Durham

[taximan]

Way back in about 1957/8, two young lads armed with jam sandwiches set out for a day out on there bikes. One bike was an old Hercules Jeep which had seen better days, and the other was an old work bike borrowed for the day. After about 20 miles the lads found themselves in Durham City where they spent some time exploring and even being told off for riding their bikes 'inside' the cathedral . A little later after a hair raising ride down Saddler Street they came to rest in a tangled heap at the feet of a policeman who was directing traffic in the Market Place. The policeman must have known the lads from a previous posting because he leaned forward and said, "Isn't it time you two young buggers got back to Haverton". I was one of those two young buggers and that was the day I fell in love with cycling. I visited Durham on the bike many times after that but had not been there for many years so yesterday John and I loaded the bikes into his car and set out for Billingham, (not far from where i lived) and set out to ride to Durham. Of course we could not recreate my first route as many of the roads are dual carriageways. We went instead along what was once a very narrow Sandy Lane, Past the Winyard Estate and joined the Castle Eden cycleway and headed North. We were pleased to find that the track was in excellent condition and in the main, the signposting was very good, the only problem being one or two spots where vandals had been exercising there skills. We did run into a problem when we reached the banks of the Wear on the outskirts of Durham where we found the track was closed due to storm damage and we had to make our way through some very steep woodland paths before rejoining our track near the Elvet Bridge. A spot of lunch at a small cafe and an hour or two wandering around the town and we were ready to set of back again after a really enjoyable day out

 

[RWright]

Looks and sounds like a great day out on the bike!

 

[byegad]

I used to live in Durham, now I live some 10 miles away, so it's still a regular haunt for me. I well remember the policeman in the box in the centre of the Market place and the signal, unique to Durham you gave as you approached the policeman from Saddler Street if you wanted to go back up Saddler Street to get onto Elvet Bridge, Right turns from Saddler St to Elvet Bridge being prohibited.

 

[ste.pearson]

really nice write up ive cycled on the castle eden cycleway a few times and it is a really pleasent route great photos

 

[AnneW]

We visited Durham (without the bikes) last year, first time we'd been. Loved it there and thought it would be good for cycling and your post proves it is. We'll definitely go back with the bikes, thanks for jogging my memory

 

[Pale Rider]

We visited Durham...and thought it would be good for cycling

Only if you like hills.

 

[taximan]

Hills? compared to where I live its nothing more than rolling countryside

 

[sidevalve]

Hills? compared to where I live its nothing more than rolling countryside

BAH !! Call them hills. We used to dream of hills like them. Used to get up three hours before we went to bed and cycle two miles vertically. Aye Them were happy days.