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Stepping into history: Our unforgettable visit to the opening day at Kynren and The Storied Lands. What an extraordinary day we had! If you love history, immersive storytelling and breathtaking live theatre you need to add Kynren in Bishop Auckland to your summer days out. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of everything you need to know to plan your own visit to this magical corner of County Durham.

Getting to Kynren

The event takes place at 11 Arches Park in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. The site sits directly under the shadow of Auckland Castle, offering a fittingly historic backdrop.

By Car: It is very easy to access Kynren from major roads as it is located just off the A689, making it a straightforward drive from Darlington or Durham directions. Please note that parking must be pre-booked online through the Kynren website before you arrive. The Purple (premium) car park is located closest to the event plaza whilst the other car parks require a shuttle bus transfer or short walk to the site.

By Train: The nearest station is Bishop Auckland Railway Station. It is then a short walk to the market place from where you can catch one of the frequent shuttle buses to Kynren.

Performance dates and buying tickets

The standard summer season runs from 18th July to 12th September 2026. The Daytime Park (The Storied Lands) is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10:30am and 4:30pm. The Night Show (An Epic Tale of England) takes place each Saturday night during the season, plus selected Friday nights including 21st August and 4th September.

Day Park Ticket: This gives full access to the brand-new daytime attraction, The Storied Lands, including all live action shows. Tickets: £30 for adults and £20 for children.

Night Show Ticket: Grants access exclusively to the evening performance of An Epic Tale of England. This includes entry to the site 2.5 hours before showtime so you can explore the pre-show areas (excluding day-time shows).

Combined Ticket: This merges the day-time park and the evening theatre show into one unforgettable day out. When purchased, a personalised schedule (known either as the Roman, Viking, Victorian, or Knight) ensures visitors see each live show without clashing and time to spare between shows.

The Storied Lands: The Daytime Themed Experience

The afternoon is dedicated to The Storied Lands, the UK’s brand new, live action show park. This is an immersive, theatrical park where history is brought to life across beautifully crafted, large scale sets. Here is how each of the magnificent themed areas is presented:

Land of the Vikings

The Land of the Vikings show takes visitors back to the age of the Vikings through an exciting live performance. Set in a recreated Viking settlement, the show tells the story of a community divided between those who seek peace and those who are driven by the desire for conquest. Featuring thrilling battle scenes, impressive stunts, fire effects and authentic Norse culture, the performance brings Viking history and legends to life in an immersive and memorable way.

The Lost Feather

The Lost Feather show is a spectacular live-action experience celebrating the beauty and wonder of birds. The story follows a Young Bird Guardian and a Wise Guardian as they explore the special connection between humans and the natural world. With hundreds of birds flying overhead, including cranes, falcons, macaws, owls and eagles.

The show combines music, lights, water and stunning flight displays to create a magical journey about protecting wildlife and the future of our planet. More than 250 magnificent birds take to the skies throughout the show in a beautifully choreographed free-flight performance. Seeing so many birds soaring in unison right above our heads was a true highlight of the afternoon.

The Trusty Steed

The Trusty Steed show is a thrilling medieval equestrian performance filled with daring horse riding, skilled trick riders and exciting stunts. The show follows a fearless female warrior as she proves her courage through incredible feats on horseback. With powerful horses, dramatic action, music, and fast-paced choreography, it brings the world of knights and medieval legends to life in a spectacular arena experience.

Legend of the Wear

The Legend of the Wear at Kynren is a dramatic and magical retelling of the famous North East legend of the Lambton Worm. Set beside a huge lake, the show brings the old tale to life with a young hero, John, who must face fear, danger, and a mysterious force rising from the water. The performance combines storytelling, thrilling stunts, water effects, and powerful moments of action to create a truly unforgettable experience. 

Exploring the Viking Settlement and Imaginarium

Exploring the Viking Settlement gives visitors the chance to experience everyday life from the Viking age in a truly immersive way. As you wander through the settlement, you can meet skilled artisans demonstrating traditional crafts, watch them create items using historic techniques and learn more about the skills and trades that were essential to Viking communities. The animals also add to the atmosphere, bringing the settlement to life and giving a glimpse of the close relationship between people and animals in the past.

The Victorian Imaginarium is a character led experience featuring Professor Flambard, setting out his vision for the future in the Victorian Era. This is set within a period street environment with authentic shops, such as a Victorian General Store which visitors are free to enter and explore.

This experience also provides a preview of Kynren’s expansion plans, with a larger Flambards Victorian Village due to open in future years. It is a fascinating preview of what could come next and how the Kynren experience may continue to evolve.

Evening Performance: An Epic Tale of England

As the evening light began to fade, the excitement grew as we all made our way into the magnificent open-air Tribune Theatre for the highlight of the day: Kynren – An Epic Tale of England. The purpose-built theatre seats 8,000 people and provides a spectacular view across the enormous 7.5-acre stage, setting the scene for a truly immersive experience.

The 90 minute performance takes the audience on a remarkable journey through 2,000 years of British history, bringing some of the nation’s most iconic stories and events to life. From the legends of King Arthur and the arrival of the Romans to the grandeur of Shakespearean England and the dramatic changes of the Industrial Revolution, each scene unfolds with incredible energy and emotion.

What makes Kynren so impressive is the sheer scale of the production. Around 1,000 dedicated volunteers take part as actors, dancers and stunt performers, moving expertly between scenes and characters with extraordinary skill and enthusiasm. Their commitment brings a real sense of passion and authenticity to the performance.

The involvement of live animals adds another dimension, with horses, geese, sheep, and other animals helping to recreate the atmosphere of different periods in history. Their presence makes the scenes feel very natural adding to the feeling that history is unfolding right in front of you.

The special effects are equally remarkable, with ships emerging from the darkness, a castle rising beside the lake, and a combination of lighting, projections, water effects, and pyrotechnics transforming the stage into a constantly changing landscape.

The finale was a breathtaking conclusion to an already unforgettable evening. As the full cast gathered across the vast stage, the performance reached an emotional high before leading into a spectacular fireworks display. The night sky above Bishop Auckland was filled with light, colour and music, creating a magical ending that perfectly captured the scale, imagination and spirit of Kynren.

Dining Options at Kynren

Time Travellers’ Feast

If you want to make your Kynren visit even more memorable, consider booking the new Time Travellers’ Feast before the evening performance. This immersive dining experience combines live entertainment with a three-course meal inspired by different periods of history. You’ll be welcomed by Roman soldiers before enjoying a Tudor-inspired starter, a hearty Viking main course and Victorian-inspired desserts, with costumed characters and storytelling taking place throughout the meal.

Priced at £68 per person, the experience includes a Roman-inspired welcome cocktail, a three-course sharing feast, a glass of wine with the main course, and tea or coffee to finish. The feast is an optional extra and must be booked alongside a valid Kynren night show ticket, as it cannot be purchased separately.

Food Outlets

As the personalised itineraries build in comfortable gaps between performances, we never felt rushed. These intervals can be utilised to explore the variety of food courts and dining outlets scattered around the grounds. From food stalls serving pizzas and burgers, to kiosks where you can grab a cup of tea and a slice of cake, there is something for everyone.

We enjoyed a memorable day at Kynren and hope you will too!

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We were guests of Kynren and as always, all views and opinions are entirely my own.