And a few pears too! I was at Durham Old Gardens. Where better for a Heritage event than with these ancient fruit trees and an old stone wall?
Midway through Becky’s September Squares challenge. Hope you are all In the Pink! It’s my ambition in life to be two steps behind Debbie. She takes Six Words to the loveliest heights. Wishing you all a great Saturday!
Scarcely were my feet back on English soil, last November, than I was scampering up to Durham to see Lumiere 2017. The consensus was that, in comparison with previous shows, this one was a bit of a disappointment. It’s hard to maintain such standards as were set in November 2015.
I’ve been so busy sharing my Algarve exploits that I’d almost forgotten about the show. I thought it time to show you a few of my highlights, before I move on. As usual I started my tour in daylight, curious as to what I’d find. Below we have ‘Dome and Arches’ in the Market Place.
One of my favourite light installations took place in Durham University Botanic Garden. ‘For the Birds’ was very clever and wonderfully atmospheric, but extremely difficult to reproduce in photographs. Softly tweeting birds, suspended on fine wires, swooped through the trees in the darkness. Patches of dramatic colour illuminated the valley, leading you on a magical journey.
Castle and Cathedral next. ‘Our Moon’ smiles, blinks, twitches and frowns as the faces of Durham’s residents animate the facade of the Castle. The Cathedral complex came in for a lot of criticism. The Nave of the Cathedral was flooded in an eerie light, while the cloisters featured ‘Entre Les Rangs’, illuminated ‘flowers’ intended as a tribute to shimmering fields of wheat.
In all there were 28 installations, scattered throughout the city. My opening photos were taken inside St. Oswald’s Church and were probably my greatest challenge. ‘What Matters’ features thousands of hand-blown glass pieces, depicting the birth of light in the universe. Incredibly beautiful.
I hope any hangovers are long gone. and that you enjoyed this look back with me. Don’t forget to share your Six Words with Debbie.
I shall be busy helping my son to move home, so I thought I could leave you with a bit of fun from the Brass Band Festival in Durham last weekend. The atmosphere was great and we had a smashing time, despite drizzly, miserable weather. It’s not the same as being there but I have videos of my favourite two bands, Back Chat Brass and Xaral’s Dixie (all the way from Portugal- small world!)
Sharing six words with Debbie will keep you out of mischief. Go on- you know you want to! Happy weekend!
Stroll along the river bank with me, in the heart of Durham City, and let me take you to an idyllic garden. I intended to visit a new exhibition at Durham Cathedral but, as luck would have it, it was closed that day. I’m a firm believer in serendipity and, as the gentle sunshine warmed my cheeks, I suddenly knew where I wanted to go.
Crook Hall dates from 13th century and is a vision in golden ivy-clad stone. It sits back a little from the footpath and the gently elevated position makes for majestic views over Durham. Crook is a Grade 1 listed Medieval hall with a rich and colourful history. As all such places should, it has a resident ghost, ‘The White Lady’, and has been enjoyed by such luminaries as William Wordsworth and John Ruskin. Today I’m going to focus on the garden rooms, described on the website as each having their own personality.
It’s impossible to ignore the constant presence of the house. It provides a benign backdrop, yet with an almost tangible air of mystery.
Close by the house, a secret garden has been in existence for more than 700 years.
Statuary is an integral part of the gardens. Nymphs and maidens shake out their tresses, demurely lower their eyes, or gaze seductively out. Monks perform solemn duties, urns cast playful shadows and a rather mischievous Puck plays his pan pipes, sheltered beneath a weathered tree.
The golden lady follows me with her eyes, and what of the lady reclining, neglected, on the bare earth? She must have a story to tell. Ornate chairs and benches invite me to linger, admiring the pure white snowdrops. Beyond the lake, fiery witch hazel brands the limpid blue sky.
I drift from ‘room to room’, each leading to the next, yet independent and sufficient in itself. A mighty lion bench, breathing fire, gives me pause.
Through a gate, precisely trimmed hedges in the newest of these still evolving gardens, etched with remnants of winter shadows.
Leaving the house behind, I wander down towards the rusty maze, bereft of leaves this early in the year. Did you glimpse the koala, dangling in the tree? And yet another selfie! One more surprise awaits- a softly slumbering giant!
And then I’m back at the entrance and The Garden Gate Cafe. (open all day, separately from the Hall, but there are Tea Rooms inside the Hall too) The Sparkling Afternoon Tea looked very inviting but my lift had arrived and so I’ll have to disappoint you yet again. No cake! How come you missed this place, Jude? It would have been a natural for the Garden Challenge.
