Bishop Auckland may still be one of the UK’s best-kept tourism secrets – but perhaps not for much longer.
Visitors are travelling from across the UK to this former mining town in County Durham, drawn by Kynren and an extraordinary concentration of history, art, culture and live entertainment.
Already home to one of the UK’s most spectacular outdoor night shows, the County Durham town has now welcomed something entirely new: Kynren – The Storied Lands, the UK’s first live-action show park.
And it is putting Bishop Auckland firmly on the map as one of the UK’s most unexpected new short-break destinations.
The surprise is just how much else there is to discover.
Within minutes of Kynren are a medieval palace, nationally important galleries and museums, one of Europe’s finest collections of Spanish art and historic parkland – creating the ingredients for a genuinely different 48-hour break.
Few places in Britain can tell so many chapters of the nation’s story in one location. Bishop Auckland played a key role in the Roman frontier from around AD79 until the early fifth century, became the seat of the powerful Prince Bishops of Durham for almost 900 years and later helped fuel the Industrial Revolution through it’s coal mining heritage.
The town is now undergoing an extraordinary transformation. Now, visitors can spend a weekend moving between the real places and stories that shaped the North East and the spectacular live productions that bring history, legend and folklore to life at Kynren.
Here’s how to spend 48 hours discovering it.
Friday Evening
Arrive in Bishop Auckland and settle in for the weekend.
Start with dinner at El Castillo, a Spanish tapas restaurant in the heart of the town – a fitting introduction to Bishop Auckland’s unexpected Spanish connections, which you’ll discover more about over the weekend.
It’s a relaxed start to a weekend that gets considerably more spectacular on Saturday.
Saturday Morning – Discover Auckland Palace
Start Saturday at Auckland Palace, the historic home of the Prince Bishops of Durham.
For centuries, the Prince Bishops wielded extraordinary power across the North of England – they had royal authority to raise their own armies, mint their own coins, levy taxes, administer their own legal system and pardon criminals and their stories are woven into the history you’ll encounter later at Kynren.
Explore the Palace and its grounds 10 acres of meticulously restored gardens, along with 150- acres of Deer Park and you’ll discover another rather special connection. Auckland Palace itself forms part of the spectacular real-life backdrop to Kynren’s vast outdoor stage.
Then it’s time to see history, myth and legend brought to life.
Saturday Afternoon – Kynren – The Storied Lands
Head to Kynren – The Storied Lands, the UK’s first live-action show park.
Depending on the arrival time chosen when booking, shows begin from around 1pm, leaving plenty of time to explore Bishop Auckland during the morning.
Forget rollercoasters and virtual reality headsets. Here, the entertainment is live.
Across a series of spectacular productions, visitors encounter incredible birds, Vikings, knights and North East legends as storytelling, performance, music, animals and action take centre stage.
In The Lost Feather, more than 200 birds take to the skies, with eagles, vultures, owls, cranes and hawks swoop low and high above the audience in a purpose-built arena inspired by a giant eagle’s nest. Alongside the spectacle is an important story about the natural world and the conservation of some of its most remarkable species.
Elsewhere, Land of the Vikings erupts into battle as warriors clash amid fire and smoke; The Trusty Steed brings medieval adventure and horsemanship to the arena; while Legend of the Wear, inspired by the famous Lambton Worm legend, draws directly on the folklore of the North East.
There’s more to discover between shows too, from the recreated Viking Settlement and Victorian Imaginariums to a huge neolithic themed adventure play area for younger visitors.
What makes the experience particularly fitting for Bishop Auckland is the connection to the place itself, with stories inspired by the history, myths and legends of County Durham and the wider North East.
Saturday Evening – Kynren An Epic Tale of England
As the sun sets, Kynren – An Epic Tale of England begins. A cast and crew of around 1,000 volunteers are joined by an extraordinary animal cast, including majestic horses and even a gaggle of geese, as 2,000 years of British history unfolds through spectacular horsemanship, battles, mass choreography and special effects.
Across 90 breathtaking minutes, audiences travel through 2,000 years of British history – from Romans and Vikings to medieval knights, Queen Elizabeth I, Shakespeare, the World Wars and beyond.
And the Palace explored that morning now forms part of the backdrop as history unfolds across Kynren’s 7.5-acre outdoor stage.
It’s two very different Kynren experiences in one extraordinary day – and a spectacular centrepiece to a weekend in Bishop Auckland.
Sunday – Art, Faith and the North East
Sunday gives visitors time to discover more of Bishop Auckland’s remarkable cultural story.
The Spanish Gallery is the UK’s first gallery dedicated to the art and culture of the Spanish Golden Age with artworks by El Greco, Murillo, Zurbaran and Valazquez.
You can also explore the Faith Museum a unique museum exploring 6000 years of British history through the lens of faith.
Then there’s the Mining Art Gallery, where paintings and drawings tell the story of the North East through the eyes of the people and communities shaped by its mining industry.
A Weekend You Probably Weren’t Expecting
What makes Bishop Auckland fascinating isn’t simply the number of things to see, it’s the way their stories connect.
Medieval power, mining heritage, art, faith, landscape, conservation, North East legend and live entertainment all come together within a remarkably small area.
Come for Kynren – The Storied Lands. Stay for Kynren after dark. And spend the rest of the weekend discovering the real places, people and stories that surround them.
Bishop Auckland might not yet be the first place that springs to mind for a UK weekend break.
That may be about to change.