Visiting Hardwick Park in Sedgefield, County Durham

One of my favourite short walks in County Durham, here’s my guide to visiting Hardwick Park in Sedgefield; a beautiful Georgian country park.

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Hardwick Park is one of many great walks in County Durham but one that my family and I keep returning to; whether to blow off the Sunday morning cobwebs, let the little one burn off some energy and stretch the dog’s legs. To be honest, it’s often all three.

This country park, just outside the lovely village of Sedgefield (home to two great pubs and places for food – The Impeccable Pig & The Pickled Parson), is worth a visit all year round with autumn being my particular favourite time for a wander. You’ll find a beautiful lake, dense woodland with a Gruffalo-sized surprise for the little ones, Georgian follies and green rolling hills all within a relatively short, flat circular route. If you’re looking for somewhere to visit this weekend in County Durham, why not head to Hardwick Park?

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HARDWICK PARK

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HISTORY

Back in 1748, John Burdon inherited £40,000 from his father and used that money to purchase Hardwick Hall and around 200 acres of land. The hall itself never really received any plaudits, once being described as of ‘no architectural interest’, but the ornamental gardens more than caught the eye. In fact, Hardwick Park is now a Visit England accredited attraction!

After purchasing Hardwick Hall, John Burdon hired James Paine, a famed architect from London responsible for many works across the country including at Chatsworth House, Middleton Lodge in North Yorkshire as well as Raby Castle and Gibside more locally. What they created in just three years was beautiful and can now continue to be enjoyed by all thanks to a 10 year restoration project by Durham County Durham.

WHAT TO SEE AT HARDWICK PARK

The main walking route, the 1 mile Historical Circuit Walk, will allow you to take in all of the sights of Hardwick Park as you wander around the 17-acre man-made lake.

If you start at the Visitor Centre, you’ll come to the large Gothic Gatehouse Ruin first that was built to look as though it had succumbed to the environment; ruined since the Middle Ages. Within the Serpentine River adjacent to the Gothic Ruin is the Statue of Neptune that makes for great photographs.

As you head towards Hardwick Hall, you’ll find Gruffalo characters that the kids will love. You’ll stroll down the Grand Terrace, dodging the geese, swans and ducks as well as their ‘droppings’, before passing the Gothic Seat (another of the many ‘follies’ created here). There’s also the site of the old Bath House, the Bono Retiro (which used to house a library) before you get to wide open hills with the stunning Temple of Minerva built at its peak. You can’t access the interior of the temple but the domed square is surrounded by twenty columns and makes for an incredible backdrop to the designated BBQ and picnic area.

Coming back towards the Visitor Centre now and the end of your walk, you’ll pass through the woodland area with a stunning gothic bridge and a few little surprises for the kids.

SPECIAL EVENTS AT HARDWICK PARK

Every year, you can expect to see some very special events at Hardwick Park including the famous Hardwick Festival which attracts a lot of big names in the music industry; think Snow Patrol & Blossoms for the 2024 edition. Tickets sell out far in advance but keep an eye on the official page here if you fancy trying to get tickets for next year! There are also Classic Car Shows on the fields next to Hardwick Hall which showcase some pretty impressive cars if you’re into that kind of thing; I visited recently and really enjoyed admiring/taking photos of the cars.

FOOD & DRINK

You’re spoilt for choice here at Hardwick Park with two great places to grab a coffee, some lunch or even a beer if you fancy one; a cafe at the Visitor Centre and a lounge & bar on the opposite side of the lake at the Hardwick Hall Hotel. There’s also the Rib Room Steakhouse & Grill at the Hardwick Hall Hotel if you fancy something a little more substantial.

We normally head into the lounge area at the hotel for a coffee and tea before setting off on our walk around the lake. We did this regularly when Evelyn was a newborn and slept in her pram. The decor is pretty opulent with leather sofas, panelled walls and chandeliers.

The Tower Cafe is within the Visitor Centre just next to the car park and a great little play area for the kids. You can grab takeaway hot drinks for your walk or sit in and choose from sandwiches, soup, pies and cakes.

GETTING HERE

Hardwick Park is just outside of the village of Sedgefield in County Durham; a few miles east of the A1 (Junction 60). Google/Apple Maps are both reliable but, just in case, the postcode to use is TS21 2DN. From Sedgefield itself, you’ll find the park a short 1 mile walk to the west across fields.

PARKING

The main car park for Hardwick Park is right next to the Visitor Centre, Cafe & play area. It’s hard to miss once you follow the brown Hardwick Park signs from the road. The car park costs £2.50 for two hours or £3.50 for all day. Motorbikes are free! You can pay for the car park with cash or by the Pay by Phone app.

We ordinarily park at Hardwick Hall Hotel for free, head to the cafe in the hotel for a coffee before setting off on our walk. I’m pretty sure the parking is for guests of the hotel and presumably customers – we’ve never had an issue before as long as you’re buying something from the hotel!

If you’re heading to Hardwick Park and need any more information at all or would like recommendations on where to visit next, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

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