Kynren Bishop Auckland – A Great Day or Evening Out from Derwent View Cottage
Derwent View Cottage is located on the Northumberland and County Durham border, so is ideally situated for exploring the wider North East region. While many of our guests naturally head towards the North Pennines and Hadrian’s Wall, there are some fantastic days out if you head south into County Durham too.
One day trip that is well worth considering during the summer is Kynren in Bishop Auckland, now home to both the new daytime Storied Lands attraction and its spectacular outdoor night show.
The opening of Kynren – The Storied Lands in 2026 has transformed Kynren into a daytime attraction too, giving you the choice of spending a full day there, visiting for the evening performance, or combining the two.
Image courtesy of Kynren Bishop Auckland
What is Kynren?
If you’ve heard people talking about Kynren but aren’t quite sure what it is, it’s difficult to compare it to an ordinary theatre performance.
Based in Bishop Auckland, just over 30 minutes drive from our cottage, Kynren is staged outdoors. The show that first put Kynren firmly on the North East visitor map was the night-time Kynren – An Epic Tale of England.
Performed on a huge 7.5-acre outdoor stage, the 90-minute production takes you through 2,000 years of history, myth and legend. The story moves through Roman Britain, Viking invasions, the Norman Conquest, medieval England, the Industrial Revolution and beyond.
A cast and crew of around 1,000 volunteers bring the story to life with horses and other animals, battles, stunts, large-scale sets, special effects, pyrotechnics, lighting and music.
The performance takes place after dark, when the setting and effects really come into their own. Even if you wouldn’t normally choose a historical show, the sheer scale of Kynren makes it quite an experience.
Image courtesy of Kynren Bishop Auckland – Locomotion Set
New for 2026 – Kynren: The Storied Lands
New for 2026, Kynren – The Storied Lands is the UK’s first live-action show park. Taking place during the day, it has five main shows and experiences combining large-scale live performances, animals, stunt work and storytelling in settings inspired by history, myths and legends.
You can step inside a Viking settlement before watching warriors clash in Land of the Vikings, or see medieval knights and skilled horsemanship in The Trusty Steed. Legend of the Wear brings the North East legend of the Lambton Worm to life on a large lake, complete with water stunts and dramatic effects.
One of the most unusual experiences is The Lost Feather, where more than 250 birds take to the skies in a performance combining flight, nature and conservation. There’s also Victorian Imaginariums, an outdoor storytelling maze filled with theatrical encounters and larger-than-life characters.
Your ticket includes all five live-action shows and, when you book, you’re allocated a schedule so you know when to see each one. With places to stop for food and drink between performances, The Storied Lands is designed as a full-day experience rather than somewhere you visit for an hour or two.
Photography credit – Kynren – Entrance to The Lost Feather and Legend of the Wear
Make a Full Day and Evening of It
If you’d like the complete Kynren experience, you can combine the two.
The Storied Lands is open during the day from Tuesday to Sunday, while An Epic Tale of England is performed on Saturday evenings throughout the 2026 season, with a small number of additional Friday performances.
That means a Saturday visit can take you from Vikings, birds, knights and North East legends during the day to Kynren’s huge outdoor spectacle after dark.
Alternatively, there’s no need to fit everything into one day. You could enjoy a leisurely day at Derwent View Cottage, explore somewhere locally and simply travel to Bishop Auckland later for the evening performance.
The Story Behind Kynren
There’s another side to Kynren which you might not realise when you first see the scale of the performances.
Kynren is an arts, education and conservation charity, and the project forms part of a wider vision to support the regeneration of Bishop Auckland. Its work extends beyond the visitor attraction, with education and community programmes designed to develop skills, build confidence and encourage local pride.
Volunteers are a huge part of Kynren too. The night show is brought to life by a cast and crew of around 1,000 volunteers, working both on stage and behind the scenes in performance, production and technical roles. So while Kynren provides a spectacular day or evening out, it also has a much wider role within Bishop Auckland and the surrounding community.
Photography credit – Kynren Bishop Auckland
There's More to Discover in Bishop Auckland Too
If Kynren leaves you wanting to see more of Bishop Auckland, the town itself is well worth another visit.
It is home to Auckland Palace, once the seat of the powerful Prince Bishops of Durham, as well as several other attractions including the Spanish Gallery, Mining Art Gallery and Faith Museum.
There’s easily enough to make Bishop Auckland another day out during your stay, particularly if you enjoy history and art. We’ll be sharing more about what there is to see and do there in a future post.
Planning Your Visit to Kynren in 2026
The 2026 Kynren season runs until 12 September.
The Storied Lands is open Tuesday to Sunday during the season and is closed on Mondays. An Epic Tale of England runs on Saturday evenings, with additional performances on selected Friday’s.
It’s worth booking in advance, particularly if you’re hoping to combine the daytime park and night show on the same day.
Staying at Derwent View gives you the freedom to explore both sides of the Northumberland and County Durham border. Whether you choose a day at the new Storied Lands, an evening watching Kynren under the stars, or decide to experience both, Bishop Auckland offers something very different to add to your stay.
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.