Bowes Museum and Barnard Castle

18th April 2024. An experienced guide explained the story of the museum founders and its history whilst touring the museum and highlighting favourite pieces in the collection. The tours principally visited galleries on the first floor and the three European Picture Galleries on the second floor where The Swan was to be found. (It was hoped that The Swan will be working at the time of our visit). After spending time in the museum you could walk in the parkland or stroll into Barnard Castle to enjoy the antique shops and cafes, although there is a cafe at the museum.

The Three Museums, Ripon

Thursday 16th May 2024.

Scampston Hall and walled garden

Thursday 20th June 2024,.

The visit began with a private tour of Scampston Hall, one of the finest examples of a Regency country house in North Yorkshire. After the tour there was an opportunity to visit the walled garden journeying through the perennial meadow and enjoy the calm of the entirely green ‘silent’ garden. Beyond the walls the traditional hall gardens and parkland offered beautiful walks and stunning views.

Burnby Hall and Gardens, Pocklington

Thursday 11th July 2024.

These unique gardens are home to a National collection of over 80 varieties of water lilies which bloom on the upper and lower lakes between June and August. In addition, there are several formal gardens situated around the lakes including The Aviary Garden, The Walled Garden, The Edwardian Garden, The Rock Garden, The Stumpery, and The Birch Walk. The Stewart Museum houses artefacts collected by Major Percy Stewart. For refreshments there is The Lilypad Cafe.

Brassed Off

Thursday 22nd August 2024

Stephen Joseph Theatre Production “Brassed Off”. Based on screenplay by Mark Harmon and directed by Liz Stevenson. Join Guisborough u3a for a matinee performance on Thursday 22nd August - cost £32. It’s 1994 and the tight-knit community of Grimley, Yorkshire are fighting to keep their colliery open. Meanwhile, revered bandleader Danny battles to keep his dispirited band of brass playing miners together with the dream of qualifying for the National Championships at the Albert Hall.  With their whole way of life at stake, can the band find find a way of playing on? This production will feature live music from local brass bands to deliver a soul stirring theatrical experience.

Beamish Museum

Thursday 19th September 2024

Beamish is a world famous open air museum telling the story of life in North East England during the 1820s, 1900s, 1940s and 1950s. You can call into 1820s Pockerley Old Hall and enjoy the magnificent gardens. Visit a 1900s colliery and pit village as well as a town from the same era. Discover how life was on the Home Front during the Second World War at the 1940s farm. Explore the 1950s town. There is the chance to use the tramway to move around the site.

Nissan Tour

Thursday 10th October 2024

A guided tour of the Nissan car manufacturing plant at Sunderland. The tour includes the Press Shop, Body Assembly Shop, and Final Assembly and Test.

Newcastle

Thursday 14th November 2024

Coach only. Shopping, sightseeing or gallery visits? It was a lovely sunny day!

AGLOW

Thursday 5th December 2024, Christmas and AGLOW Light Trail at The Auckland Project. The visit included Auckland Castle which was transformed this festive season with traditional Christmas decorations taking visitors on a journey through time. The Neapolitan Nativity, a monumental 18th Century Nativity scene from Naples will surprise and delight visitors to the Faith Museum. AGLOW will light up the skies of Bishop Auckland. Embark on a dazzling 1.5 mile journey through Auckland Castle’s gardens and grounds with 17 mesmerising installations. We will have exclusive early access to the AGLOW light trail and enjoy a festive drink and mince pie.

BBC Big Band

Thursday 6th March 2025, BBC Big Band – The Sound of Cinema at Darlington Hippodrome Theatre. Cost £30. Inspired by some of the greatest movie sound tracks of all time the BBC Big Band are joined by special guest vocalist Emer McParland to celebrate The Sound of Cinema. Featuring numbers from films such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, “Meet me in St. Louis”, “Alfie”, “Shaft”, “Pink Panther” and “James Bond”.

Allerton Castle and Boroughbridge

Wednesday 9th April 2025 - Allerton Castle and Boroughbridge. Cost £35. Allerton Castle is one of England’s most illustrious gothic revival stately homes. Enter it’s time capsule for an insight into by-gone eras and be enchanted by the ambiance of a castle once owned by Prince Frederick (the “Grand Old Duke of York”and brother to King George 6th). Weather and time allowing you can also walk in the grounds after the tour.
We plan to arrive at the castle at 11am for tea/coffee and cake before enjoying a talk on the history of the castle. This will be followed by a tour of the castle which lasts approximately 2 hours. We will leave the castle at approximately 2pm with a stop in Boroughbridge to allow people to have a late lunch.

