Durham - where city meets country
DURHAM is both a city and a county and it’s a struggle to decide which is the most attractive, writes Nick Spoors.
The charms of the latter, the jaw-dropping (both internally and externally) cathedral, the castle and simply the streets themselves have been championed by travel deity Bill Bryson and the readers of The Guardian among many others.
But the wider county has much to recommend it too as long as you arrive with an open mind. The Durham Dales and the North Pennines, let’s be honest, does not have the kind of scenery that usually pulls in holidaymakers (not the particularly lucrative foreign sort anyway).
But you simply have to give it a go and you will be rewarded. “Remote” and “unspoilt” – elsewhere being handy euphemisms for desolate and boring – really are positives once you are here standing among heather-clad moorland and dales seemingly created for tranquil walks. Or if you are more interested in viewing raw power and majesty of nature at work then the mighty curtain of High Force, England’s highest waterfall, is difficult to beat.
You don’t have to stay in the wilderness to appreciate the County Durham’s offer, however, as there are many gems, both obvious and hidden, to be found.
Beamish Museum is a rare example of museum completely breaking out of its mould and becoming an immersive attraction. Essentially it is an area of countryside that has been transformed into a mock-1820s pit village, examples of which studded the county at the time. Not just an exhibit, on most days you can walk the cobbled streets, visit the old sweet shops (where you can see – and taste – the cinder toffee) and even descend into a coal mine for a very interesting tour.
Built in the 1970s, many parents who today take their sons and daughters there will have first visited there themselves on school trips and it continues to fascinate. It should be considered a must for families visiting the county.
Among other attractions closer to the town is the French-style chateau that is now the Bowes Museum, which rears incongruously out of the wilderness. Being in its bleak setting makes it even more surprising that it contains one of Britain’s leading collections of European art. It houses a large variety of works pieced together by industrialist John Bowes (an ancestor of the Queen Mother) and his French wife.
Durham city is hard to ignore though, and it will not be long before you are drawn into its captivating streets and secluded pathways. Cliché it may be but the vast Romanesque cathedral is the real stellar attraction and. As one of the most photographed places of worship in the UK, it has no unfavourable aspect.
Gorgeously up close from the square, romantically below from the riverside, toweringly from the trainline, even inside, it literally makes your mouth fall open. Coupled with a reasonably-priced and truly fascinating tour, there’s a reason why it’s the city’s top tourist draw.
Durham is not all about the past, however. Utterly charming though its streets and people are (another cliché that turns out to ring true), it is intent on turning its face to the future.
A modern complex high above the River Wear near the town hall, which comprises a theatre, restaurants and tourism office, seems to encapsulate the attitude.
Ebony, a swish champagne and cocktail bar within it is a case in point and is a different kind of noughties-style night out if you fancy a more upmarket drink.
Populated almost exclusively by locals, the occasional tray of cup cakes in place of bar snacks are as much a part of the attraction as the reasonably-priced champers, friendly staff and views of the river. It is often busy so you may have to take a seat in the heated outdoor area but that is a small price to pay.
The most visible sign that Durham is determined to embrace modernity is the biannual four-day Lumiere arts extravaganza – a signature event featuring art by the likes of Tracey Emin and local engineers – of which the city is rightly very proud. We were lucky enough to be there for the opening night. Estimates suggest that in 2009 the event, comprising illuminated art installations throughout the city, brought in about 75,000 visitors and almost £1.5 million.
This year it seemed far more were packed into the narrow city centre streets, which made getting around very slow going at times. But that barely detracted from the spectacular sites on offer and it is well worth keeping in mind when 2013 comes around.
One of the most audacious transformations was the Marketplace’s statue of the Marquess of Londonderry, the scourge of the county’s miners, on horseback, which was transformed into a beautiful snow globe with the help of an immense see-through plastic dome, polystyrene pieces and fans, along with a neon “I Love Durham” sign.
Probably the best thing about the city and county is the melding of the old and the new, and the urban and natural.
It is surprising how quickly a walk down a sloping pathway from the bustling shopping streets becomes a stroll along a peaceful wooded riverside. The essence of Durham is that it gives you the best of the city and the countryside often side by side.
Durham, County Durham. Dare I say: “So good they named it twice”?
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