer Park open; Palace and Castle reopening 23rd March 2022) - Spanish Art Gallery (open Thursday - Saturday 11.00am -3.00pm) - Mining Art Gallery featuring works of Norman Cornish and Tom McGuinness (reopening 23rd March 2022) - Binchester Roman Fort (Vinovia) - highlights: Bath House with hypocaust heating system and a Commander's House - Kynren a spellbinding outdoor production telling the dramatic story of England over the past 2,000 years and according to Tripadvisor is among the UK’s top five outdoor events. (every Saturday from 6th August to 10th September 2022 and Friday 3rd June) Within half an hour's drive - Durham City: cathedral, castle and botanical gardens - Barnard Castle: a market town with ruined castle and antique shops - Bowes Museum: the north's museum of art, fashion and design - Ushaw College: Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens - High Force: most voluminous waterfall in the country - The Durham Dales: incorporating Teesdale and Weardale, a peaceful and tranquil landscape of moors and hills, valleys and meandering rivers, dotted with picturesque villages and market towns - Hamsterley Forest: for wildlife watching, dark sky gazing, adventure play, cycle hire and high-octane mountain biking - Low Barns Nature Reserve & Visitor Centre - a wetland reserve and one of County Durham’s most important wildlife sites - Raby Castle: a mediaeval castle with park & gardens, woodland play area, gift shop and tea rooms - Shildon: the first railway town with free entry to the locomotion museum - Darlington locomotion museum - Richmond: a market town which forms a gateway to the Yorkshire dales Within an hour's drive - Coast: South Shields; Tynenmouth; Redcar; Whitley Bay - Newcastle - Beamish Museum - a world famous open air museum telling the story of life in North East England during the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian period with costumed staff, plus trams and buses. - Metro Shopping Centre - Lake District - northern lakes - Hadrian's Wall - Northumberland With so much to see and do, use of a car is highly recommended. Shopping within 2 miles: Sainsbury's, Tesco, Lidl, Aldi, McDonalds, Next, TK Maxx, Boots