Retirement homes in County Durham

Retire to County Durham

Retirement living in County Durham

A world famous cathedral, castles, wild dales and a rugged coastline combine to make this county an exceptional choice for retirement living

From the quaint streets and ancient architecture of the City of Durham to the historic quay of Hartlepool and Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle, this county has so much to offer. Around a third is covered by the wild Durham Dales, perfect for cycles and rambles and exploring the pretty, rural, market towns and villages, while the dramatic Durham Coast offers exhilarating walks as well as traditional seaside treats and superb sandy beaches.

Community

County Durham is generally a warm and welcoming place with plenty of opportunities to get stuck into community life. Durham Community Association at Shakespeare Hall, Durham, for example, offers everything from ballroom dancing to quilting to Tai Chi.

With such beautiful countryside, it’s not surprising that golf is a popular pursuit, the annual County Durham Golf Trail offers access to four golf courses, South Moor, Beamish, Brancepeth and Blackwell Grange and women can join the popular Durham County Ladies' Golf Association.

Sports fans will enjoy watching Durham County Cricket Club – the prestigious club was founded in 1882, and festival fans are also spoilt for events throughout the year, like Lumiere Durham, ‘the UK’s leading light show’, Durham Book Festival and the annual Bishop Auckland Food Festival.

Did you know? 83% of McCarthy Stone homeowners experience a sense of community in their new retirement home.

Transport and connections

If you are looking for rural property for sale County Durham, or rural property to rent County Durham it’s good to know that McCarthy Stone properties are always located with good transport connections in mind, so you’ll always have easy access to amenities, shops and attractions.

The county is well connected by A roads and a comprehensive network of bus and rail routes. You can get from Durham to Leeds in an hour and a half by road and from Durham to London by train takes three hours, Durham to Edinburgh takes less than two hours by train.

Teesside International airport offers a convenient range of internal flights and European destinations and Newcastle international airport offers flights to all over the world.

Surrounding areas

There are plenty walks in County Durham and the surrounding area, from challenging hill walks to gentle trails. About a third of the county is covered by the North Pennines, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Durham Dales, Teesdale and Weardale, offer rugged and remote fells, moorlands and bogs, while the stunning Durham Coast has over 14 miles of dramatically beautiful coastal walks or explore the gorge at Castle Eden Dene National Nature Reserve by foot or by bike. The location of County Durham also provides easy access to the Lake District National Park, and the great Northern cities of Leeds, Hull and York.

The area is home to some of the UK’s most unspoilt beaches too, the sandy stretch of Seaham is very popular and a bit further north you’ll find Seaburn beach near Sunderland which is popular for water sports and even wild swimming.

Things to do in County Durham

No trip to the county would be complete without visiting the delightful city of Durham home to the stunningly majestic Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle. These impressive examples of Norman architecture form a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and the cathedral also played a starring role in the Harry Potter film series.

The pretty town of Darlington has a bustling weekly market as well as stunning Raby Castle, while at Hartlepool you’ll find the fascinating National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool and the HMS Trincomalee. County Durham is also home to the unique Beamish Museum – which brings to life the history of the North East of England from the 1820s onwards.

The attractive market town of Barnard Castle is well worth a visit as is the castle which gave it its name. In the area you can also visit the Bowes Museum and gardens, set in an attractive French-style Chateau and the ‘secret garden of the North’ at Eggleston Hall – these beautiful gardens even have their own mini Angel of the North.

Retirement living County Durham. Frequently asked questions

From the grandeur of the Norman architecture in the UNESCO recognised cathedral city of Durham to the naval ships and museums on the quayside of Hartlepool there are plenty of things to do in County Durham. There are plenty of castles to explore, including Barnard Castle, which is also close to the famous Bowes museum and Raby Castle in the bustling market town of Darlington. Then there’s walking in the fells of the Durham Dales or enjoying a breath of sea air on the dramatic Heritage Coast.

There are lots of variables that make this a difficult question to answer, but one simple tip is to multiple the amount you’d like to live on every year (say £24,000) by 25 (in this case the answer is £600,000). That is the amount you’d need to save. However this figure doesn’t consider things like your annual state pension, benefits, tax, or the equity you might hold in your home.

High up in the North East of England, on the border of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Cumbria and North Yorkshire, you’ll find County Durham, the only county in England to use that prefix. It is also bordered by the Durham Coast – a Site of Special Scientific Interest. As well as the city of Durham, notable towns in County Durham include Darlington, Hartlepool, Barnard Castle and Stockton-on-Tees.