Barnard Castle, or Barney as it’s fondly known in the North East of England, has become a household name, thanks in no small part to a certain political advisor driving here to test his eyesight.
The increased exposure has meant more people are Googling ‘Barnard Castle’ and finding out that it is, in fact, a sight for sore eyes (but please don’t drive here if you actually have sore eyes. Get them checked out first!)
It’s also meant that more people are searching for things like ‘holiday cottages to rent in Barnard Castle’ as they think about holidaying here. And we’re seeing an increase in people visiting our website as a result. You may even be here right now because of a search for 'cottages in Barnard Castle'.
So, we thought we’d use this post to tell you a bit about our cottages and recommend some of our favourite things to do in Barney.
There is no shortage of wonderful places to stay in and around Barnard Castle, but we’re a bit different.
Mellwaters Barn Cottages are one of the few places in the area to offer accessible accommodation for wheelchair users and less mobile guests.
When we moved to East Mellwaters Farm in 2002, our son Andrew, who has always been a wheelchair user, wanted us to transform an old stone dairy into four holiday cottages for both disabled and able-bodied people, so that families and small groups could holiday together.
Having experienced what it’s like trying to find an accessible place to stay on a family holiday, we were fully on board with Andrew’s idea. And so we set about creating Mellwaters Barn Cottages.
Fast forward to now and we were acknowledged by Visit England in their Gold Awards and have been rated under the National Accessible Scheme as suitable for older and less mobile guests, part-time wheelchair users and assisted wheelchair users.
Each of our four accessible holiday cottages features level entry access, widened doorways, electric profiling beds and moveable grab rails.
Each cottage also welcomes dogs and has individual additional features, such as through lifts and rise and recline chairs in Blue tit and Kingfisher, level entry wet room in Blue Tit, bathroom ceiling hoists in Kingfisher and Wren and stairlifts in Robin and Wren.
We can also provide disability equipment you need, such as mobile hoists, shower chairs and toilet seats, free of charge. Please note this equipment is subject to availability and we must know your requirements when you book.
You can take a look at our accessibilty features for less mobile visitors in full on our Accessibility page.
So that’s us, what about the must-see town? What’s so good about Barnard Castle that you’d go out of your way to visit?
Whether you’re visiting for a day or a week, there are lots to keep you entertained here. We’ve lived in Teesdale, next to Barnard Castle, for close to two decades and we never tire of it.
Here are some of our favourite things to see and do.
Barnard Castle takes its name from the castle that sits on a high rock overlooking the River Tees. The castle was built in 1150 and is named after its founder, Bernard de Balliol. Although the fortress itself is in ruins, it’s still a spectacular sight, with a beautiful sensory garden and stunning views of the river. Most of the castle grounds are accessible over grass but there is no access for wheelchair users in the upper parts of the castle and tower. You can easily spend the best part of a day here taking in the sights and great views of the castle.
If you’re a fan of castles and ruins, both Egglestone Abbey and Bowes Castle are also close by.
The Bowes Museum is the jewel in the Barnard Castle crown. It’s worth a visit just to marvel at the building and its gardens, even if you don't go inside.
If you do go inside, you’ll find three floors of fine and decorative art from local and international artists. The museum has permanent collections, as well as a programme of exciting exhibitions, a firm favourite being the Silver Swan musical automation that performs daily.
The Bowes Museum is fully accessible to all visitors with a lift in the reception area to take you to all levels. There is good space to manoeuvre between exhibitions and the disabled toilets are on the ground and first floor . Wheelchair accessibility is through a side door.
There are lots of things to admire in Barnard Castle town, from the Georgian and Victorian buildings, to the independent and antique shops that attract visitors from all over the country. The historic market town still holds a weekly market on a Wednesday, with a Farmers market held the first Saturday of every month offering artisan food and crafts.
The town is a great place to enjoy the following:
• Walks round the town and river
• Miniature golf and kids park with view of the castle
• Quaint cafes and independent clothes shops
• Unique chocolate shop
• Art shops
• Good places to eat and drink
• Barnard castle old photo & audio walk
• Leisure centre with swimming pool, climbing wall and kid’s soft play.
• The Hub a venue providing a range of activities
If you’re in the market place, take a close look at the Butter Mart. It’s main use now is as a roundabout, but it was once used as the market for butter and dairy, with the upper part used as a jail and a fire station over the years. If you look closely at the weather vane on top of the Butter Mart, you’ll see two bullet holes. That’s because it was once used as a target by local marksmen.
Mellwaters Barn Cottages are self-catering, which means you’re free to bring back fish and chips! 149 Fish and Chips is one of the best-loved restaurants in the north and a National Fish & Chip award winner. 149 usually has a restaurant so you have the option to dine in but due to Covid-19 they have temporarily removed the seating so people can cue and still follow the governments rules on social distancing.
If you don’t fancy fish and chips, The Three Horseshoes, The Teesdale cafe and Clarendon’s are all well worth a visit.
The Abbey sits above a bend in the river Tees and is about 1.5 miles away from the town centre. Eggleston abbey’s origins can be traced back to 1195 and records indicate that early in the 13th century it was so small that it warranted reclassification only as a priory. You can drive to the Abbey with parking adjacent to the ruins. You can also enjoy a walk from Barnard castle which where the walk partly follows the river Tees and takes around 40 minutes. You often find locals and tourists enjoying a picnic taking in the picturesque views.
Admission to this site is free.
The Witham is Barnard Castle’s local arts centre and home to the farmer’s market during the winter months. There are all kinds of events on here including music, theatre, dance, film, comedy and classes, with household names aplenty stopping by on tour. It’s also a fully accessible venue for all.
Wherever you are in the world, there’s lots to love about Barnard Castle and the surrounding area. And our holiday cottages, nestled in the picturesque Durham Dales, is the ideal base from which to explore. But don’t just take our word for it. Jump in the car, come and see for yourself. Or better still book a stay in one of our holiday cottages.
