The gardens at Auckland Palace in Bishop Auckland offer one of County Durham's most enjoyable free days out. With colourful planting, fascinating history, peaceful water features and far-reaching views, they provide the perfect setting for a leisurely stroll on a summer day.

The top terrace of the Walled Garden looking towards the glasshouse.

Auckland Palace Gardens

On a glorious day in June, my partner and I took advantage of the fine weather and enjoyed a delightful self-guided tour of the gardens surrounding Auckland Palace.

To get our bearings, we began with a quick trip up the Auckland Tower, which provides excellent views across the estate and the surrounding area. From there, we walked beneath the Clock Tower and into the palace grounds. One of the best things about visiting is that all of the gardens are now free to enter, including the Walled Garden.

The Faith Garden

Our first stop was the Faith Garden, named after the nearby Faith Museum, which is itself well worth a visit.

This peaceful space occupies the site of a remarkable discovery. The paving traces the outline of the enormous chapel built by Bishop Bek in the 14th century. Destroyed during the Civil War and then lost for centuries, the chapel was only rediscovered during recent renovation work. The planting here is deliberately calm and restful, encouraging visitors to pause and reflect on the history beneath their feet. As we wandered around, we were delighted to spot figs growing on the fig trees, something we certainly weren't expecting to see in County Durham.

Tunnel between North Terrace and Bowling Green.

The Bowling Green and North Terrace

Retracing our steps, we continued to the Bowling Green, a large open expanse of grass enclosed by tall walls. The contrast between the intimate feel of the Faith Garden and this broad open space was striking.

A tunnel to the left leads onto the North Terrace, where the views suddenly open up. From here we could see across the landscape towards the Kynren site and beyond.

One thing that particularly impressed us throughout the gardens was the abundance of seating. Wherever there was a view to admire or a beautiful planting scheme to appreciate, there seemed to be a bench inviting visitors to stop for a while and simply enjoy their surroundings.

The Wilderness Garden and Paradise Garden

Leaving the terrace behind, we passed a cooling fountain and made our way through the flower-strewn Wilderness Garden. This attractive area gradually loops back towards the Courtyard and is full of colour and texture during the summer months.

Back in the Courtyard, we could easily have stopped for coffee, but another gateway beckoned, so naturally we decided to investigate.

Beyond it we discovered the Paradise Garden, centred around a huge cross-shaped water feature. One particularly charming detail was a collection of plastic ducks gathered at the lower end of the stream. Although there were no children around while we were visiting, someone had thoughtfully moved all the ducks back to the top of the watercourse, in anticipation of them floating downstream. There is a child in all of us.

Auckland Palace Paradise Garden herbaceous border showing blue delphiniums

The ducks themselves seemed to be feeling particularly indolent and barely moved from their starting point for the entire time we were there.

The planting in the Paradise Garden was truly gorgeous. Around the waterways, barley and poppies have been planted together, a simple combination but an incredibly effective one. The herbaceous borders along the high walls positively glowed with colour in the summer sunshine, creating one of the most memorable parts of our visit

Refreshments and Future Visits

Although we only spent around an hour exploring, there was plenty to see and enjoy, and we rounded off our visit with refreshments in the Bishop's Kitchen for a limited but tasty menu in a delightful setting.

By this point we were beginning to tire, so we decided not to explore the Walled Garden at the front of the palace. Instead, we admired the terraced beds from above, looking over the wall and making a mental note to return another day.

There was, of course, also the Deer Park to explore, but that too will have to wait for a future visit. Sometimes it's nice to leave a few things undiscovered and have an excuse to come back.

uckland Palace Bishop's Kitchen Courtyard — The Courtyard of the Bishop’s Kitchen

Visitor Information

All of the gardens are wheelchair accessible apart from the Walled Garden.
Dogs are welcome on a lead.
During the summer there are free garden tours led by volunteers.
Check the Auckland Project website for details.

🅿️ Parking
Large car park available in Bishop Auckland (charges)

⏰ How long to allow
Allow 1–2 hours for a relaxed walk with stops.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family friendly
An easy, flat route suitable for families.

Ruth has been a Durham Pointer for 14 years and enjoys exploring the local region

Exploring the Gardens of Auckland Palace