Durham Land of the Prince Bishops
Easy walking discovering the cultural heritage of Durham
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United Kingdom
7 nights
Half Board
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Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Sep
Oct
Tour codes: 50020
Explore the world at a slower pace...
Call us on 01707 817311
Or, email us at [email protected]
Call us on 01707 817311
Or, email us at [email protected]
Easy walking discovering the cultural heritage of Durham
United Kingdom
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Sep
Oct
Tour codes: 50020
This holiday includes an active sightseeing programme with unchallenging walks, either city tours or strolls on relatively easy terrain in the surrounding countryside. If in a mountainous area, the walks will be amongst the hills rather than up and down them. Local guides, winery visits, traditional villages and time to pause and watch the locals going about their lives are likely to feature.
Overview
The city of Durham is home to one of the most recognisable landmarks in the UK, the majestic Durham Cathedral. Together with Durham Castle, this UNESCO World Heritage Site forms one of the most stunning city panoramas in Europe.
Until recently, Durham’s delights were a well-kept secret. People are slowly awakening to its charm and beauty, making it a choice location for a relaxing trip. As well as the obvious landmarks, we’ll uncover some hidden gems on our guided walking tour.
Our hotel, found in the medieval city centre, enables us to do much of our programme on foot, without requiring the use of transport.
Three glorious days spent exploring this medieval city allow us to make use of its riverside footpaths. Nature lovers will be spoiled with our jaunt to the Botanical Gardens through delightful bluebell woods.
Indulging in a spot of history, we learn about Durham’s industrious significance at the Beamish Industrial Museum. Aesthetes among you will delight at the art collections at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle.
We’ll marvel at the well-preserved Bishop’s Palace at Auckland Castle, before wandering its grounds and deer park. Of course, no visit to Durham would be complete without an amble to the waterfalls at Low and High Force.
Click the button below for a detailed Holiday Information Sheet containing all the particulars about this trip.
NOTE: Itineraries and Holiday Information Sheets can vary by a specific date chosen
Itinerary & Travel
Whilst every effort will be made to adhere to the outlined itinerary and advertised programme, local conditions can change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. This may mean that routes and timings need to be amended or the order of days may change, sometimes at short notice. All local transport costs, entrance fees and tipping to local providers are included in the cost of your holiday.
Accommodation
Below is a summary of the accommodation featured on this holiday across all departure dates. Please refer to the Itinerary for more detail about each night's accommodation for each departure date.
The 4 star Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County is tucked within the historic city centre of Durham in a perfect location on the banks of the River Wear. Scenic views of the river, Durham Castle and the Cathedral can be enjoyed from some rooms. Hearty breakfasts and dinners are included in the holiday price and are taken at the hotel.
Having recently been refurbished, all bedrooms have en-suite, hair dryer, TV, Wi-Fi (£10 per day), safe and tea and coffee making facilities. Even though Wi-Fi in your bedroom is chargeable by the hotel, free of charge Wi-Fi is available in the lobby and public areas of the hotel. Room service is available upon request. The hotel also has a fitness club with gym equipment.
Locally in the city centre you will find everything else you could possibly need during your stay including supermarkets, ATMs and pharmacies.
The hotel has a car park however it is a paid parking area. There is limited overnight residents parking at £11 per vehicle per night.
Trip Information
To fully enjoy the walking on this holiday you should be able to walk along uneven undulating paths at about 1½ to 2 miles per hour for distances between 5 and 7 miles broken into two or three sections, with walks lasting up to a total of 5 hours.
We use a mix of privately hired vehicles, taxis, and public transport which gives us some flexibility in our itinerary. We have a wonderful programme of walking, sightseeing and visits planned to let you fully experience the area along with opportunities to relax at our wonderful hotel and enjoy your surroundings.
Holiday Budgeting
Local transport costs, entrance fees and tips to local providers are included in your holiday price. You may wish to budget for any meals and drinks not included in the holiday arrangements, non-included entrance fees and any optional excursions you may choose to participate in locally. A general guideline for lunches and drinks is £10-£20 per person per day.
Local Transport Costs
We include the local travel costs using private hire coaches each day.
Our Adagio Leader will arrange everything. You just need to be at the right place at the right time.
Tipping
We include tips in the holiday cost and your Adagio Leader will take care of making sure tips are given to hotel and restaurant staff and to local guides and drivers. If you feel that someone has gone out of their way to make your holiday enjoyable or help you in anyway, please feel free to give a personal tip to the person should you wish. If you are having an independent lunch or other service not included in the holiday arrangements, tipping is at your own discretion.
Group Size
We believe that the best things come in small packages, and our Adagio holidays prove just that. We limit our groups to a maximum of 18 persons, plus the Adagio Leader, so that everyone has the opportunity to mix, share their love of travel and return home with new friendships. Small groups also have less detrimental local impact, allows us to use public transport on some days, eat at small local restaurants and, we believe, offers a better experience.
Your Leader
An Adagio Leader will accompany you throughout the holiday. They are all experienced travellers with a love for exploring and will help capture the true essence of the destination with their stories, knowledge and insights. They are well-organised, pay great attention to detail and enjoy being with people. They are there to help make your holiday as enjoyable and stress free as possible.
Leaders Evening Briefing
Your Adagio Leader will discuss the programme for the following day with the group at each evening briefing. This will be your opportunity to find out more details and ensure the planned activities suit your walking ability. Also, if you have any questions or concerns on clothing or lunch arrangements, this can be discussed then. If you wish to opt out of the organised group programme, this is fine, just let your Leader know.
