Out & About in Teesdale

Teesdale

A wonder to behold, a hidden dale full of waterfalls, forests, peaceful walks and colourful meadows, bustling market towns, high fells and traditional hill farms nurturing sheep and cattle.

Their really is no other place in England quite like it.

Teeming with wildlife, Upper Teesdale is home to the prized Black and Red Grouse, Ptarmigan, Snipe, Pheasants and Partridge, some of our much loved Game Birds, which happily share their habitats with the rare Blue Gentian, a flower which has survived in this Dale since the Ice Age, together with a tapestry of Primroses, Violas, Mountain Pansies, Marsh Marigolds, Thistle and many other favourites.

Look out for the rare red squirrels, roe deer, try to spot the shy Water Voles who live by our streams and hope that you are one of the few who sees an Otter trying desperately to make a comeback.

We are their neighbours.

Many of our visitors are travelling through the Dale by walking the Pennine Way. It has been said that the path from Middleton to Langdon Beck is perhaps the prettiest and easiest section of this arduous long distance trail so it affords the footsore a welcome respite strolling alongside the beautiful River Tees onwards and upwards towards Langdon Beck.

For those who prefer just one or two days walking, the Teesdale Ways are proving a popular alternative and introduce visitors to the delights of the Dale, the majority of whom return time after time, thrilled to have found such a timeless treasure.

Nearby Market Towns such as Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle and Alston just over the border into Cumbria, have a wealth of charm and individuality to offer. Barnard Castle is home to the splendid Bowes Museum housing fine and decorative art, antiques and costumes in a magnificent setting and the town boasts not only a weekly market on Wednesdays but a monthly Farmers Market where Teesdale’s own country produce and crafts can be purchased direct from the ‘producers’ themselves.

Whether you prefer splendid isolation or a wander round towns full of character and rural charm Teesdale has something to offer everyone.