Once considered coal mining country, County Durham has been moving back to its pastoral roots over the past few decades, highlighted by the pretty villages and market towns with their medieval hubs amid the lush, green landscape. The North Pennines and Teesdale Hills are within the borders of County Durham, and the landscape then flattens out across the region as it heads for the coast following the routes of the Tees and Wear Rivers. Beautiful Durham has many of the county’s major man-made sights, and is one of the best places to stay in County Durham if you’re here to explore further afield or just for a mini-break. But many of our recommendations are rural manor houses turned country house hotels, with plenty of dog friendly options, offering elegant escapes to County Durham’s spectacularly lush countryside.

If you do opt for Durham it’s the Anglo-Norman cathedral that will probably top your list, built in the Romanesque style with England's first stone-rib vaulted roof — a sight to behold, even for those not usually moved by architecture. Another highlight is Durham Castle, built in the 11th century, and now updated to accommodate Durham University. The Beamish Open-Air Museum is also worth a visit, a fabulous warts-and-all, living museum portraying industrial life in the north east.

If Beamish appeals, you may find some of the best places to stay in County Durham in nearby Chester-le-Street, which is also known for its regular market days, county cricket ground, and scenic Pennine backdrop. Bishop Auckland is another great choice for sightseers, with its castles, markets, ruins of a Roman fort, and vast open air theatre. Darlington is ideal if you’re hoping to visit the Yorkshire Dales National Park, or the North York Moors National Park.