5 February: Durham

Not being familiar with the bus times, I checked Arriva's website; armed with a scrap of paper with the times on, I set off for the bus stop.

Every 15 minutes, they're supposed to come. It probably wasn't 7 and a half minutes early, more likely 7 and a half minutes late. I flashed my bus pass as I leapt on, and joined the 3 geriatric and 2 jobless passengers.

Give the driver his due - the speed he was going at, he must have made up some of the time before arrival in Durham. Not having been in the bus station for ages, I was slightly surprised to see it now has a roof and glass walls, but still has the same clientele as previously.

Having done my errands, I strolled up to Palace Green to eat my sandwich. A man hooked his dog's lead onto the bench and disappeared into the discreet public toilet. When he came out, and reclaimed the dog, which was by now drooling as she gazed at my sandwich, he suddenly exclaimed "I know you!"

It was the second time today I'd met someone whose face was familiar, but I couldn't remember their name or where we'd met. We had a pleasant chat, then I went into the Cathedral, intending to take some photos.

No cameras allowed. Oh well, a couple of outside photos, then.


The Sanctuary Knocker is well known. But the door of the Bede Chapel?


The arch has the same sort of zig-zag carving round the top as many of the arches inside the Cathedral.

Across Palace Green is the Castle:


On the other side of the Cathedral is a square with this archway to South Bailey:


From the Bailey, I walked down onto the riverbank, across Prebends Bridge, and along to the boathouse, from where I got this classic view of the Cathedral with the weir and the Fulling Mill (yes, that sort of fulling) in the foreground:


And on towards the bridge and up the steps, where this view of the Castle (Pizza Hut below) was taken:


Back at the bus station, I checked the timetable, which bore no resemblance at all to the information from the website, and seemed to indicate a long wait. Within a few minutes, though, the bus I wanted arrived, and I was on my way home to a nice cup of tea.