Stanhope (County Durham) - village in County Durham, UK

Stanhope is a small market town in County Durham.

Understand

Get in

Get around

See

• North of England Lead Mining Museum, Cowshill DL13 1AR (Follow A689 west), 54.7831°, -2.27306°. Daily 11:00-17:00. Lowland Durham has the coal, but the hills have lead, in the form of "galena" or "glance": lead sulphide crystals deposited in veins through the rock. Though now we shun it as toxic, earlier times depended upon it for plumbing, weights, bullets & shot, solder and pewter. Raw galena was also used as a cosmetic and a pottery glaze. The museum at Killhope recreates Park Level Mine, active here 1853-1910. Adult £9, conc £6 2018-07-28

Do

• Weardale Ski Club, Fendrith Hill, Stanhope DL13 1PB (Follow A689 west towards Daddry Shield. Do not approach via B6277 Teesdale: if there's enough snow to ski on, the southside lane will be blocked.), 54.735732°, -2.163981°, +44 1388 317767. England's highest ski centre, reaching a dizzy 655 m, with runs down to 488 m, ie at best a 168 m run. Yes, this is how we skied in Edwardian times, before we discovered Europe. The season is short and conditions are highly variable - but for example in icy 2018, skiing extended into late March. Uplift is two Doppelmayer button-tows. They don't have kit hire or lessons. Day ticket £20, season pass £48 2018-07-28

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• Stanhope Old Hall, Front Street DL13 2PF (On A689), 54.749196°, -2.017781°, +44 1388 529036. Splendid characterful hotel in 12th C manor house. Also does self-catering. B&B doubles from £130 2018-07-28
• Westgate Manor, Westgate DL13 1JT, 54.739°, -2.145°, +44 1388 517371. Swish small country hotel in Victorian manor house. No dogs. B&B double £130 2020-07-15

Connect

As of June 2022, Stanhope has 4G from EE and Vodafone, but no signal from O2 or Three. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

• Loop over the moors north via Alston to explore Hadrian's Wall.
• Head east down the valley to Durham; for big city attractions, turn north to Newcastle.
• Cross the moors south to Middleton-in-Teesdale, with a stop at High Force, then to Barnard Castle with the Bowes Museum. Then either go south to Yorkshire or west to the Lake District.