Family Attraction

Crook Hall Gardens

A National Trust garden beside the River Wear with a maze, secret walled garden, orchard and moat pool, plus self-led family activities through the summer.

About Crook Hall Gardens

Cared for by the National Trust since 2022, Crook Hall Gardens is a compact but richly planted site at Sidegate, a short walk from Durham's market place beside the River Wear. Interlinked gardens lead visitors past a secret walled garden, an orchard, a wildlife-rich moat pool and a living puzzle of a maze, with views of the city and cathedral rising beyond. It is an easy-going place for families, with plenty of room for children to explore at their own pace.

Through the summer holidays the garden lays on self-led sports, crafts and nature activities, giving children something to do every day, and a cafe provides a base for tired grown-ups. Admission is charged with family tickets available and under-fives free. Opening times and the current activity programme are published on the National Trust website.

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