Car Hire Darlington - Mini guide to Darlington

Located in the valley of the River Tees in the south of County Durham, the historic market town of Darlington, birthplace of the railways.

Northern England abounds in castles, and principle ones within easy reach of Darlington are the 14th century Raby Castle and 11th century Richmond Castle. The former is approximately 19 km from Darlington, and was built in the 14th century by the Nevill family and has been the home of Lord Barnard's family since 1626. It is surrounding by beautiful grounds inhabited by deer. The castle was altered in the 18th and 19th centuries. Richmond Castle is in North Yorkshire and is about 18 km from Darlington. Some of the 11th century walls still survive and the Norman keep commands a fantastic view over the surrounding valley of the River Swale. There are still remains of the great hall and some of the domestic apartments.

In Darlington itself are some fascinating edutainment attractions. Tees Cottage Pumping Station Museum houses the original Darlington waterworks now run by a voluntary group as a water and steam museum, while Darlington Railway Station and Museum is set in a restored Victorian station on the original route of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, and is devoted to the railway heritage of the North East of England.

Darlington has ample quality accommodation and some fine restaurants. The nightlife is lively and vibrant and, thanks to the large student population in town, there are plenty of bars, clubs, pubs and cafes.

Exploring the surrounding countryside you will discover more castles (Durham, Middleham, Aydon), museums (Beamish, Bowes), and churches (Finchale Priory, Egglestone Abbey). Recreational opportunities await at High Force and Hardwick Hall Country Park, while ancient history buffs can check out the ruins of Binchester Roman Fort (Vinovia), featuring the remains of the best preserved Roman military bath house in Britain.

The two nearest international airports are Newcastle and Teesside, however these have limited flights mainly to main European cities. Other travelers with need to connect via one of London’s air transportation hubs. County Durham is well served by a modern transportation network. The A1(M) motorway and the A19 trunk road provide the main north-south road links, and there are regular train services.