Getting High at Durham Cathedral

No, not that type of ‘high’ before you ask.  The Central Tower at Durham Cathedral has now re-opened after three years of pain-staking reconstruction.  For you and other travellers to the city, this means that you can experience the best views of Durham from the highest point.  You can also take in how hard the restoration must have been.  The particular stone used to build Durham Cathedral weathers very quickly.  So whilst the new stone might seem bright and very out of place, it won’t take long before it ages and this whole process starts again.

Durham Cathedral is a must-do for any visitor to the city, especially if you want to have the complete experience.  The interior is really inspiring and just simply looking up makes you question how on earth someone could build something this beautiful over 900 years ago! Yes, you read that right, nine hundred years ago!  The Cathedral has also been used to film scenes for Harry Potter as well as, more recently, Avengers Endgame. Bill Bryson said that this was best cathedral on Planet Earth.  Do I agree? I’m not sure I can fully agree as I’m from Lincoln and that cathedral is pretty epic!  However, make sure you visit and make your mind up for yourself.

Need to Know

If you want to visit Durham Cathedral to climb the newly opened Central Tower, here’s what you need to know:

• Opening Times = 10am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday
• Cost = £5 Adult £2.50 Child
• Steps = 325

I must say, the climb up to the top was quite intense so only really attempt it if you’re fit.  It gets really narrow and steep about a quarter of the way up.  Once you are at the top, you have to have a bit of flexibility to step up and down from the central platform.  However, no matter how out of breath you are, the views are beautiful.  You’ll be able to see how small of a city Durham really is and how much greenery surrounds the city.

After all that physical exertion, if you’re feeling thirsty, these are the best bars and pubs in Durham. You can thank me later.

Lastly, if you’re a student at the university, hold off climbing the tower until you graduate; it’s said to be very unlucky…

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