In 2024, the Caravan and Motorhome Membership are operating a Learn, Tour, and Discover Marketing campaign to encourage folks to learn extra and go to locations related to guide settings. We intention to assist promote authors, each previous and new, whereas offering recommendations on which places to discover that, at one time, provided inspiration to those that went on to place pen to paper.
Taking its title from the fortress that stands proudly on the coronary heart of this city, Barnard Citadel in Teeside is a historic market often called Barney by the locals. It’s house to not solely the fortress ruins but additionally museums, a vibrant purchasing space teaming with impartial retailers, and the River Tees, well-liked with watersports fans and those that take pleasure in a wander in nature.
The Historical past of Barnard Citadel
The focus of this city is most undoubtedly the fortress itself, which you’ll be able to see from the highway as you drive by way of. Constructing began right here again in 1093, though what stays at this time is from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries by the Balliol household, whereas the oldest constructing on the town, Blagraves, dates again to 1484.
A view of the fortress from the river
The truth that well-known artist J.W.M. Turner painted Barnard Citadel and the riverside again in 1825 ought to point out how engaging this small city is. Plus, a number of well-known writers and poets have frolicked having fun with the gorgeous environment right here and gaining inspiration for his or her work, together with Walter Scott, who began his poem Rokeby with Barnard Citadel as a backdrop, and Charles Dickens, who stayed on the King’s Head whereas researching his novel, Nicholas Nickleby. William Wordsworth, Daniel Defoe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Hilarie Belloc and extra lately, journey author Invoice Bryson have all loved spending time at Barnard Citadel.
24 hours in Barnard Citadel Itinerary
Barnard Citadel is a city that may be seen in just some hours, however in an effort to discover it absolutely, enable your self a day to not solely wander across the fortress but additionally discover probably the most distinguished museums on this a part of the nation.
We’ve created the right one-day strolling itinerary for you, together with a listing of the highest sights to take advantage of your day on the town.
Day 1 Barnard Citadel Itinerary
Seize a espresso and benefit from the view from the park
One of the simplest ways to start out your day at Barnard Citadel is to seize a takeaway espresso and a breakfast pastry and head to the park space overlooking the Citadel itself. With solely the river for firm, the view right here is unspoilt, and when the solar is shining, there is no such thing as a higher method to start your day.
Head into Barnard Citadel
Open each day from 10 a.m., the ruins of the as soon as grand Barnard Citadel sit excessive above the River Tees. It takes its title from the unique founder, Bernard de Balliol earlier than being handed on to the Beauchamp household and later Richard III earlier than he grew to become king. Extra lately, the fortress has been sorted by English Heritage and can value £8.50 if booked forward, or £10.50 on the day per grownup (2024).
As soon as inside, you’ll be able to learn extra in regards to the fortress’s vibrant previous and its inhabitants, together with the siege of 1569 and the Barnard hermit who lived there within the center 1800s.
Benefit from the impartial retailers
From the fortress, head again into city and stroll across the retailers, admiring the native retailers and their crafts. For those who take pleasure in contemporary meals, try the native bakeries, butchers, and delis for the highest quality produce earlier than settling in for lunch at one other well-liked deli spot on the outskirts of the principle city centre.
The previous coated market on the Excessive Road
Go to Andalucia for Lunch
Andalucia, on the prime finish of city, is the right place to take pleasure in lunch. With loads of choices, together with selfmade steak pie and fluffy omelettes, you’ll be hard-pressed to seek out someplace as inviting. The plus aspect of consuming right here is that the café doubles as a deli, which implies you should buy extra produce to take house afterwards.
Discover the wealth of paintings housed within the Bowes Museum
From the skin, this grand constructing seems prefer it has been transported from the Loire Valley area of France and appears considerably misplaced in Yorkshire. After promoting their property in France, the Bowes designed this excellent piece of structure, paying homage to a chateau, which was constructed to share their love of artwork with everybody.
The skin of the Bowes Museum is paying homage to French chateau
Josephine herself was an avid collector, painter, actress, and socialite famend for the salons she used to host in Paris. John was an English artwork collector and thoroughbred racehorse proprietor. Due to this fact, it’s unsurprising that lots of the items now on present within the museum are from their non-public collections or painted by Josephine herself.
