Summer fun won’t be hard to find at Auckland Castle, with a host of family-friendly activities and events planned. From craft sessions to traditional sports day games, storytelling and child-friendly guided tours, there’s something for everyone to enjoy over the coming weeks at the medieval fortress. With each day being given a theme, Auckland Castle’s education and outreach officer, Grace English, says there will be no shortage of ways to create your own great family day out.
“Come rain or shine, there will be plenty to keep visitors of all ages entertained over the holidays. We love inspiring families to have a great time and with so much to do here at Auckland Castle there will be lots of fantastic days out to be had over the summer.”
Messy Mondays feature drop-in craft activities. From biscuit decorating to fashioning your own clay masterpieces and shield and crown making.
Wednesdays are set to be a Big Draw in more ways than one between 11am and 3pm, with the chance to put your artistic skills to the test. It’s an opportunity to learn a host of new skills and techniques in the company of local artists as you create your own masterpiece or try your hand at print making and other craft activities.
Family friendly guided tours of the former home of the Prince Bishops of Durham will also be taking place every Wednesday and Sunday at 1pm.
Thursdays are all about Hidden Treasures and secrets as the curatorial team reveals the stories behind some of the castle’s most sacred artefacts. Can you guess how old they are – and even what they may have been used for?
Get your running shoes out on Fridays and join in Bosley Boar’s Big Race in the castle gardens. Auckland Castle’s friendly and furry mascot – an ancestor of a ferocious boar that terrorised the area hundreds of years ago – has devised lots of fun sports day-style competitions for the whole family to enjoy, from tug-of-war to egg and spoon and Space Hopper races. It may get messy, so take along an extra pair of clothes.
Join Captain Raggy Beard for Story Telling Sundays from 2pm, with tall tales of mythical creatures and forgotten lands, and bring them to life with fun games and other goings-on.
Visitors can also join the Durham Wildlife Trust team for exciting and very different free events too. Drop into the castle grounds on August 8th between 11am-3pm and take part in the search for dragonflies and discover the other winged animals that share the skies with them.
At 1pm there will also be a guided walk and river dip to find dragonfly larva.
All these events and activities are in addition to Auckland Castle’s permanent exhibitions and are included in the adult admission price of £8, with children under 16 going free.
This is just a selection of the events taking place at the castle throughout the summer.
For a detailed list visit www.aucklandcastle.org.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
