Heritage Open Day Breaks
The National Heritage Open Day Festival takes place from Thursday 8th – Sunday 11th September when heritage attractions across the country from mills to mines, lighthouses to cathedrals and much more, are providing free admission and a chance to visit places not normally accessible, for instance not far from Alston, the tower of Carlisle Cathedral and Durham Cathedral Garden, see https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk
On our doorstep are two lead-mining attractions – Nenthead Mines offering free guided mine trips, and Killhope Lead Mining Museum where there is free entry to the attraction although you need to pay extra there to go underground. You can also get a free insight into the social history of this former lead mining area at nearby Weardale Museum and High House Methodist Chapel. Not far away in the Eden valley, the National Trust property, Acorn Bank, is offering free admission to the garden, watermill, woodland walks and unfurnished ground floor rooms of Acorn Bank house with orchard advice sessions and additional guided tours of the house (including rooms not generally open to the public).
Alston is an ideal base to explore these and many more heritage attractions for free during the Heritage Open Day Festival, and we are offering special Heritage Short Breaks from Thursday 8th to Monday 12th September. See our special offer page for details.