Delve into Durham England’s timeless city

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

And, to be fair, a really good idea at the end.

It was the bit in the middle that was the problem.

The best views of Durham, we were told, were to be had from the top of the city’s famous cathedral.

The climb starts tamely, but the guidance over having to have both hands free at all times and needing to leave any backpacks behind should have been a bit of a hint of the challenge ahead.

The steps are broad and when you come to the passageway across to the south transept there’s a feeling you must be getting there.

Then the shock kicks in. That’s when the steps shrink and you find yourself brushing the walls as you climb ever further up what seems like the world’s highest and skinniest lighthouse.

Finally 325, yes 325, steps later you emerge gratefully from the darkness into the light at the top of the tower.

Once you’ve got your puff back I’ve got to confess, that didn’t happen anything like as quickly as I would have liked you realise it’s been worth every minute of the ascent.

The 360-degree views of one of England’s historic gems spread out before you are magnificent.

The cathedral and the adjacent castle have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for almost 30 years now and it’s easy to see why.

One of the finest Norman buildings in the world, the 11th Century place of worship is absolutely massive and retains almost all of its original craftsmanship.

There are daily tours during the main visitor season, but it is very much still a living, breathing centre of religion so you’ve every chance of popping in during a service or a choral practice.

Oh, and if you are trying to “sell” a visit to youngsters, just tell them of the Harry Potter filming links.

The cathedral was used for the first two movies, even doubling for Hogwarts.

The castle is also well worth popping into for a look and if the whole area looks familiar it’s because it’s been the regular backdrop for the BBC’s 1960s-set Inspector George Gently series starring Martin Shaw.

But there’s much that’s modern to admire in compact Durham, too.

Shopping centres like Prince Bishop are right by the river which snakes through the city and fits right in amidst the cobbled streets and old bridges.

A stroll down by the river and a people-watching coffee at one of the tidy little cafes was the perfect way to appreciate this fascinating university town.

If it’s the past that appeals, though, you are only a short drive away from the area’s best-known tourist magnet, Beamish.

It’s a heritage museum where the past comes splendidly to life with the staff not only costumed, but seeming to really inhabit the characters they play.

You can chat to the sort of old-school bank manager who’d never have gotten us into the financial mess of a few years ago, watch favourite sweeties being made and get a taste while they are still warm and pop into haberdashery and hardware shops full of things sure to have to you saying, ‘Oh, I remember…’

Take a ride on clattering trams, board a steam train at Rowley Station and, for an even earlier travel experience, the Pockerley Waggonway.

We headed along to the colliery and donned hard hats, venturing into the darkness to hear mining tales, before having a look at home life at the pit village.

Three classrooms have been rebuilt and you see kids get lessons just like they used to before whiteboards and laptops.

It’s a day out that really does appeal to the young as much as the old and the best advice is not to rush it.

Lead mining, smelting and quarrying were the source of much of County Durham’s wealth in the past, but now peace and tranquility reins, making it a countryside-lover’s dream.

As well as the Durham Dales, there’s the North Pennines, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that spills into Northumberland and Cumbria.

You’ll find just as many scenic wonders here as in the Lake District to the west or the North York Moors and Dales to the south, just fewer people enjoying them with you.

Some of England’s highest and quietest roads are here and also the country’s largest waterfall, High Force.

You can take it in as part of a walking route, including a stretch of the Pennine Way, or just stroll 10 minutes down from a handy car park.

The River Tees thunders 70 metres down on to the rocks, making it, in equal measures, visually spectacular and downright deafening.

For more information visit www.thisisdurham.com or www.beamish.org.uk.