Where to go
Woodlands for forest bathing in County Durham
7 places in County Durham that suit forest bathing, with parking, paths and facilities on each page.
Auckland Castle Deer ParkThe Prince Bishops' 150 acre deer park in Bishop Auckland, free to walk all year
Baal Hill WoodAncient Weardale wood of birch and oak, home to the 400 year old Bishop's Oak
Castle Eden DeneSteep limestone gorge near Peterlee with yew, oak and ash, running 3.5 miles to the sea
Causey ArchAncient woodland in the Causey Burn gorge, crossed by a stone wagonway arch from the 1720s
Hamsterley ForestDurham's largest forest, 2,000 hectares in a sheltered Dales valley with ancient oak by the Bedburn
Hardwick ParkGeorgian landscape park in Sedgefield with lake, woodland, follies and a flat circuit path
Low Barns Nature ReserveMixed woodland, three lakes and flat paths beside the River Wear at Witton-le-WearPhotos: Auckland Castle Deer Park, Michael Garlick (CC BY-SA 2.0); Baal Hill Wood, Trevor Littlewood (CC BY-SA 2.0); Castle Eden Dene, Asmgabber (CC BY-SA 4.0); Causey Arch, Stephen McKay (CC BY-SA 2.0); Hamsterley Forest, Peter McDermott (CC BY-SA 2.0); Hardwick Park, Les Hull (CC BY-SA 2.0); Low Barns Nature Reserve, malcolm tebbit (CC BY-SA 2.0).