A Copley business is joining a new initiative to champion the region’s charms.
Teesdale Cheesemakers, which runs a dairy farm, Cheesdale café and boutique glamping experience, is one of the first organisations to join the new Durham Champions scheme set up by Visit County Durham.
The aim is to promote the county – and the dale in particular – to tourists, encouraging more people to visit and to stay longer.
“It’s all about being advocates for the area,” said Allison Raper, co-owner of the business. “We’re very passionate and proud of County Durham, and especially of Teesdale and what we have to offer – from castles and gardens to fantastic restaurants and cafés, plus wonderful country walks and beautiful night skies.”
With years of experience in welcoming guests to the dale, Mrs Raper and her husband Jonathan have a good sense for what makes an impact.
Their website already has extensive information for visitors and there are hopes that the Durham Champions scheme will bring more opportunities to work with other organisations and share expertise.
“It’s early days yet and we’re hoping to see more initiatives come out of this,” Mrs Raper said. “I’m looking forward to working with likeminded businesses and organisations to see what synergies we can develop.”
“If we can show that there’s more to see and do, we can attract more tourists to stay for longer. That gets more overnight stays for our glamping and it’s also good for others in the area.”
So what are the greatest hits for Teesdale tourists?
“People already know about places like High Force or Raby Castle, but Barnard Castle has come up a lot since the eye test scandal,” she said. “People are pleasantly surprised when they visit because it’s such a beautiful market town.
“We also encourage people to explore a bit further and try to find some of the ‘hidden’ waterfalls out there. There are some wonderful walks around the area and it’s a fantastic place to get into the countryside.”
In addition, the dark skies zone is another valuable attraction – not least because it extends the tourist season beyond the summer months.
“We’ve tried to position ourselves as a gateway to the night sky,” added: “We’re lucky to have it, and you can’t beat sitting in a hot tub under the stars.
“And it’s not just us; Raby Estate does some night sky experiences, and there’s the observatory at Grassholme.”