One of many newer rooms on the Bowes Museum
There are various totally different areas of the Bowes Museum to discover, together with momentary exhibitions, work by Turner, Gainsborough, Goya, Canaletto and Van Dyke, and the mechanical Silver Swan. Courting again to the1770s, this reproduction of a feminine swan comprises greater than 2,000 transferring elements, which permits its head to maneuver like an actual swan would. Throughout your go to to Barnard Citadel and the Bowes Museum that is one factor to not be missed, due to this fact be sure you time your go to to look at the swan swimming for your self.
The Silver Swan on the Bowes Museum
For literary followers, it’s price noting that Mark Twain additionally noticed this Swan show at a Paris exhibition in 1867, which he later wrote about in his novel The Innocents Overseas.
‘I watched the Silver Swan, which had a residing grace about his motion and a residing intelligence in his eyes – watched him swimming about as comfortably and unconcernedly because it he had been born in a morass as an alternative of a jeweller’s store – watched him seize a silver fish from below the water and maintain up his head and undergo the customary and elaborate motions of swallowing it…’
Likewise, when Invoice Bryson visited Barnard Citadel, he described the Bowes Museum as ‘a completely fabulous establishment’.
Spend time perusing the books at McNab’s Bookshop
Promoting previous, new, and second-hand books, McNab’s is an establishment in its personal proper round Barnard Citadel. This pleasant little impartial bookshop, established in 1988, is unfold throughout two rooms with comfy sofas and partitions lined with books on all totally different matters, from journey to literary fiction and youngsters’s books.
Inside McNab’s Bookshop
The nice and cozy welcome you obtain right here whenever you stroll by way of the door solely provides to the cosy really feel of this place. If, by this level, you might be additionally after a caffeine repair, then there’s a espresso store hooked up the place you’ll be able to order earlier than going again to take pleasure in your self inside the bookshop itself.
Discover the Charles Dickens Plaque
Maybe probably the most notable writers of basic literature, Charles Dickens, cherished to discover the locations he wrote about, and Barnard Citadel isn’t any totally different. In 1838, he visited the city whereas finishing analysis for his guide Nicholas Nickleby, and due to this fact, a blue plaque was erected in his honour. When visiting, you should definitely wander right down to the positioning of the previous King’s Head Lodge, the place he stayed together with his illustrator, Hablot Browne.
Head to Moments Café for afternoon espresso
With a choice of fabulous selfmade desserts, together with vegan choices, paired with sustainably, ethically sourced Lonton espresso, Moments Café is the right place to unwind. Courting again to the early sixteenth century, this listed constructing nonetheless has some authentic options, together with a completely working 18th-century range that warms the entire place on a chilly day.
Take a stroll alongside the river to the Deepdale Nature Reserve
Earlier than the solar units, head again right down to the river and stroll right down to Deepdale Woods, the most effective in Teeside, and full the round stroll so that you just as soon as once more find yourself again at Barnard Citadel. This woodland has been lovingly maintained within the hope that extra wildlife will return to the world and was talked about in Sir Walter Scott’s poem, Rokeby:
“…and final and least however loveliest nonetheless, Romantic Deepdale’s slender rill”
Take pleasure in pre-dinner drinks on the Three Horseshoes
Sitting on the crossroads of the 2 principal purchasing streets, this pub has been respectfully renovated and is now the perfect place to take pleasure in an early night drink at their Cellar Bar or, within the hotter months, their beer backyard. They provide a choice of classical cocktail decisions and many alternative craft beers inside the partitions of a Seventeenth-century constructing.
Have dinner at Babul’s
Voted the most effective eating places on the town, Babul’s gives Indian and Bangladeshi dishes in a vibrant, vibrant atmosphere. You may take pleasure in a choice of South Asian delights blended with cocktails to enhance your decisions.
Comply with within the footsteps of Invoice Bryson and have a drink within the Previous Nicely Inn
In The Street to Little Dribbling, Invoice Bryson mentions the Previous Nicely Inn; due to this fact, earlier than heading again to the city centre, go to the historic teaching inn, which has fortress partitions operating alongside the beer backyard, and revel in an actual cask ale.
Remaining Ideas
Barnard Citadel is extra than simply the fortress it’s named after, and due to this fact, to do it justice, you must prepare to spend the day there exploring. Sure, you may shortly go to the fortress in case you are struggling for time, however you’ll miss out on a lot extra. For us, the nice and cozy welcome provided by everybody at Barnard Citadel is a purpose to go to.
The previous King’s Head Lodge in Barnard Citadel the place Charles Dickens stayed
Beneficial Excursions
- Go to Raby Citadel, constructed through the 14th century and one among England’s most spectacular, nonetheless intact castles. Contained in the grounds, you’ll be able to uncover the woodland journey playground at The Plotters’ Forest, wander across the 18th-century walled gardens or take pleasure in lunch within the Vinery.