Down at the river bank, this scene awaits, but if you turn and walk back towards the cathedral you might just be able to catch the exhibition, Open Treasure. And if not, Durham Cathedral is always beautiful.
Lots of walks to share this week and I hope you can spare time to visit as many as you can. Especially as I won’t be posting a walk next week. I will, I hope, be skip, hop and jumping (or walking) in Florence. I don’t want to schedule a walk in my absence because it’s too hard to catch up again afterwards. So I hope you’ll forgive me if I hang on to any walks you share till the following week? Details are all on my Jo’s Monday walk page.
Eddy was close in my footsteps last week, but his were even cooler!
There’s nothing nicer than a gentle stroll with Jude. Treat yourself!
Anabel ventured further up the coast from me, in some delightful villages :
Another coastal path for you, but Eunice is over on the other coast :
Anglesey Coastal Path- the White Arch and Tyger’s memorial
Two for the price of one from Eunice this week!
Imagine my surprise on seeing Ana’s post! Right on my very own doorstep :
Strolling along the River Wear in Durham
Quite a leap of the imagination from Durham to Buenos Aires, Ana :
Beloved Argentinian characters at Paseo de la Historieta
Jackie’s having fun down Mexico way- lovely bougainvillea!
I do love Woolly’s perspective on life!
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Lady Lee is completely at home in the Philippines :
And Liesbet is pretty good at balancing a budget!
Laguna Beach, CA- On a Shoestring
Amy’s back, and she’s chosen to ride, but who can blame her?
I love Yvette’s take on life, but brrrh, those Falls look chilly!
Walk with Jo in Niagara, NY (doors and windows)
Drake is always irrepressible. Got to love him!
Isn’t it always walking weather? Well mostly, when you’re with Susan :
And Carol has a most appropriate question :
Rounding off with a highly informative walk from Denzil. He’s doing a grand job promoting Belgium :
Walking from Tervuren to Bertem
And Cathy, beavering away in the States, but still found time to walk with me :
Philadelphia : the south mural arts walk
Remember- no Monday walk next week! But I’ll try to find you some cake in Florence. Stay safe till the next time!
It’s been a cold and murky old week here in the north east of England, but are we down-hearted? Reasons to be cheerful this week include a stroll through the back streets of Durham, and a trip to Newcastle-on-Tyne to meet up with a lovely friend. I came across a few Numbers along the way.
Share your ‘reasons to be cheerful’ with Cate at Six Word Saturday. Have a good weekend and I’ll see you on Monday for a cool, English walk.
“Where will I find a crocus walk?” I asked my garden expert husband. “I’ve searched the web and can’t find one anywhere!” He gave me one of those looks, and said “You can’t find one, because there isn’t one. You’ll have to make do with snowdrops.” Now, I have nothing against snowdrops. Most years I visit our local snowdrop walk, in Greatham village. I simply felt a need for the uplifting surge of crocus colour.
Never one to let me down, as we drove towards Durham he said thoughtfully, “What about Shincliffe Village?” It seemed like a good idea. 
We parked in Durham and walked out along the river- a direction we’ve taken many times before. From nowhere, one of those sparkling Spring days had materialised. Rowing teams skulled by vigorously, and the whole world seemed to have taken up sport. A university town, Durham has no shortage of able-bodied youth to indulge in running, throwing and kicking a ball.
One side of the river is still barriered off, following a serious landslide a year or so ago. I was delighted to see that work has finally started on the precarious river bank. The path will be open again to walkers. A gentle sun filtered through bare branches, reflecting ethereally in the river.
Out beyond the extensive sports facilities, the path meets the A177 at Shincliffe Bridge. Cross over the busy road carefully and you reach ‘The Rose Tree’- a pub with an inviting beer garden. A sign directs you to Shincliffe Village. As you enter the village, you’ll see the Poplar Tree garden centre. Always busy, I’m never sure if the plants or the tea rooms are the main attraction. Beyond this point no-one but the inhabitants of the village seem to venture. Which is a great shame, unless of course you are a villager and value your peace and quiet.
Did I mention crocuses? I had a real treat in store. And not only the crocus, but a bevy of Spring beauty.
Shincliffe is regarded as one of the most affluent villages in Durham, according to Wikipedia. Which is a pity as I could quite see myself living there. I was surprised to find that the Anglo-Saxon origin of the name Shincliffe means ‘steep hill of evil spirits’. The history of the village goes back to Roman times, when there is thought to have been a ford where Shincliffe Bridge now spans the River Wear.
