Heritage Open Days County Durham 2026
Explore Our pick from Derwent View Cottage
September marks the return of Heritage Open Days across the country, with this year’s event running from 11th–20th September 2026.
If you haven’t come across Heritage Open Days before, it’s an annual celebration that gives people free access to a huge range of historic and interesting places. Some are attractions that normally charge for entry, while others are buildings and spaces that aren’t usually open to the public at all. There are also guided walks, talks, tours and special events, often providing an opportunity to learn more about the history of an area from the people who know it well.
Here at Derwent View Cottage, our location on the Northumberland and County Durham border gives us plenty to choose from. For this year’s event, we’ve looked south towards County Durham and Teesdale and picked out a few places we think could make an interesting addition to a September stay – from Ushaw and The Bowes Museum to a tiny Saxon church and a walk along the route of an old railway.
Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens
Ushaw is a lovely place to visit from Derwent View Cottage and Heritage Open Days provides an opportunity to see it for free.
Originally founded as a Catholic seminary, Ushaw is home to an impressive collection of historic buildings, chapels and gardens. There is plenty to explore, including the Victorian Gothic architecture, ornate chapels and exhibitions within the main house.
For Heritage Open Days, Ushaw is offering free entry on Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th September, including access to the Historic House, chapels, gardens and exhibitions. Guided tours are also planned during the two days.
Advance booking is required for the free Heritage Open Days entry, so this is one that’s worth organising before your stay.
The Bowes Museum and Barnard Castle
A little further south, The Bowes Museum is another excellent Heritage Open Days opportunity and one that could easily form part of a full day out.
The museum is one of the North East’s most distinctive buildings, created by John and Joséphine Bowes in the 19th century to house their collection of art and decorative objects.
On 12th and 13th September, admission to the museum is free, with a programme that includes guided tours, object handling and the opportunity to go behind the scenes into areas not normally accessible to visitors. The museum’s famous 18th-century Silver Swan will also be operating.
There’s plenty more to see in Barnard Castle itself, so it’s easy to combine a visit to the museum with lunch, coffee and some time exploring the town.
The Bowes Museum
Escomb Saxon Church
One of the interesting things about Heritage Open Days is that it isn’t only the large attractions that take part.
Escomb Saxon Church, near Bishop Auckland, is a particularly good example. Dating from around AD 680, it is one of the oldest and most complete surviving Anglo-Saxon churches in England. Some of the stone used to build it is thought to have come from the nearby Roman fort at Binchester.
Free guided tours are taking place on 12th and 13th September, offering the chance to learn more about this small but remarkable building and its history.
A visit doesn’t need to take up a whole day either. Escomb can easily be combined with time in Bishop Auckland or another stop in this part of County Durham.
Walking the Old Stanhope & Tyne Railway
Heritage Open Days isn’t all about historic buildings. For anyone who enjoys getting out into the countryside, there’s a guided walk following part of the old Stanhope & Tyne Railway on Wednesday 16th September.
Starting from Waskerley Station Picnic Area, the approximately 10-mile walk follows former railway routes through the County Durham countryside, with the history of the railway and surrounding landscape explained along the way.
The walk takes around five and a half hours, so this is one of the more energetic options we’ve included, but it’s also relatively close to Derwent View Cottage and offers a very different way of exploring the area’s industrial heritage.
Places need to be booked in advance.
A Day in Durham
About 20 miles away, just over half an hour by car, is Durham which has a number of events taking place during Heritage Open Days too.
On Saturday 12th September, Durham Castle is opening free of charge between 11am and 4pm. Sitting opposite Durham Cathedral on Palace Green, the castle forms part of Durham’s UNESCO World Heritage Site and has a history stretching back almost 1,000 years. Visitors can explore at their own pace, with guides and volunteers available to share more about the building and its history.
Also on Palace Green, the Museum of Archaeology is taking part in Heritage Open Days on the same day, with the chance to see some of the work that goes on behind the scenes as well as explore the museum’s galleries.
Both are easy to combine with a visit to Durham Cathedral and some time exploring the historic city centre. There are plenty of places for coffee or lunch too, making this a good option for a full day out from Derwent View Cottage.
Aerial view over Durham
Finding More Heritage Open Days Events
We’ve chosen just a handful of the events within reach of Derwent View Cottage, but there are many more taking place across County Durham and the wider North East between 11th and 20th September.
The Heritage Open Days website allows you to search by place and date, which is particularly useful as some buildings are only open for a day or two and some tours need to be booked in advance.
If you’re staying with us during September, it’s well worth having a look at what’s taking place during the Heritage Open Days in County Durham 2026. You may find somewhere you’ve never thought of visiting before – or have the opportunity to see a familiar place in a completely different way.
Derwent View Cottage – based on the Northumberland / County Durham border
Derwent View COttage
Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the North Pennines, this one bedroom self catering holiday cottage has stunning views of rolling countryside whilst being in easy reach of major local attractions.