Our latest North East day out was a visit to Finchale Abbey in County Durham. Tom had been promising to take me there for a good year and, true to his word, he planned the whole day out. He isn’t usually too hot when it comes to dreaming up places for us to go, so I was pleasantly surprised!
We set off from Seaham and decided to stop at a little place I’d seen on Tasha’s Instagram feed. She’s another North East blogger who shares lots of local places to go, so I’m indebted to her for this discovery!
Our first visit to the ice cream horse box in Hawthorne Dene
Palominos Ice Cream is a real hidden gem. Located at the entrance to Hawthorne Dene (use postcode SR7 8SH), it’s a cute horse box run by a mother-daughter duo. They serve hot drinks, cakes and delicious Jersey ice cream.
There’s a lovely seating area with picnic benches and bales of hay. It was quiet when we arrived but by the time we’d polished off our lemon drizzle cake, the place was packed!
A flat white and large slice of cake was £5. The horse box is only open on weekends and bank holidays.
We had some furry neighbours while we sipped our drinks: baby alpacas!
Kinley Tower Alpacas have two babies called Lorenzo and Romeo. The staff came out with feed so that some of the little kids could get a closer look at the animals. So cute! They’ll be offering alpaca walks when the boys are big enough.
Mini guide to visiting Finchale Abbey
Suitably fuelled, we then drove to Finchale Abbey. Luckily, we had gorgeous weather for our visit!
There’s a large carpark but it was busy on the bank holiday Monday, so it took us a minute to find a space. It costs £3 to take the car in to the site and you get a token from the kiosk before you leave.
Alternatively, park for free on Cocken Road and walk down through the woodlands and cross the bridge to get to the ruins.
Finchale Priory’s ruins themselves are very impressive. I was surprised that people could climb all over them, because it’s an English Heritage site!
Dating back to 1196, Finchale Priory rests on the site of the hermitage of St Godric, a retired sailor and merchant. The monks of Durham used it as a holiday retreat until its suppression in 1538.
The grass was dotted with people having picnics and sunbathing against the ancient walls. We spent a good hour exploring the various parts of the Priory. We had Archie with us and he loved the maze-like layout!
There was a sign stating that all visitors must wear masks but it’s all outdoors. Nobody was wearing masks during our visit.
Next, we crossed the bridge over the River Wear and spent a lovely hour or two walking through the woodlands. It was a little bit muddy and there were quite a lot of people on the trail so we kept Archie on the lead.
There are small ‘beaches’ on the riverside where kids can paddle.
Where to eat when visiting Finchale Abbey
I’d definitely recommend packing a picnic if you’re visiting Finchale Abbey as there isn’t much there apart from a small shop selling ice lollies.
If you don’t, there’s a pub called Newton Grange nearby and there’s a huge armchair outside that’s fun for pictures.
We drove over to The Church Mouse in Chester-le-Street for food instead. It’s a gorgeous country pub located, weirdly, next to a Travelodge. Don’t let that put you off though! The interior is pleasingly rustic and the menu is full of comfort food like beef and porcini mushroom bourguignon and fish pie.
Tom loved his burger but my chicken pie was a bit disappointing. It looked and sounded amazing, but the filling was a let-down! I’d still go back though. I think I just ordered the wrong thing.
More North East travel inspiration
The best spa hotels in the North East
Guide to visiting Knaresborough, Yorkshire
How to plan an idyllic day in Tynemouth and Cullercoats
Best North East England glamping sites
What to do in Berwick-upon-Tweed
How to have a delicious weekend in Tees Valley
Romantic places to stay in Northumberland
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