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There isn’t a single rollercoaster at Kynren in County Durham, but that hasn’t stopped it being named one of the best new attractions in Europe.
Kynren: The Storied Lands, which opened in Bishop Auckland in July, was one of seven European Top New Attraction winners at the 2026 Parksmania Awards, handed out on Lake Garda in Italy earlier this month. The category usually picks out six to eight European parks each year, recognising everything from new rollercoasters and dark rides to shows and special events. It wasn’t the only British winner, with Valgard, Paultons Park’s £12 million Viking-themed area also on the list.
Instead of rides, it’s all about live performance. The Storied Lands is billed as the UK’s first theme park dedicated to live shows, with five productions spread across the day. In ‘The Lost Feather’, more than 250 birds, from pelicans and scarlet ibis to birds of prey, fly freely over the audience, while ‘Legend of the Wear’ is a water show performed on a lake and inspired by folklore from the north east of England. ‘Land of the Vikings’ recreates a Viking village complete with blacksmiths, fisherwomen and a jousting tournament, and ‘The Trusty Steed’ is an equestrian show packed with stunts on horseback.
Before this park, Kynren was best known for ‘An Epic Tale of England’, a huge outdoor night show that tells stories from England’s past with a huge cast, music and special effects. That production has been going on for a decade and hit its 100th performance this year after welcoming more than 450,000 spectators. The award recognised both of Kynren’s projects together, with the idea being that you spend the day in The Storied Lands before staying on for the night show.
‘To receive international recognition in our very first season is a wonderful moment for everyone who has helped bring The Storied Lands to life,’ said Kynren chief executive Anna Warnecke. ‘We knew when we started that we were attempting something very different.’
The park also happened to be one of Time Out’s top new things to do in the UK this year. Sadly, the opportunity to visit in 2026 has now passed. The Storied Lands has closed after its first summer and is due to reopen on 7 July 2027. When it does, it’ll be joined by a new attraction called Victorian Imaginariums, where visitors can explore more than 40 Victorian shops, homes and scenes.
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