Doe Park Caravan Site is situated in Teesdale, Durham, near to the village of Cotherstone. This is one of my favourite valleys to explore from. A great motorhome adventure there needed a great base to start from and Doe Park was definitely going to be my destination to hook-up there.
Beautifully set as you can see and so wonderfully quiet too. As you can gauge in these photos I got.
The Swift motorhome was packed up in no time and on the road to the County of Durham. The caravan site is not too far off the A66 as it happens so getting to this idyllic spot was no problem at all road wise yet you feel so far away from it all.
Upon entering the gates the magic starts to happen and you see just how beautiful they have made the place. The grand 17th Century farmhouse strikes you straight away.
Entering the reception you are greeted with plenty of smiles and friendliness. No corporate madness nor any messing, this is a wonderfully genuine and happy welcome from a family run caravan site.
This building is also packed with ideas of places to go an see and walking trails etc.
The Lamb family that run the park have such a deep history with the area. Three generations ago they purchased Doe Park as a farm and since the 1980s have run the huge farm and then the caravan site concurrently. Doing a marvellous job if you ask me.
The fact that they own the land around for the farm means that even from straight out of the motorhome or touring door, you can walk into beautiful scenery and meadows. With wildlife to be seen everywhere.
You can also see from the pics above that each hook-up plot has lots of room that adds to your enjoyment and comfort. This is another reason why they have a reputation for returning happy customers instead of cramming numbers in.
Everything was immaculate. From the maintained grass to the ablution block. In fact all the amenities and logistical needs were nicely located in the centre and wherever you would be based on the site you would never have to go far for anything you needed.
Teesdale itself, as I have mentioned, is a wonderful base for adventures of all kinds in the Durham Dales. So much is on your doorstep from here.
There is the magnificent High and Low Force only a few miles away. When there it is always a good idea to pop into Bowlees visitor centre for refreshments, and to find out more about what is going on in the area.
Or if you want a day indoors looking in awe at splendour then you could head to Barnard castle and The Bowes Museum.
You could even go seek out the famous Black Grouse on the tops, a wonderful sight.
I could rattle out a whole huge list here and I have written about so many places to see in the Durham Dales already on this site.
After a lovely day out it is a pleasure though to head back to the peace at Doe Park and relax for the evening. Or you can walk just a little walk to the village nearby and enjoy a drink and meal in the Fox and Hounds.
In an upcoming post I shall be showcasing a walk around the corner from here. Another unique walk, a local reservoir walk, that I would not have known without the inside knowledge from the staff here.
Walking The River Tees
You can literally walk straight out of the caravan and within a few minutes be walking beside the River Tees, with walking paths in all directions.
A big tip from me is to walk from the site to Cotherstone Village and walk to the riverside. You can head in either direction but the way I went towards Barnard Castle was beautiful. Wild Garlic, trees, landscapes and waterside adventure for the dogs.
A Teardrop Caravan Stay at Doe Park, Teesdale
In the first part of this article I stayed in my own motorhome as Doe park is mainly a touring site. Gloriously set and spacious, filled with tourers and a few that use it for the season with their own caravans.
This time I was staying in a lovely little teardrop caravan and a perfect base for new Teesdale adventures.
A teardrop is a wonderful little caravan that is absolutely perfect for 1 or 2 people, plus with the very spacious awning there is more than plenty of seating area or room for your pets.
I had seen these quirky teardrop caravans about but never seen inside so it was a pleasure to get a full long weekend in one.
Firstly there is an extremely comfortable fixed double bed. I am normally dubious about some beds on my travels but my fitbit here went into overdrive at awarding me high sleep scores.
The bed uses the space wonderfully and explains to me how they use that teardrop space. The bed fits perfectly into the shallow end and thus when in the caravan you can stand very easily, wherever you need to.
At the other end is a neatly fitting table and mini sofa area. Easily enough room for meals or for evenings sharing a bottle of wine etc.
The cleverness at placing all the other things you need between is apparent when you see it. Clever use of all space for storage. Plus a hob, gas heater, sink, and not forgetting the washroom/toilet room too.
Then outside you have can have an awning that doubles the indoor walking and seating space. With table and garden furniture.
Any sign of rain or drizzle this area was great for the dogs. And when warm you can sit here and enjoy the great scenery around.
In fact talking of scenery. The dark skies here are magical. Just pop your head out of the caravan in the evening and look up to the stars.
As you can see and read. Doe park is somewhere I come to often to walk and unwind. Teesdale is a place that I keep discovering more of with every visit and Doe Park is the perfect spot to start each day and each adventure.
Everything you say about Doe Park is so true, even the house hitting you as soon as you drive in. Been coming here 4 years now and we love it and owners do a fantastic job
Hi Paul, thanks so much yes it is a real gem of a place isn’t it. Don’t blame you for keeping going there at all