Wharton Park

The Parks and Countryside Service offers a broad programme of educational activities that inspire an understanding of the natural world and local heritage, encourage physical activity, stimulate the imagination and bring learning to life.

Our learning programme is designed to encourage children to engage with the natural world, develop their understanding of seasonal change, explore environmental issues and how to protect our wild spaces. Our key focus is igniting curiosity, imagination and bringing learning to life through hands on practical activities that weave into the curriculum.

Our school workshops take place at our destination parks of Hardwick Park in Sedgefield and Wharton Park in Durham City. We can also offer outreach workshops in your school grounds and at some of the many Countryside sites that we look after. Hardwick and Wharton Park have rich regional history and a range of natural environments in which to explore many themes.

Both Hardwick and Wharton Park hold the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge. This means you can be assured that our provision meets a certain set of standards, in terms of both content and delivery and what you can expect from a visit with us.

There has been a formal park at the site of Wharton Park since 1857 with its history being both colourful and diverse.

Wharton Park was created by William Lloyd Wharton (1789-1867). He lived nearby at Dryburn, (where the hospital is today). William inherited the land on which the park and railway station was built.

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Big Lottery Fund and us, improvements include a new Heritage Centre, café, new play areas and improvements to the park's amphitheatre, miniature car track, footpaths, signs and main entrances.