Category: County Durham
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Harehope Quarry
I had heard of Frosterley “marble”—a misleading name for what is actually a dark, durable limestone. It can be cut and polished like real marble, but unlike the genuine article, it is riddled with fossils, mainly solitary corals, which create peculiar patterns when sliced open. It has been used extensively in buildings of note, including…
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Lord Raby’s Smelting Scheme: The Story of Gaunless Mill
The weather has taken a turn for the worse, so a modest walk it is, to gaze upon the Gaunless Mill Chimney at Copley. This lone, crumbling relic of Teesdale’s lead smelting past stands in quiet defiance of time and indifference. The Gaunless Mill, despite being on a tributary of the Wear rather than the…
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Harehope Burn Lead Mine
What a thrill it is to stumble upon the unexpected. A bit of history, a scenic spot, or perhaps a fleeting moment with nature. Weardale is unfamiliar to me, and my expectations were suitably low for the hills south of Wolsingham. So imagine my joy when we found the remains of Harehope Burn Lead Mine,…
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A Duck’s Day Out — Low Barns Nature Reserve
A day for ducks, as they say, thus what could be more fitting than a leisurely stroll around a wetlands nature reserve. The Durham Wildlife Trust’s Low Barns reserve is a worthwhile place to visit. Even in the rain. Nestled alongside the River Wear, it boasts woodlands, grasslands, marshes, and ponds. This assortment of habitats renders…
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Confluence of the Balder and Tees
I am halfway up a hill they call the ‘Hagg,’ taking in the view of the Balder joining forces with the mighty Tees, both rivers uncomfortably full to the brim. Behind me stands Cotherstone Castle — now nothing more than a glorified mound. Used to be the abode of the Fitz Hughs, and once dubbed…
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Escomb Church
The quiet village of Escomb lies at the end of a mile long cul-de-sac down a steep bank. It’s a village which fortunes have ebbed and flowed. The origin of the name derives from the Saxon name “Eda“, which led to the medieval Ediscombe — the second element, “combe“‘ is a sheltered dwelling place. The…
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Great Crested Grebe
A wander around Hardwick Hall Country Park near Sedgefield. This is not my usual habitat so it was quite refreshing to be so close to the birdlife around the lake. By far the most majestic was this Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) in its summer plumage. At least I think it is, my bird identification…
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Hawthorn Hive
This morning I was surprised that The Guardian’s Country Diary was about Chourdon Point on the Durham coast. Surprised that I just happened to have planned a run along the coastal path passing by this point. After I met up with someone in nearby Dalton. Phil Gates, the writer of the piece, describes “the soporific…
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Easington Miners’ Picnic
A day spent at Easington Colliery on the Durham Coast helping out at the National Trust’s stall at the annual miners’ picnic. The picnic began with a parade through the old surface works, now transformed into a community nature reserve. I was fascinated by the banners that were carried proudly depicting the union or colliery,…
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A coward! a coward! o’ Barney CastleDare na come out to fight a battle!
I was tempted to cycle to Barnard Castle today but just a shade too far. I didn’t think my eyesight was up to it. However, I just couldn’t let the opportunity go so here’s a photo instead from October 2017. The glorious River Tees, taken from the castle keep. A coward! a coward! o’ Barney…