Captain's Log

Durham Peninsula

I was on a one day whistle-stop tour of Durham. I’d just visited the National Trust’s Crook Hall Gardens and now I was going to complete a circular walk based around Durham’s peninsula. I would walk along the River Wear as it headed southwards and then follow its bend to the north. I’d then cross the river and climb up to Durham Cathedral on the top of the peninsula where I’d spend some time taking a tour of the place. After I’d finished with the Cathedral, I’d walk down to the market place and recross the river again to complete a full circuit of the peninsula.     

I was harbouring a badly bruised toe from a running injury and so it felt like I was on more of a hobble than a walk. At least the start was flat and on pavements.  The River Wear was wider than expected, but clearly not very deep since a Cormorant stood in the middle of it drying his wings. There were a plethora of weirs along this section of the Wear which seemed rather appropriate. Durham seemed an unusual city, at least the bits that I saw of it. The peninsula splits the city into east and west halves and these are linked by the busy A690. For most parts of this walk, I could have been walking along a meandering river out in the countryside, since the valley and the valley trees prevented me seeing any urbanisation. That is, except for this first section where there seemed to be a lot of new-build offices, hotels and university campus buildings. King Charles would have probably described these buildings as carbuncles. I have to admit, Durham University’s Business School didn’t inspire me much, at least not from the outside. It definitely felt like a university town with all the youngsters about. I went under the Milburngate Bridge supporting the A690 and gradually left the noisy traffic behind. 

Riverside

This area of the trail was stunning. Both sides of the valley were thick with mature trees, some of them parading their Autumn colours.  The crenelated walls of the Castle and the three towers of Durham Cathedral seemed gigantic as they stood on the shoulders of the hill of the peninsula. As I walked opposite the twin west towers of the Cathedral I saw that there were a few Cormorants standing in the trees below.  Joggers and walkers made use of the trail, but there were not as many people as I thought there might be taking advantage of this scenic setting. I could see that there was also a trail that followed the inner side of the peninsula, although the views of the Castle and the Cathedral would have remained hidden if you used it. 

I could see the 15th century Old Fulling Mill on the other side of the river. Fulling is a process in woollen cloth making which involves washing to remove natural oils, dirt and other impurities. The Wear’s water power was used to pound the wool. I soon reached the Corn Mill which began life as a fulling mill, but then turned to grinding corn. It was rebuilt following the Great Flood of 1771, but had stopped milling by the mid 19th century. There was of course yet another weir at this point to provide a head of water for the two mills. A couple of benches near the mill were occupied by some students who were soaking up the amazing view across the river. I guess there must be worse places in the UK to study for a degree than Durham. A little further along I came across an odd limestone pyramid at the side of the trail. At first I thought it might have been part of some old abutment, but later research revealed it to be a sculpture called Reveal. It has been recreated using the reclaimed sandstone from one of the turrets from the Cathedral that needed replacing. It has a hole running through it. I looked through and only saw leaves, but if you do it mid-winter then you should see the Cathedral. It was made by Richard Cole (although, not the one who was the canon of the Communards). 

I couldn't fathom how the Prebend Bridge got its name, but I found it just at the point where the river starts gradually turning around to subsequently run on the eastern side of the peninsula.  It offered an excellent viewing point looking either way along the river. There was a plaque displaying Sir Walter Scott’s words about Durham,

Yet well I love thy mixed and massive piles

Half church of God, half castle ‘gainst the Scot

And long to roam these venerable aisles
With records stored of deeds long since forgot 

The trail became slightly rougher and gradually made its way further uphill until it brought me out at the graveyard of St Oswald’s Church.  The churchyard has been made into a wildlife meadow according to an information board. The birds must have read the notice since there were a lot of them about. I was rather disappointed to find that the trail then ended at a road busy with traffic. 

Bridging The Peninsula

The busy road section only lasted a couple of minutes and then I entered another area of university campus buildings. I was intrigued by a plaque next to the Kingsgate footpath bridge over the Wear that said it had received a Mature Concrete Structures Award in 1993. It had been opened in November 1663 and so it must have been nice to get this award on its 30th anniversary. Another plaque said that it had also received a Civic Trust Award in 1965 and had been designed by Ove Arup, a name that was familiar to me. Ove was born in Newcastle to Danish and Norwegian parents (hence his name) and specialised in reinforced concrete after getting his engineering degree. Kingsgate Bridge was thought to be one of his most favourite designs.  One of his constraints was that he couldn’t disrupt the University Boat Club that used the river for training. The two halves of the bridge were built in parallel to the river and then rotated 90 degrees so that they met in the middle. A bronze expansion joint was inserted between them to cater for temperature differences. 

A set of steep steps brought me out of the trees and onto a street that led up to the east face of the Cathedral. I have to say that the sandstone east face of Durham Cathedral was spectacular. At this point, I entered it to take a tour inside. This included a visit to see the Magna Carta (one of its versions) and also a climb to the top of the main tower. The Captain’s Log for this can be seen in Durham Cathedral. It was an excellent and interesting place to visit.    

After the tour of the Cathedral, I wandered over to the Castle. You can book yourself on a guided tour, but I had a train to catch and I didn’t have time. I’d leave the Castle for another day. Instead, I headed off walking towards Durham’s old market place. 

Market Place

It was all downhill from the Cathedral to the market area. The street was fairly narrow and lined with twee shops. I felt the oldest fellow on the planet with all the students about. Before I reached the market place I turned right to have a look at the medieval Elvet Bridge. We were on the east side of the peninsula now and it was at this point the river swings eastwards. From the bridge I could see southwards to Ove's Kingsgate Bridge. I retraced my steps over the bridge and continued my quest to the market place. The businesses around the area were mostly cosy  pubs, cafes, book and gift shops. I was therefore surprised to find a Greggs. Judging by the queue, the students were making good use of it. 

The market place was quite a large area. I wandered over to a rather grand statue of a fellow on a horse. He was dressed up in 19th century military uniform. A plaque described him as Charles William Vane Stewart, the 3rd Marquis of Londonderry, Lord Lieutenant  County of Durham, Founder of Seaham Harbour, General in the Army. 'Londonderry', what was that all about? I had to look him up. To be honest, Charles William Vane Stewart wasn’t a nice bloke. The Londonderry title was due to him being a landlord during Ireland's Great Famine. He was known for his cruelty and evicting tenants. He became a colliery owner and in the House of Lords, fiercely opposed the Mines And Collieries Act, a reform which banned women and young boys from the horrific conditions of working in the pits. When his wife funded the statue after his death, the church authorities wouldn’t let it be positioned at the Cathedral and so it ended up in the market place. Less controversial was the nearby statue of a soldier that commemorates those who have been lost in The Durham Light Infantry. 

I left the Market Place and headed westwards alongside the busy A690 and then over Milburngate Bridge. Despite the noise of the traffic, it did offer a wonderful last look along the River Wear and up to the Castle and Cathedral. That was the circuit around the peninsula complete.  Pavement walking took me uphill and within ten minutes I reached Durham Railway Station. 

Today’s walk definitely did not feel like a city walk. There again, how many cities have their centre on a peninsula surrounded by trees and topped with a Castle and Cathedral. The views were stunning. If you do this walk, then I would certainly recommend including the National Trust’s Crook Hall and Durham Cathedral on your itinerary.