Traveling from Durham to Carlisle

It's Beamish Museum - lots to see, will fill up a day.

for things to see in Durham and environs have a look here http://www.thisisdurham.com/

Raby Castle http://www.rabycastle.com/

Washington Old Hall http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/washington-old-hall

Newcastle is worth visiting http://www.newcastlegateshead.com/

interested in trains? http://www.nrm.org.uk/PlanaVisit/VisitShildon

Bowes Museum http://www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk/

to plan rail times http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

ramblin' on has you covered for attractions in the area, there's nothing much more I can add to that unless you want to make a trip up into Northumberland (the bit between Newcastle and the Scottish border).

In terms of getting from Durham to Carlisle, it's easy: take a train from Durham to Newcastle, and then change to a Northern Rail train to Carlisle. You should be able to buy the tickets you need at Durham station - there are ticket machines, but if you're intimidated by them there's a manned desk where you can just ask for the tickets you need. However, if you're travelling on a Sunday then you will need to make two changes: one at Newcastle, and then one at Haltwhistle. Otherwise, it's just the one change at Newcastle.

General advice I can give you with rail transport is that when it comes to buying tickets, the shorter the journey the later you can buy. Durham to Newcastle tickets are dirt cheap and can just be purchased on the day, whereas if you're going on a longer haul (e.g. London to Edinburgh) you're best off buying a month or two in advance. Try and get to the station 5-10 mins before departure (add on 10 mins if you're collecting tickets at the station) - there is no security as such at railway stations and you can just walk onto a train, however if it's a big station and you're unfamiliar with rail transport it's good to give yourself that extra time to find your platform.

You cannot miss seeing the Durham Cathedral and adjacent castle. The latter is part of the University. The Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site and to Harry Potter fans the home of Hogwarts. Its gorgeous. The road leading up to the Cathedral from the Town Square is lined with shops and cafes.

My two favorite finds during my three day stay last November was the Ye Olde Elm Tree pub near my Airbnb Accomodation and the 9 Alters cafe down some stairs leading to the river path beneath the Cathedral. Fantastic coffee and pastries. Very tiny, a few tables upstairs.

The walk along the river path at sunset was gorgeous as the Cathedral lit up but that was in November when its nearly pitch dark by 5pm. Still the river path is an enjoyable stroll and if you are an Inspector George Gently fan it is where the woman's body was found in Season 7's "Gently with Women" episode. The same episode where Bacchus is shot inside the Cathedral.

I throughly enjoyed my visit to Durham.

Thank you all so much! Your posts are most helpful! Still planning and welcome more replies and specific recommendations re: lodging close to transport. We fly out of Manchester, so we are thinking of making it our hub and traveling from there to sites over the last few days to move more quickly and without the encumbrance of luggage. Any thoughts about the Two Together rail card? Thinking it might be a good thing once we leave Durham. JW

The Newcastle-Carlisle railway line is quite scenic as well, though not as much as the Settle-Carlisle.