DIVA does…Durham
PHOTOS DANIELLE MUSTARDE, CARO RODIER, VISIT DURHAM
DANIELLE MUSTARDE EXPLORES THE NORTH EAST’S PRETTY LITTLE CITY
A small city and sprawling county in the north east of England, Durham lies just south of Geordie haven, Newcastle – and also happens to be the very place where I grew up. Now, I haven’t lived in Durham for over 10 years, having swapped the – now particularly noticeable – fresh air, rolling green fields and dark starry skies of the northeast to join the Northern Expats In London Club. Growing up, there really wasn’t much of a queer scene at all, and so I decided now was the time to return to my roots – with girlfriend in tow – to check in on the hometown and see how the LGBTQ+ side of things has (or hasn’t) changed…Fancy it?
GETTING THERE
From London, grab a coffee and hop on a direct train from London King’s Cross along the East Coast main line, and you’ll be in Durham in just under three hours. Well connected to the rest of the UK, Durham train station can also be reached in under 15 minutes from Newcastle. TOP TIP: If you plan on exploring the gorgeous local greenery, bring a car; getting out into the sticks can be tricky without one. Don’t have your own wheels? The lovely folks at Enterprise (enterprise.co.uk), Neville’s Cross, will sort you out.