- Situated within the Forest-in-Teeside within the North Pennines, the Excessive Power Waterfalls are a number of the most spectacular within the area. Standing 21 metres tall, Turner might have painted the waterfalls in 1822, however they’re nonetheless breathtaking at this time.
- The ruins of Egglestone Abbey, a small monastery courting again to the thirteenth century, are free to enter. The monastery nonetheless stands to some extent and has views out over the Tees Gorge.
- Between 1171 and 1187, Bowes Citadel was constructed on the positioning of a Roman fort and was a stronghold for Henry II. In the present day, the fortress has a moat on two sides, with the preserve being the one remaining a part of this break; nonetheless, it’s nonetheless price a go to.
- The Locomotion Museum in Shildon, which is free to enter, is the right household day trip. It’s house to greater than 70 heritage railway automobiles, exhibitions, and gardens to discover.
In case you have time to go to additional afield:
- Head to Richmond within the Yorkshire Dales, a vibrant market city with a fortress and waterfalls. It’s also the place Lewis Carroll went to high school for a while.
- Go to the UNESCO World Heritage Website of Durham. This college metropolis is house to a cathedral and a fortress, which is among the many best examples of Norman structure in England.
- Make a journey to Bolton Abbey and discover this sprawling property, together with the priory ruins and the stepping stones, earlier than having lunch at The Devonshire Arms.
The best way to get to Barnard Citadel
The closest practice stations to Barnard Citadel are both Bishop Auckland or Darlington, that means that you’d be a minimum of 40 minutes away if travelling by way of bus or 20 minutes in a taxi. If you wish to fly in, Teesside Worldwide Airport is half-hour away, whereas Newcastle Airport is one hour away. Lastly, by way of highway, Barnard Citadel is simply 20 minutes off the A1(M).
Travelling by Motorhome to Barnard Citadel
For these travelling of their motorhomes, must you not want to keep at a campsite close by, there are a few parking choices for you, together with:
- The Pink Nicely Inn (Harmire Street, DL12 8QJ) in Barnard Citadel permits motorhomes to park at no cost in a single day when you’ve got a drink or meal of their restaurant. Nevertheless, aside from water, there are not any different amenities obtainable.
The place to remain in Barnard Citadel
For a comparatively small place, a wide range of lodging is accessible, which ought to spotlight simply how well-liked this market city is. The Three Horseshoes is a centrally situated resort courting again to the Seventeenth century. All bedrooms have been sympathetically renovated to a excessive customary however now embody all the fashionable comforts you’ll anticipate.
For those who would like to be barely additional out of city, though nonetheless inside strolling distance and near the Bowes Museum, maybe the smaller Newgate Home B&B would swimsuit you higher. For these keen to journey barely additional afield for a keep in absolute luxurious, look no additional than Runa Farm, which has been designed with beautiful element in thoughts, the place some rooms come full with non-public balconies and scorching tubs. There’s additionally a glamping website hooked up and a restaurant and bar space providing seasonal and native produce from their farm.
Motorhome Campsite Parking
When travelling to the world by way of motorhome or camper, nonetheless, should you want to keep for an evening or two, there is no such thing as a higher place than Teesdale Barnard Citadel Membership Campsite, provided by the Motorhome and Caravan Membership.
The doorway to the Motorhome and Caravan Membership website
It’s centrally situated inside strolling distance of the city centre and gives a peaceable keep in a phenomenal location with full amenities obtainable. The employees onsite are extraordinarily welcoming and are there to supply any steering on the place to go to and locations to eat and drink.
Pitches obtainable at Barnard Citadel
With 95 pitches to select from, you’ll be able to determine whether or not to be nearer to the bathe block or look out over the woodland that’s set again barely. Within the evenings, alongside the resident rabbits, you’ll hear all method of wildlife, together with owls, making you’re feeling like you might be miles from wherever when, in actual fact, you might be only a 20-minute stroll from city. This website gives the very best of each worlds; it’s a place to chill out and gives the comfort of an area city to discover, which implies you’ll be able to park up and overlook about driving wherever for a couple of days.
Sundown at Barnard Citadel
Have you ever visited Barnard Citadel? What would you suggest others go to when within the space?
(N.B. The Caravan and Motorhome Membership did present us with a free pitch all through our journey, however all analysis and proposals are our personal and have on no account been influenced by others).
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