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Teesdale
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Barnard Castle - Teesdale

Area: The Dales
Region: Northern Dales
County: North Yorkshire
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Full Description: Teesdale is the area that surrounds the upper reaches of the River Tees in the Yorkshire Dales, and is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It is often described as the most northern dale, and in days gone by the River Tees used to mark the border between Durham and Yorkshire. It is a rural destination with much to offer visitors with its beautiful natural landscape, historic market towns and many tourist attractions, including High Force, England’s highest waterfall.

Teesdale has excellent facilities which can be enjoyed all year round. The area is very popular with cyclists and walkers as Teesdale’s boasts one of the best landscape’s in the North of England and there is a fantastic range of unique flora to be seen. There are excellent walks to enjoy through villages, woodlands, by the river and across the Pennines and cyclists can join the C2C and North Sea Cycle routes.

The market towns sell traditional locally produced products, they offer a great programme of activities and have brilliant places to stay and eat. Middleton-in-Teesdale, Mickleton, Eggleston, Romaldkirk and Cotherstone are Teesdale's principle villages. Barnard Castle which got its name from the Norman stronghold, around which it was built, is made up of winding lanes and cobbled streets with elegant Victorian and Georgian architecture. Middleton-in-Teesdale the gateway to the upper dale dates from the 1850’s when it was created to support the lead mining industry in upper Teesdale.

The River Tees flows through Teesdale and onto Barnard castle, it then passes south of Darlington before reaching the North Sea at Teesside, just south of Hartlepool. Weardale lays North of Teesdale they both run roughly parallel to each other.

Viking settlers from Denmark came to Teesdale in the 9th century AD and from Norway and Ireland in the 10th century. The two countries fought a battle here on Stanimore which led to the death of Erik Bloodaxe. You can still here Scandinavian words in the local Teesdale dialect today.

Teesdale once bordered Scotland and it has a turbulent history. Nearly every village is based around a ruined castle. Raby castle is still lived in today, in 1959 the nobility plotted to overthrow Queen Elizabeth here in favour of Mary Queen of Scots. The plan failed and Mary was beheaded. Today members of the Royal family visit Teesdale to shoot and fish.

Main tourist attractions in Teesdale include the Bowes Museum, Barnard castle, High Force (England’s highest waterfall) and Cauldron Snout. The Pennine Way passes both High Force and Cauldron Snout, and not to be missed is Eggleston Hall and its beautiful walled gardens.



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