Christmas Shopping in Barnard Castle

It may not be London or Edinburgh but there is an interesting choice of places for that bespoke or quirky Christmas gift!

Sometimes it gets a bit dull when you are out Christmas shopping looking through the offerings of the big high street stores.... socks, ties, perfume, the list goes on and unless you have a big budget then it can be a bit difficult to find something different and unique. Barnard Castle is a charming historic market town that allows you to combine a bit of shopping with a trip to the Bowes Museum, a walk around the castle and riverside or a cup of tea and slice of cake in one of the many tea rooms/coffee shops. There are also some great independent shops with antiques being the speciality of the town. Antiques probably don't jump to the front of your mind when planning Christmas shopping but for that person who is difficult to buy for it could provide an inspirational answer. A gift that is unique, interesting and most importantly, thoughtful. If you spend an hour or two on 'the Bank' in Barny wandering between the collection of antique shops you could well stumble across the perfect gift. After a good day trudging around the shops you will be ready to retire to the Rose & Crown in the pretty village of Romaldkirk just 6 miles up the dale from Barnard Castle. The welcome sight of the fire in the cosy bar, friendly staff and great food and drink awaits. If you are staying the night then our comfortable and stylish rooms offer a peaceful night's sleep before waking up to a delicious Teesdale breakfast. We have some excellent deals for short stays in the winter months and if you are lucky it might be one of those lovely cold crisp sunny days for a brisk walk in the dale - bliss! If it is cold and wet then the bar isn't a bad place to be.