A County Durham visitor destination is encouraging people to step outside this summer through a series of events.
The Auckland Project, based in Bishop Auckland, is running a programme of outdoor activities in June, July and August, covering everything from art and archaeology, to nature and wellbeing.
The Project’s 150-acre Deer Park will be open daily from 7am to 8pm, offering visitors the chance to wander its woodland paths to explore its 800-year heritage and natural beauty, including a Georgian Deer House, ice house and stone pyramid that caps an early water supply for Auckland Castle.
The great outdoors is also reflected in the theme of the opening exhibition for a new gallery space inside Auckland Castle.
The Bishop Trevor Gallery’s first exhibition, The Origins of British Landscape, features artwork by masters such as Thomas Gainsborough and George Stubbs. It will run until September 8, 2019.
A walk in the Deer Park and a visit to Bishop Trevor Gallery can also offer inspiration for those taking part in The Auckland Project’s Summer Arts programme.
The twice weekly sessions at No.42 in Bishop Auckland Market Place will run every Friday and Saturday, 11am-3pm from Friday, 26 July to Saturday, 31 August.
These will encourage children and adults of all ages to take inspiration from the great outdoors by painting, drawing and making the landscape around them.
At the end of every week, one piece of art will be put on display at No.42 in Bishop Auckland Market Place, as part of its Summer Exhibition.
For those who can’t make the weekend, Paint like an Artist workshops will run throughout the week at the Auckland Tower visitor centre from Saturday, 20 July to Sunday, 25 August.
The sessions will ask participants to take inspiration from the surroundings of the Market Place and Deer Park to create their own work of art.
This summer will also offer a chance to uncover local history with a series of archaeological digs.
From Saturday, 15 June to Sunday, 30 June, visitors can learn more about the objects discovered during excavations at Auckland Castle. From 11am to 3pm on weekends, and 10am to 3.30pm on weekdays, history lovers can help to wash discovered finds and take part in archaeological activities.
Archaeological digs will also be running at Binchester Roman Fort throughout July and August, aiming to uncover more fascinating finds after a number of significant discoveries during 2018.
Family activities will be held at the Binchester excavation, every Tuesday from 23 July to 20 August. Running from 1pm to 3pm, the sessions will invite families to find out more about the Romans who lived at Binchester, try making Roman crafts and have a go at handling objects discovered at the site. This event is included in the entry price to Binchester Roman Fort, for more information visit, www.durham.gov.uk/binchester
Elsewhere this summer, there will be the chance to get active outdoors, as runners of all ages take in the nature of the Deer Park with the return of the Auckland Castle Trail Race and Fun Run on Sunday, 25 August.
To book places at any of The Auckland Project’s summer events, call 01388 743 797 or email bookings@aucklandproject.org
For more information about The Auckland Project’s summer events, visit aucklandproject.org or follow The Auckland Project on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
