A Day in Durham – From the Family Diary of Jenny and Peter Hexham of Drake
We try to write something in our family diary every few weeks — not for anyone else, just to remember the small things. Here’s an extract from last weekend’s entry, after a lovely little day trip to Durham.
Saturday, 27 July
We left Haydon Bridge just after 9.30am, heading east in surprisingly decent weather. Durham’s only about 45 minutes away, but we always forget how much we enjoy it — not just the big sights like the Cathedral, but the tucked-away cafés and cobbled corners you just stumble into.
After parking by the riverside, we wandered up past the market square (which was bustling) and made straight for Flat White Kitchen — we’ve heard it mentioned so often on TripAdvisor we thought we ought to try it. Jenny loved the banana bread French toast — I stuck with the flat white and a bacon bap. Both excellent.
We strolled along the river path afterward, quiet and leafy, with students running past and a few rowers out on the water. There’s something about Durham that reminds me of Peter’s old college days — not that he went to Durham, but the atmosphere felt similar. Old stones, narrow lanes, the occasional bell.
Later, we popped into the Oriental Museum, which neither of us had visited before. It was a bit of a hidden gem — tucked up a hill and full of artefacts from Egypt, Japan, and Tibet. Jenny lingered by the jade carvings while I got sidetracked by some dusty old travel maps.
Back down in town, we grabbed a late lunch from a little deli that did proper sandwiches — not supermarket stuff, actual bread and ham and pickles. Then a quick browse in Waterstones (of course) before heading back.
On the drive home, Jenny said, “We always say we’ll come more often, but then we don’t.” We laughed, because it’s true. Maybe this time we actually will.
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