In the Middle Ages Shincliffe belonged to the Prior of Durham Cathedral. It was a largely agricultural community until coal mining came to the area, with a resulting expansion. I was unaware that Shincliffe had had a railway station, but it was in fact Durham’s first. It opened in 1839, as part of the line to Sunderland, but closed again in 1893. The closure of the colliery meant a dwindling population. Shincliffe today is a gentle haven, seeming to have not a care in the world.
A small green leads to a row of raised houses, set back from the road. Originally the Durham to Stockton road ran right through the village. The post office would have been a busy place then. Now it’s a private residence. In 1826 a tithe barn was consecrated to become a Chapel of Ease for the community. It proved a little too cold and draughty, and in 1866 became the Rectory.
John Wesley is known to have preached in Shincliffe in 1780, and in 1874 a Methodist (Wesleyan) chapel was opened- the pretty one in the photos. The parish church, St. Mary the Virgin, was only completed in 1851. Snowdrops swaddled the graveyard in a soothing white blanket. I lingered, reading a few headstones and admiring the rose coloured church doors.
I peered through the windows of the Seven Stars Inn rather longingly. It was already lunchtime but my husband had to get back for an appointment. Go and press your nose up against their menu. You might be tempted. Alternatively, try the Brambles tea rooms at the garden centre, or maybe The Rose Tree. For me, it’s a swift walk back along the river, but not before I look for Shincliffe Hall. A sign points to it, down a private road. But it’s by invitation only.
There are some interesting snippets of village history, if you’re minded that way, under the link ‘steep hill of evil spirits’. Shincliffe is easy to find from the city of Durham. Do you know of a ‘crocus walk’ near you? I hope you enjoyed mine. Spring is wonderful, isn’t it?
Many thanks to all of you who keep me company each week. I do appreciate you looking over my shoulder and enjoying the view. If you’d like to join in with a walk of your own, you’d be very welcome. Details are on my Jo’s Monday walks page. Just click on the logo above.
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The joy of having a son. Ask Jesh- she’ll tell you!
Anabel’s found a mural by one of my favourite street artists :
Saints and sinners : a Glasgow urban walk
Smidge had me packing my bags to head for the Borders with this post :
Jackie is STILL strolling around in Mexico! Would you credit it?
Amy has some ravishing gardens for us this week :
Two ‘newbies’ up next! Please say a big hello to Liesbet :
Walking and Seeing the Real Berkshires in Connecticut
And then please meet slightly offbeat sailor Ellen!
Going for a walk in search of Wild Pigs
If you don’t mind getting awfully wet, you might like a ‘walk’ with Jaspa?
Or maybe an adventure in the desert with Drake would suit you better?
Perhaps you’d like to see another side to Geoff? You’ll have to go and look. I can’t give the game away!
While Denzil tries his hand (or feet?) at long distance walking :
GR571 : Comblain-au-Pont to Aywaille
Paul does some amazing things with the Scottish countryside :
RAW around the edges. A day at Loch Leven
And lastly, Lee Ann shows us some of beautiful Brisbane :
Southbank Gardens of Friendship
Hope you enjoyed all the contributions. They’re fantastic, aren’t they? Many thanks again for your lovely company. Have a great week!.
My last post, about Lumiere 2015 at Durham, is a hard act to follow. I was tempted to just let it ride until I come back to the blog in December, but the Christmas ‘rush’ will be well and truly here by then. There’ll be no opportunity to bid farewell to Autumn. It’s been kind to us this year and I’m quite reluctant to let it go. Just a week or two ago I was wandering through Durham.
On a bright Autumn day the shadows can be as beautiful as the blue sky. I loved playing with them on my walk at Auckland Castle this week. 
It must have been about the same time last year that I was here, because there’s a poster advertising the Christmas Food and Craft Market on 20th November. I well remember my ginger wine and mince pie, whilst looking at the palatial dining room, shared with you on this walk. This year they’re going a step further, with an outdoor skating rink until 3rd January. I might just have to come back for that.
Of course, it’s no good having a great view without a bench to admire it from. And one bench invariably leads to another. Let’s leave the Deer House and go looking for some more shadows, shall we? I’d better catch up to those walkers too.
I think I’ve just about got Autumn out of my system. And managed to share a few more benches for Jude. It’s the last week of Festival of Leaves too and Verena has done a wonderful job.
If you do get the chance to visit Auckland Castle in the near future, don’t hesitate. It’s a beautiful setting and there are plans afoot to make it even more interesting.
That’s all from me for a week or two. Take care of each other, please.
