Beamish is one of those places that I discovered online before I even came to England. I’ve always had a thing for living history museums, so Beamish was an absolute must on my UK Bucket List.
The whole thing is set up to mimic what life would have been like in Victorian Era England. There is a town, a colliery, a farm, and a railway station. In the town, there are houses representing the homes of a piano teacher, a solicitor, and a dentist.
I also visited the print shop, where a nice older gentleman scared me off platen presses for life. I’d like to keep all my limbs intact, thanks…
Next it was off for a quick look around the railway station (where you can take a short trip on a train drawn by a steam engine), the farm (where I saw a rake that’s even older than my dad’s), and the colliery (where I took a tour of the mine shaft, but it was too dark to take pictures).
But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that my favorite part of the day was all the critters! Horses, ponies, pigs, goats, and reindeer? They sure know how to pamper a girl.
The weather was kind of lousy and we only had 4 hours to explore, so I definitely want to go back. Maybe in the early summer, when there will be crops growing in the fields–especially since I didn’t really get over to see the farm before we had to leave. Even if we’d had all day, I still don’t think I would have been able to see everything. It is a wonderful place, and definitely worth a second (or third or fourth or fifth) visit!
Planning a trip to England?
Be sure to add Beamish to your travel plans. You won’t regret it!
Helpful Sites
If you're planning a trip, here are some sites that I've found especially useful:
Booking.com is a great resource for cheap accommodations. They have a good variety of both hotels and hostels, so no matter your budget, you're bound to find something to suit.
Hostelworld is also good for cheap accommodations if you're digging the hostel scene.
TripAdvisor has a lot of very useful information, from reviews of attractions and travel-related businesses to forums where you can ask your questions and have them answered by locals or travel experts.
