The less money you spend on going out, the more money you have to spend on the things that really matter in life, like cheese or socks, or cheesy socks.

This is a creative way to explore Durham and keep the young ones occupied and interested by solving clues and investigating the city’s nooks and crannies. You could always make your own treasure trail, of course, but for a tenner a pop we think that these are pretty nice value.

A twenty-five-minute drive from Durham or a short hop on the train, the Locomotion Museum is free to visit, and also offers free tours aimed at schoolchildren. Their events and exhibitions change throughout the year, so it’s worth checking even if you’ve been there before. From 20th November 2019 to 5th January 2020 they run their Festive Fun events.

This is a cosy little museum with great staff, who in a way are the real attraction. Adult tickets are only 1.50, 75p for children, and it’s free for students. During term time, it’s usually best to visit after 2pm, to avoid the swarms of school visits.

Three miles North of Durham are the ruins of Finchale Priory, built on the site of St Godric’s former hermitage. St Godric’s songs are the oldest English songs with their original sheet music still intact. You can hear three of them here.

With new exhibitions about every month, there is always a reason to visit edan’s Art Block again. You can easily get in touch with them via their Facebook page to check what’s on at the moment.

What do you like to do around Durham without spending much money?

Cover Photo by Tyler Nix