A small woodland area on the Old River Tees, a circular trail through varied landscapes, and historic sites with specific dates give Thornaby On Tees a range of options to explore during your stay.
Woodland and landscape
Harewood Pleasure Gardens is a small woodland area in Thornaby on the Old River Tees. The Thornaby Trail is an 8.5-mile (14 km) circular route connecting landscapes, woodland areas and riverside areas around Thornaby. The two options differ in scale: Harewood Pleasure Gardens is a specific woodland area, while the trail brings several landscape features together in one loop.
If you include nature in your travel plans, you can choose between a specific woodland area and a longer route through different landscape areas. The circular trail has a clearly stated length and explicitly connects woodland and riverside areas; Harewood Pleasure Gardens offers a distinct local connection to the Old River Tees.
Active option and getting there
Air Trail Tees Barrage is located on a small peninsula that divides the river. The facility reaches a height of 18 metres and includes two rail-like zip lines. It also includes Air Tykes, a smaller version for children who are not yet tall enough for the main adventure. The difference in size between the two options is therefore a practical consideration when planning together.
Air Trail Tees Barrage is a 20-minute walk from the nearest railway station in Thornaby. This describes the walk from the station to the attraction. It answers a different planning question from the 8.5 miles (14 km), which is the length of the Thornaby Trail.
Local history with specific dates
St Peter ad Vincula Church on the Village Green in Thornaby dates back to the 12th century. There is a stone with a runic inscription on the exterior wall, as well as a stone with an engraved pattern. Its age and location, along with these two distinct details on the exterior wall, give the church several specific historical points of interest.
Thornaby’s Five Lamps were erected in 1874 and soon became a focal point of the old town. Their history also includes a later change of location: after renovation, they were moved in 2010 to their present position opposite The Roundel on Acklam Road. This makes it possible to distinguish between their original erection and their later relocation as two separate milestones.
Another historical theme concerns aviation. RAF Thornaby was first put into operation as an airfield in the mid-1920s; an RAF memorial was erected in Thornaby in 1997. The two dates refer to different events: the airfield’s opening and the erection of the memorial. Together, they add another dated aspect to the local history.
Discover more destinations: Wolviston, Yarm, Longnewton, Stockton-On-Tees.
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