Thursday 15th May 2025. Markenfield Hall and Harrogate. Cost £36.00. Markenfield Hall is a much loved family home set within stunning Yorkshire countryside south of Ripon. It is a moated, medieval Manor House. It is supposed to be the most continuously inhabited house in the country. During the visit you may encounter family muddle, dogs, and sometimes grandchildren. A guided tour of the house is included followed by tea/coffee and cake. Weather and time permitting there may be the opportunity to explore the gardens.
We will make our way to Markenfield via Harrogate, where you will have time to browse and get some lunch.

Thursday 12th June 2025 - The Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park. Cost £35.00. The Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park is home to over 90 striking contemporary sculptures situated within 45 acres of stunning woodland and gardens. The microclimate of the valley makes it fertile ground for the rare blue poppy, alongside the north’s largest collection of rhododendrons , azaleas, and magnolias with nearly 20,000 plants. The gardens are further enhanced by a pagoda, summerhouse, Norse hut, contemplation circle, and Himalayan shelter all complimented by three lakes, and decorative bridges. There will be a tour of the garden lasting approximately one and a half hours commencing at 11am after which you will be free to explore at your leisure. There is an on site tea room serving hot and cold lunches, cakes and tray bakes. There is also a plant nursery. NB Due to the extensive nature of the gardens there will be a good deal of walking involved and some of it may be on uneven ground.

Tuesday 15th July 2025 - Rokeby Park and Barnard Castle. Cost £25. Our first stop will be in Barnard Castle so you can wander around the town and have lunch before we leave at 13:45pm to continue our journey to Rokeby Park where we will have a tour of the house as well as the opportunity to take the short walk across the lawn to the gorge through which the River Greta flows. This area was created as a 'pleasure ground' in the 18th century and was a place of inspiration for Sir Walter Scott and artists such as Turner and Cotman. Rokeby Park is a Palladian style house built by Sir Thomas Robinson between 1725 and 1730. Rokeby is known as the setting for Sir Walter Scott’s ballad of that name, and from 1805-1905 it was home to Velasquez’s ‘Rokeby Venus’. The house contains period furniture; a unique collection of needlework pictures by Anne Morritt (1726-1797); a rare surviving Print Room, and a recently restored painting depicting the coronation of Louis XIV. Guisborough u3a enjoyed a really interesting tour of Rokeby Park a Palladian home near Barnard Castle.  A hidden gem in the Durham countryside.

Thursday 14th August 2025 - Ryedale Vineyards (via Helmsley). Cost £40. Join Guisborough u3a on a visit to Ryedale Vineyards for a tour and tasting. Ryedale Vineyard is one of the most northerly commercial vineyards in the UK and is a family run business in North Yorkshire at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds near to York. Recently voted one of the 12 best vineyards to visit, Ryedale regularly wins awards for its wines. All aspects of production from pruning to harvesting, to pressing, fermenting, bottling, and labelling are carried out by hand in a converted cow byre. Our visit will include an informal, humorous and informative guided tour and tasting. The tour will start with visitors shown the vines and vineyard and concludes with sampling wines and ciders with local cheeses. Tours typically last two and a half hours. Visitors are advised to dress appropriately & wear suitable footwear as this is an outdoor activity. We will be stopping off in Helmsley on our way to Ryedale allowing approximately an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half to look around and either buy lunch or find somewhere to eat your own picnic.

Thursday 18th September 2025 - Ushaw Historic House and Gardens. Cost £35. After tea and coffee we will enjoy a guided tour of the house and chapel and discover the history of Ushaw from its beginnings as a secret religious community for training priests 200 years ago to it being opened for the whole community in 2014. Enjoy the gardens including beautiful borders and vivid, vibrant rhododendrons, as well as the 400 red roses and clematis that were planted in 2016 in memory of Ushaw students that fought and died in World War One. There is a cafe onsite. 

Thursday 23rd October 2025 - Come from Away. Evening performance at Darlington Hippodrome by Darlington Operatic Society. Cost £37.00. Come from Away is an uplifting smash hit show which shares the incredible real life story of the 7,000 air passengers from all over the world who were grounded in Canada during the wake of 9/11 and the small Newfoundland community that invited these “come from aways” into their lives and community.

Thursday 13th November 2025 - Coach trip to Newcastle. Guisborough u3a’s November excursion was to Newcastle. Members admired Fenwick's Christmas window - a Christmas Carol.  Visited the Laing Art Gallery and started Christmas shopping.  A small group also walked around the old town, admiring the architecture, visiting St Nicholas Cathedral and viewing the Castle. 
Despite the dreadful weather everyone enjoyed their day.

Thursday 4th December 2025 - 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' at Castle Howard. Members of Guisborough u3a visited Castle Howard to see the ‘Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ Christmas display which was truly wonderful and enjoyed by all.

Wednesday 25th March 2026 - Beyond the Barricade at Billingham Forum (evening performance). Cost £40.00. This is the UK’s longest running musical theatre concert and features 2 hours of music from the West End and Broadway, including music from Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, West Side Story, Miss Saigon, Blood Brothers, and ends with a spectacular finale from Les Miserables.