Pursuing my Masters in Marketing Management at Durham University meant that I was based in a small university town called Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton). A quick Google search on Stockton-on-Tees will tell you that it’s primarily a University town. So, yes it does motivate students to travel around to neighbouring cities. There are several buses that operate between Stockton and neighbouring cities, Durham, Middlesbrough and Newcastle. As a Durham University student, my student ID allowed me to hop on to the X1 bus, which allowed me to go Durham city for free.
The bus ride from Stockton to Durham is beautiful if you seat yourself on the top decker of the bus. I much prefer the bus ride between Newcastle and Stockton though. Through several visits to Durham, I have hand-picked favourite spots within both cities.
Some of my favourite landmarks in Durham & Stockton:
Durham Cathedral
One of the first spots I had visited in Durham was the Durham Cathedral. As part of attending the Matriculation day, we were all asked to sit in rows within the Durham Cathedral. I remember entering the cathedral and warping back to the time in which it was built, which a Google search tells me is in 1093! It’s absolutely stunning how well the cathedral has been maintained. The windows of the cathedral are sparkling clean and look like they were installed recently. Legend has it that a couple of scenes in the third Harry Potter film, The Prisoner of Azkaban, were filmed in the green courtyard of the cathedral.
Durham Castle
The Durham Castle is located right opposite the cathedral. It isn’t open to the public. But, it does open up on the day of the University Ball. I remember entering the doors of the castle and being mesmerised by the architecture. The ball was held closer to the evening and as a result the castle was lit using candles and this just elevated the character and beauty of the castle exponentially. It definitely felt like I was trapped within a painting.
Botanic Garden
The Botanic Garden is by far the most beautiful and peaceful spaces in Durham. There are several gardens within the Botanic Garden which I absolutely loved, namely, the Winter Garden, the Alpine Garden and the Woodland Garden. These are some that I can recall from memory. And! there is a beautiful glasshouse, built around the concept of the greenhouse. And and! the coffee shop in the garden is also a huge attraction for me. Here’s a photo I had taken using the ‘panorama’ mode on my phone and it just fills me up with tranquillity and joy to see a lone bench in the midst of greenery.
Elvet Bridge
One of my favourite spots in Durham City is the Elvet Bridge. The history of the bridge is so interesting. It was built for the purpose of urban development in the area. Wikipedia explains, “Elvet Bridge is a mediaeval masonry arch bridge across the River Wear in the city of Durham. It links the peninsula in central Durham and the Elvet area of the city”. Today, there are row boats attached at the base of the Elvet Bridge, where a group of people can go on a short boat ride, specially during summer. It is Durham’s version of punting. The views are picturesque and its a calming experience. I do regret not frequenting the bridge and doing the boat rides more often. Here’s a photo from one of our boating escapades back in 2013. I do hope to return to Durham soon to re-live this experience!
Infinity Bridge
Speaking of bridges, I’ve always been fascinated by the history behind why the bridges were built. Especially in the UK, where a lot of attention is given to maintaining the structural integrity and history of bridges. Stockton has several bridges which have historical significance. In fact, there’s a bridge right in front of the Durham University building on the Stockton campus called the Infinity Bridge. The bridge was built recently, in 2000, but its one of the most famous bridges in Stockton owing to it’s unique design. With the reflection in the river, it looks like an infinity symbol. It does give aspiring photographers like me to take stunning photos of the bridge and the ever-changing colours in the sky and the water.