Chester-le-Street itself has an interesting parish church, parts of which are claimed to be 950 years old. There is a Lovely Riverside Park on the banks of the Wear, with views of Lumley Castle. The award winning North of England Open Air Museum at Beamish is just outside the town.

We are midway between the Cities of Durham and Newcastle. Durham is famous for its imposing Norman Cathedral, one of the finest in the Country as well as its ancient University and Castle. The narrow medieval streets are a pleasure to stroll through with their interesting shops, bars and restaurants. The riverside walk provides splendid views of the city.

The city of Newcastle, a few miles to the north past the Angel of the North, is the vibrant regional capital with its iconic bridges across the Tyne. The quayside is famous for eating, drinking and nightlife. A short walk over the Millennium Bridge leads to the Gateshead Quays with the Sage concert hall and Baltic centre for contemporary art. Above the quayside, Grainger Town has wonderful Georgian architecture. There are many theatres, museums and galleries.

The C 2 C coat to coast cycle route passes close to our home. There is wonderful walking in the North Pennines AONB and Yorkshire Dales within an hour's drive and good walking on the doorstep. The Lake District Mountains are two hours away. The Cities of York and Edinburgh are around an hour away by train. The coastline and castles of Northumberland are also around an hour's drive away.