To celebrate Durham’s arrival on the 2025 City of Culture shortlist, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite photos from the county.
Durham has been selected for the City of Culture 2025.
To celebrate the nomination, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite photos of landmarks and beauty spots from across County Durham.
Have we included your favorite?
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Durham Cathedral
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 12th century cathedral is one of the most spectacular buildings in the country.
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High strength cascade
Formed where the River Tees crosses the Whin Sill, High Force is a spectacular waterfall plunging nearly 70 feet down an almost vertical drop. A smaller drop – Low Force – is a short distance downstream.
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Raby Castle
Set in a 200-acre park inhabited by herds of deer, Raby Castle has been the seat of the Vane family for centuries. It is one of the most impressive intact castles in the North.
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Riverside Ground, Durham and Lumley Castle
Cricket lends itself to picturesque stadiums, but there are few better views than Durham Ground in Chester-le-Street with Lumley Castle as a backdrop.
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Bowes Museum
The magnificent building at the entrance to Barnard Castle was commissioned by landowner John Bowes and his wife Joséphine Benoîte Coffin-Chevallier, although none lived until it opened in 1892. It houses an astonishing collection art and textiles.
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Chateau Eden Dene
Castle Eden National Nature Reserve is home to a rich variety of birds and plants. The atmospheric gorge is very popular with locals.
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Auckland Castle
The former home of the Bishops of Durham has become a tourist attraction since it was bought by philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer as part of his Auckland project.
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Durham Botanic Gardens
Durham University‘s 25-acre Botanical Garden is set amidst beautiful mature forests to the south of Durham City. Modern art takes its place among plant life.
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Newton Cap Viaduct
Built to transport the Bishop Auckland Railway to Durham across the River Wear, the Viaduct is a marvel of Victorian engineering, consisting of 11 arches at a height of 100 feet above the river. It is Grade II classified.
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Sunrise over the Tommy statue in Seaham
The Tommy sculpture stands on Seaham’s waterfront. It was originally intended to be on loan from artist Ray Lonsdale, but became permanent when it was brought to the hearts of local people who raised the funds to purchase it.
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Hamsterley Forest
The 4,900 acre lumber dates back to the 1930s and is still harvested as a commercial logging operation. But it is also a paradise for walkers, cyclists and runners.
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Darkroom rocks
The local nature reserve on Durham’s Heritage Coast is popular in the surrounding towns and villages thanks to its meadows, magnesian limestone and clifftop walk.
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Kynren
Kynren is an outdoor live action show in the shadow of Auckland Castle that traces the history of Great Britain and performed by volunteers.
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Light
Light is a free biennial event where Durham’s heritage sites host light-based works of art.
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