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Lumiere Durham 2025

So we ventured out on a dark evening to brave Durham City not knowing what to expect for the final Lumiere. We jumped on the park and ride which was very well organised and headed into the city. After a short wait our first experience was the installation in the market place, 'Rhizome'. Not my personal favourite, but certainly built the expectation of what was to come next. Rhizome,  Market Place It’s worth noting a curious road safety sign also in the market place titled ‘Entanglement is Extential’, which flashed a series of thought-provoking messages. Entanglement is Extential After speaking with a volunteer for advice on where to head next, we wandered up Saddler Street towards the Cathedral. At Palace Green, we were greeted by beautifully illuminated flowers glowing in the night. Palace Green Palace Green Following the trail of illuminated flowers, we joined the queue into the Cathedral with great expectation — and we weren’t disappointed. The atmosphere was electric as peo...
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Prebends Bridge, Durham

These photographs were taken recently during an evening walk around the South Bailey. It was fairly dark on the bridge itself but the orange lighting at both ends look almost like fires. Prebends Bridge, Durham Prebends Bridge, Durham
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S&DR200 Locomotion No.1

Replica of Locomotion No. 1 I had a great time Friday just gone in Shildon, watching the start of the replica journey along the Stockton and Darlington Railway of the Locomotion No. 1 (replica) as part of #railway200. The original journey took place on 27th September 1825 starting in Shildon making its way to Stockton. The original train was built by Robert Sephenson in Newcastle. I had my camera phone ready and this was the photo which I managed to take of the train. Shildon Locomotion Museum
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A walk around Derwent Reservoir

 We are so fortunate to live in the Northeast of England with access to the country and seaside. This afternoon we had a wonderful walk around Derwent Reservoir. We've had a fairly dry summer which has affected our reservoirs.  Looking at the photographs it is possible to see where the levels should be when full of water.
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Observation Hill, Durham

Durham City Landscape From Observation Hill Had a lovely walk to Observation Hill in Durham. Sadly we didn't bring a picnic with us, but there was a family there who did. They were able to enjoy the back drop of the Durham landscape while eating. Fortunately I did bring a drone to take a few pictures and video. Observation Hill, Durham Video of Durham Lanscape taken at Observation Hill in Durham.
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Video of St Nics in Durham Market Place

 Short video of St Nics in Durham Market Place. Hopefully you'll get a sense of height. Built to minister to the people in and around the market circa 1858.
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Very warm equals a trip to Alnmouth

 Tonya and me had a lovely day at Alnmouth, the sun was shining and we did plenty of walking. Alnmouth We walked past The Old Battery at Alnmouth. The gun battery was built in 1881. The Old Battery, Alnmouth The Old Battery, Alnmouth
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St Nic's: The church in the market place in Durham

I enjoyed the opportunity to take an aerial photograph of St Nic's in Durham.  The original Durham market was found in Palace Green. A rather smelly and dirty place, surrounded by people who lived and worked there. Not wanting to see his guest's or his views of Durham Castle and Cathedral spoilt Bishop Flambard saw fit to move anything that got in the way. He relocated the market place to where Durham Market Place can be found today and moved the people nearby. St Nicholas (St Nic's), the church in the market place was built.  According to Gavin Wakefield in his book St Nicholas' Church, Durham (2025) ,"We don't know exactly when St Nicolas' Church was built but it is most likely that it was by 1128". Known as the people's church, the folks of St Nic's served in and around the market place and continue to do so today. St Nic's Church, Market Place Durham This is a very simplified story of St Nic's Church, to find out more read St Nichol...
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St Andrew's, Shotley, Northumberland

Driving along the A68 heading towards Darlington near the Slaley Hall turnoff, you can see a very strange looking church quite literally in a field. Tonya, my wife first saw it with the back drop of the sun setting. It looked beautiful. This afternoon we drove past the church and decided to pull over and have a walk. After a small bridge, one field, through a couple of gates along the footpath we arrived. Next to the church was some kind of structure. After Googling we found out the the church was St Andrew's Church and the structure was The Hopper Mausoleum. Both found on Greymare Hill. More information can be found here . St Andrew's Church, Shotley St Andrew's Church with The Hopper Mausoleum in the background. Have a look at  Northumberland: Outstanding Circular Walks
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Leg's Cross north of Piercebridge

 I've driven along the B6275 (road to Piercebridge) and never really noticed this structure before. I'll be honest it looks old, but some might say not much to look at. The Leg's Cross is made from sandstone where the climate has literally had it's way and therefore looks less like a cross and more like a lump of 3 stones. aerial photograph of Leg's Cross It's a Saxon cross made around 9th Century and thought to be made from Roman masonry found at the local Roman fort. There are a lot of of myths surrounding Leg's or Legg's Cross and how the name came about. This includes Saxon stories through to a King of England. It's thought that this could be some kind of boundary marker, grave stone or a marking of a cross road. One thing for sure is that it is in good nick for its age! aerial photograph of Leg's Cross County Durham, the Noth Pennines, and the Eden Valley: 40 Favourite Walks
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Another image of the former Brickworks at Eldon

There are some wonderful walks around Dene Valley especially with a dog through the various wooded areas. Mrs Mitchell has a habit of finding different walks. She said that the walk goes past the former Eldon Brickwork. Rude not to take my drone along so I did. This is at a different angle to the previous images. Just saying so you don't think I'm recycling. Secretly I think my wife is looking for a discarded brick with Eldon Brickworks sketched on it. The "search continues" as said on The Apprentice!
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Drones at All Change #SDR200

 Had a great night watching the opening of #SDR200 celebrating 200 years of railways in the Northeast region in Bishop Auckland. A  part of a larger UK celebration called Railway 200.  To find out more about the celebrations visit https://railway200.co.uk/  or https://www.sdr200.co.uk/ .Here are some done light effects from the event.
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