What's so special about Teesdale
Upper Teesdale is a picturesque Durham Dale where you may well feel time has stood still. Teesdale is blessed with magnificent scenery, peaceful and dramatic landscape of moors, hills, valleys and meandering rivers. The dale has outstanding waterfalls including the awesome sight of High Force, the highest unbroken fall of water in England, where the River Tees drops 70 feet.
The Teesdale Challenge Walks are centered around Middleton in Teesdale, a charming village and the historic centre of Teesdale's former lead mining industry. Middleton is an ideal base to explore Tessdale with its natural beauty and wildlife, far away from the crowds.
Whether you go for the Challenge Walks – Gold, Silver or Bronze or take the family walk along the Rainbow Walk you will be in the North Pennines AONB: an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty & UNESCO Global Geopark and the stunning scenery of the upper dale with its dramatic upland countryside, fantastic birds, beautiful hay meadows, and unique plants.
Middleton in Teesdale already has walking associations: it is a favorite stopover when walking the Pennine Way, Wainwright's Pennine Journey and the Teesdale Way.
Nearby are the Bowes Museum - a magnificent French-style château which houses a fine art collection, Barnard Castle - a market town with elegant Georgian and Victorian architecture. Raby Castle, built in the 14th Century, is one of the finest medieval castles in England set in a 250 acre deer park with beautiful walled gardens. The dale is also within easy access of many other areas of interest including Durham City, Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland and the Lake District.
There are ample local eating places in Middleton in Teesdale, including teashops, a coffee shop, two hotels, an award winning fish and chip shop and a country restaurant. When out on longer walks it is often best to take a packed lunch since you are often in unspoilt open countryside, however there are local pubs in the Teesdale villages and cafés at Bowlees Visitor Centre and Eggleston Hall each of which is itself well worth a visit.
Upper Teesdale is a picturesque Durham Dale where you may well feel time has stood still. Teesdale is blessed with magnificent scenery, peaceful and dramatic landscape of moors, hills, valleys and meandering rivers. The dale has outstanding waterfalls including the awesome sight of High Force, the highest unbroken fall of water in England, where the River Tees drops 70 feet.
The Teesdale Challenge Walks are centered around Middleton in Teesdale, a charming village and the historic centre of Teesdale's former lead mining industry. Middleton is an ideal base to explore Tessdale with its natural beauty and wildlife, far away from the crowds.
Whether you go for the Challenge Walks – Gold, Silver or Bronze or take the family walk along the Rainbow Walk you will be in the North Pennines AONB: an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty & UNESCO Global Geopark and the stunning scenery of the upper dale with its dramatic upland countryside, fantastic birds, beautiful hay meadows, and unique plants.
Middleton in Teesdale already has walking associations: it is a favorite stopover when walking the Pennine Way, Wainwright's Pennine Journey and the Teesdale Way.
Nearby are the Bowes Museum - a magnificent French-style château which houses a fine art collection, Barnard Castle - a market town with elegant Georgian and Victorian architecture. Raby Castle, built in the 14th Century, is one of the finest medieval castles in England set in a 250 acre deer park with beautiful walled gardens. The dale is also within easy access of many other areas of interest including Durham City, Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland and the Lake District.
There are ample local eating places in Middleton in Teesdale, including teashops, a coffee shop, two hotels, an award winning fish and chip shop and a country restaurant. When out on longer walks it is often best to take a packed lunch since you are often in unspoilt open countryside, however there are local pubs in the Teesdale villages and cafés at Bowlees Visitor Centre and Eggleston Hall each of which is itself well worth a visit.