Local Guides
Visiting historical sites, churches or museums are much more rewarding with a local guide. They give an insight to the local culture, language and traditions and can bring a destination alive. Many of our Adagio holidays include a knowledgeable English speaking guide on at least one of the days. Please refer to your daily itinerary to see where a guide is included.
Getting to your Holiday
To reach the hotel ...
By Road - Directions from the A1 north or south - Follow signs to Durham and take the A690 into city centre. Continue straight through the first roundabout and at the second roundabout turn left. Turn left again at the traffic lights and the hotel will be on the left.
Parking - There is limited parking in the hotel car park which is charged by the hotel at £11 per vehicle, per night.
By Rail - The nearest railway station is Durham Station 15 minutes walk from the hotel.
By Air - The nearest airport is Newcastle Airport 25 miles away.
Check in - You can check into the hotel from 3pm. Should you arrive earlier we cannot guarantee your room will be ready. If you arrive before 3pm you can of course check in and the hotel will happily store your luggage for you.
Route planning to and from Durham:
The AA and RAC both offer free and detailed on-line route planning facilities on their websites which may help you find the hotel.
An excellent website to assist in your travel plans is Rome2Rio.
Personal Details Check
Please ensure that the personal details we have on file for you are up to date and that you have provided the information we need to secure your holiday travel and accommodation arrangements.
Please check your passport details, date of birth and any other important details necessary for us to accurately manage your holiday booking are correct at the time of booking (including health and dietry requirements). You can view and update information already provided, and add details not yet asked for, by using the Manage My Booking facility on our website www.adagio.co.uk, or by calling our Sales and Reservations team on +44 (0)1707 386700. When you receive your booking confirmation please check the details as soon as possible.
Breakfast and dinners are taken at the hotel. As well as continental you can also enjoy a hearty English breakfast, just right for setting you up for the day. Dinners consist of three choices per course including a vegetarian option and tea and coffee. The hotel prides itself in its food being prepared from fresh, local ingrediants.
Packed lunches are not provided because everyone is different but your leader will be able to advise the closest place to buy provisions.
Footwear
Comfortable, broken in, walking boots or shoes with a good sole are recommended for this holiday. Walking shoes or other comfortable footwear will be suitable for sightseeing days.
General Kit List
We recommend you bring the following items with you:
Water To Go
An alternative to bottled water from single-use sealed water bottles is filtered water from a refillable bottle containing its own water filter such as a Water-to-go bottle available from www.watertogo.eu. Just fill up from any water source and save the environment from disposable plastic bottles.
We have negotiated an exclusive 15% discount with our partners Water-to-Go for you as a thank you for helping the environment. Please go to their website at www.watertogo.eu and enter the code RWH17 when ordering. In addition, Water-to-Go will match the discount with a donation to our charity, Heart & Sole, which will allow us to continue to make a difference in the countries you visit on our holidays.
Travel Document Checklist
To ensure your holiday gets off to a good start, please make sure that you bring the following documents and information with you:
The Map Shop
If you cannot find the maps or books locally we recommend:
The Map Shop
5 High Street
Upton upon Severn, Worcs
WR8 0HJ
England
Tel: 01684 593 146
Website: www.themapshop.co.uk
E-mail: [email protected]
If you key many of the local places mentioned in this holiday fact sheet into YouTube, you will find a vast array of spectacular footage of the area.
Further Health Advice
For further advice please visit:
You might wish to take a small bottle of antibacterial hand gel with you for times when you're unable to wash your hands.
Travel Insurance
Although insurance is not compulsory for this holiday for UK residents, we strongly recommend that you take out travel insurance to cover you in eventualities such as unexpected cancellation.
Height
It is important to ensure while purchasing insurance that you are insured for guided walking upto 1000m.
Responsible Travel
We're committed to operating responsible tours in all our destinations as best we can. Our holidays are designed for you to discover the essence of the country you are visiting. Travelling in small groups not only gives you an up close and personal experience of your destination, but minimises your impact on the immediate environment. We feel that the most important starting point to protect the environment is to be out in it. For more details visit our website.
Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust
Unlike many tour operators we have our own trust through which RWH Travel Ltd’s (inc Adagio) profits are channelled back into a variety of outdoor, walking-related or environmental conservation projects in the UK. The focus of the Trust’s financial support is Britain’s leading walking charity, The Ramblers, and their role in promoting the benefits and importance of walking to the British public.
In addition the Trust welcomes applications for small grants from local organisations in the UK who need support for walking-orientated activities. This includes the establishment of footpaths and bridleways, funding for rebuilding bridges and renovating huts, as well as bursary funding for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for children who could not otherwise afford to do it. Please visit the ‘About Us’ section of our website and click on the Charitable Trust link for more details.
Heart and Sole
We appreciate that we are in a fortunate position to be able to use our profits to help make a difference to people's lives. Heart & Sole is a venture managed by our office staff, whose aim is to reach the heart of the communities in the countries we visit. Through Heart & Sole, we hope to make more of a long term, direct impact to these communities, particularly in less developed countries where even a small amount goes a long way.
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January
Avg. Rain: 70mm
February
Avg. Rain: 51mm
March
Avg. Rain: 51mm
April
Avg. Rain: 46mm
May
Avg. Rain: 49mm
June
Avg. Rain: 51mm
July
Avg. Rain: 58mm
August
Avg. Rain: 65mm
September
Avg. Rain: 62mm
October
Avg. Rain: 75mm
November
Avg. Rain: 74mm
December
Avg. Rain: 73mm
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