Crowdy Hall

Keep active with wakeboarding adventures at North East Wake Park (20 minutes’ drive), cycle the circular trail from Sedgefield (10 minutes) to Shildon, or go wild swimming at Durham Heritage Coast beaches including dune-backed Crimdon Dene or dog-friendly Blackhall Rocks sands (both half an hour). For more sedate days out, turn west to Raby Castle (35 minutes) and marvel at sumptuous apartments stuffed with priceless antiques; if you fancy a lakeside walk while you’re there, look out for the resident deer herds in the park. Lively Barnard Castle (45 minutes) reveals medieval castle ruins and the outstanding Bowes Museum – home to a collection of art, fashion and design including paintings by Goya and El Greco. There’s more history to be found at Beamish, the Living Museum of the North (40 minutes), famed for its open-air displays depicting northern life in times gone by. Lovely UNESCO-listed Durham (25 minutes) is home to a photogenic cathedral and castle, as well as lots of indie shops to browse in steep cobbled streets.