Darlington is a quintessential northern English town: charming, characterful and brimming with history and culture.
Car rental lets you explore every inch of its fascinating streets, and the surrounding landscape too.
Turrets and birds of prey
Walworth Castle is home to more than just 11th-century architecture and quaint countryside. Fairy-tale princesses and knights of old are exciting enough: but here, you’ll find birds of prey of every description – and plenty of family activities.
The falconry is second to none and the flying displays are incredible. You’ll get to meet owls in the shadow of the castle amid an ancient woodland backdrop – it’s authentic and enchanting. There are quizzes and a bird feeding station to keep everyone educated and entertained.
Richmond Castle is another local treasure and offers incredible views of the Yorkshire Dales.
Follow the locomotives
The world’s first passenger railway was built by local Quakers and transported people between Stockton and Darlington in 1825. This gives the area a unique depth of steam train heritage.
The Head of Steam Darlington Museum is set in restored Victorian railway buildings, and houses some precious antique steam engines, plus collections of artifacts telling the story of Britain’s fascinating steam, rail and industrial history.
There are plenty of events at the museum too, spanning everything from science and creative writing. A colorful calendar puts on regular events for adults and children.
Locomotive lovers shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see the Darlington Brick Train Sculpture either – an open-air masterpiece set between Darlington and Durham Tees Valley Airport.
The structure was commissioned in 1997 to honor the 1938 record-setting Mallard train, and features 185,000 bricks. Weighing in at more than 16,000 tons and covering an area of almost 22,000 square feet, its sheer size has helped write Mallard’s velocity into the history books.
Ancient wonder
County Durham is a beautiful corner of England with cobblestones, castles and history at every turn. Some of the local attractions go back further than most, though – as far as Roman times and even the Iron Age.
Take a tour of the main locations beginning at Piercebridge Roman Fort. The Romans lived here until the 5th century, and archaeologists have found the site to be rich with discoveries.
Stanwick meanwhile is home to the remains of an Iron Age settlement. The stony walls were once populated by the Brigantes, the most powerful tribe in northern Britain before the Romans arrived.
The ancient defences at Stanwick stretch across four miles. Take a peaceful walk through the countryside – reflecting on how much more serene it must be than the 1st century power struggles between queen Cartimandua, her tribespeople and the Romans.
Rent a car in Darlington to start your journey into UK culture and history today.