Lent Walk 2: Durham City's Medieval Pilgrims Walk



Kepier Gatehouse



ruined chapel of  Mary Magdalene





River Wear


 

The Dun Cow

  

Prebends Bridge



This was not the walk I had planned for today, but I've discovered I've become quite nervous about walking on my own in the countryside.  Bad news:  I never used to be like this (within my limitations of course).  But after a fews days of agonising, I decided to do a walk in fairly familar territory and save the one I was concerned about till later in Lent.  A good move as it turned out as this walk has boosted my confidence about walking, taught me a lesson or two and been good fun - and all this on the day Durham was the warmest place in the country thanks to the Fohn effect!

I parked at the park and ride and walked from the market place up to the cathedral for the start of the walk.  I went into the Galilee first to set the scene and then set off.  The first bit was easy, up Claypath, down Providence Row and then along the Sands to Kepier gatehouse.  I'd never been that far along before and so was pleased with myself at discovering a great new walk by the river.  Kepier was one of the city's leper hospitals and judging by the size of the gatehouse it must have been huge.  The idea of this walk was to link all the medieval hospitals.  I got it from a book 100 Walks in County Durham. 

The walk looped back and uphill to the ruined chapel of Mary Magdalene which I have passed loads of times in the car and on into Gilesgate, down a steep bank to the college of St Hild and St Bede and then the river.  The weather was glorious, just like a summer day as I crossed over by Bath Bridge and walked along the other bank.  Here the whole enterprise could have failed as there was a gate across the path at the rowing club, but when I spotted a couple of locals just going round it, I did the same and continued back to the river (the twists and turns of the Wear will always defeat me), Maiden Castle, the main road and Houghall woods.

I was feeling quite confident now, as I've walked in Houghall woods before but it was here that things started to fall apart a bit.  For one thing, I was far too hot, for another I didn't stop for a rest and I didn't have a drink with me.  I followed the directions along the old wagonway and then a slight hiccup as I misread the book and ended up walking a footpath along a field edge - away and not towards Durham!  The good point about this was that I was not worried, in fact I was enjoying the birdsong and the countryside.  Houghall Woods will be so lovely when the bluebells come out.

Back on track, I made my way slowly uphill to the university buildings.  By now I felt distinctly jaded but I kept on, through what the book described as a field path but which is now university and a business park.

Across the road and down a lovely little cut to St Oswalds church and the riverbank the cathedral was in sight and I really couldn't get there soon enough.  Prebends Bridge was home to a class of overheated and over-exicited school children so I didn't pause to wonder if any more of the bishop's treasures were still at the bottom of the Wear.

At last the cathedral!  and a welcome cup of tea before visiting St Cuthbert's shrine.  Was I meditating or was I asleep?