Durham University

[KingscoteStaff]

The continuation thread for those with DC at Durham, or applying to Durham, or alumni, or staff!

September 2021 finds us packing, unpacking, meeting old friends and new, and all with our fingers firmly crossed for a positive year!

You had me at big skies there@Gizmo98765 . Is the bit near Durham nice too do you know? ( ie Seaham?) . Looking on map.. it’s about 15 miles away I think

Alnwick is also worth a visit and Bamburgh but they are north of Newcastle. We stayed in Thirsk on the way back on drop off weekend , lovely Market town .

I can’t get over the Old Shire Hall being a hotel , remember standing in the lobby there waiting for my first year exam results to be posted. The person I was waiting with failed and was put down to a pass degree , no appeals in those days . He’s very successful now but he was devastated and I will never forget the experience , definitely a growing up moment .

Sorry unfortunately I haven’t visited Seaham.

We have a big dog who loves the beach. The beaches are great year round if you love gig and blustery largely deserted beaches out of season. Bamburgh, Alnmouth, Craster/Embleton, Beadnell, Druridge bay all have lovely beaches and lots of castles and ruined castles such as Alnwick, Bamburgh, Warkworth, Craster etc.

Big not gig.

Durham beaches always get overlooked I think, Northumberland is very, very beautiful to but the beaches like crimdon or blackhall rocks are lovely too, big and mostly deserted.

Durham is a lovely place to mooch. The city centre is a bit empty these days sadly but still beautiful and lots of cafes and a great shop with lots of local produce. The cathedral is great to walk around and the museum part is great too. Castle ,if they have tours when you go (student dependent for obvious reasons), botanic gardens (I practically lived there when my kids were small) or further afield things like the Bowes museum, Beamish, Gibside etc.

Big, blustery near-deserted beaches describes my perfect holiday
I loved the Cathedral when we went the other week, and the overall feel of the city centre (but obvs busy). DS and DH visited the Botanic Gardens on their day trip and said it was very interesting and peaceful. Students get free entry, I think?

Beaches sound fab especially if they are deserted , I may visit but later and it would be by train I think.

DD now on antibiotics for a chest infection , has been feeling very unwell so fingers crossed these solve the problem. I’m hoping next week she will feel a little better .

She has enjoyed her lectures and tutorials , hasn’t been well enough to go to the gym but that will come .

Oh no @Bluebellwoods1 she must have been feeling quite grotty. Hope the antibiotics kick in fast.
Thanks all for fab coast tips

Any suggestions for dog friendly places to visit around Durham and restaurants would be appreciated for when we visit DS.

Lots of lovely ideas

I’ll be doing discreet waves to people drifting about on out of season beaches over that way, now.
@Bluebellwoods1 I hope the ABs work quickly. It’s a rotten cold/chest thing going round. Not what they need when settling in. Even DS has admitted to feeling a bit ‘off’ with it.

Seaham is really wild and woolly!

Out of interest are now do students know if they have freshers flu or Covid? I don't think they are having PCR tests?

Aren’t they having to do LFTs twice weekly , plus they can get PCR tests www.dur.ac.uk/coronavirus/students/

I appreciate that @Peaseblossum22 . I was just wondering if students are actually getting PCR tests done if they have a fever or cough or loss of smell or taste. IMO any respiratory symptoms warrant a PCR as the symptoms for double jabbed are so vague.

I think as adults it is their responsibility to get a PCR test , there is certainly a lot of information on sway about what they should do including flow charts and advice on contacting tutors ds academic work etc. I think the hope is that by testing regularly means that cases will be picked up before they become symptomatic .

That's true @Peaseblossum22

@chopc DD’s cough is productive whereas the Covid Cough is dry apparently. She also took some LFT with her so tested very frequently although I know that a PCR is more sensitive.

I really like the sound of the beaches the wilder the better .

From what I've read, Durham uni have Bern quite aggressive with testing after being responsible for some of the biggest outbreaks in England.

I've had a productive cough, this week, ever since Tuesday's storm. I'm atopic and spoke to someone asthmatic who has reacted the same

When I had covid last month my cough was productive, lest that is any help for deciding when to PCR. But LFT did catch it.

In my experience Covid these days can present with all different symptoms so anyone who is unwell should have a PCR. I went walking with a lady from DS2 school whose husband was just under the weather with cold symptoms and his LFT's were negative. I said to get a PCR done and that was positive

Anyway I guess it's too late for the freshers now and they will all hopefully come through it unscathed and all vulnerable are on their way to being triple jabbed

Dd (and friends by the sounds of it) seem to be having LfTs about every 48 hours. I don’t know if they are doing this off their own backs because the testing tent is so handy or if their college has told them to do this. Hopefully should pick up cases. She had a cough before going so had to book a pcr (neg) . Dd said that there was a lot of coughing at a lecture this week though

They have a system for testing and reporting LFTs you are expected to be having them unless you opt out . Ds had Covid only about 8 weeks ago plus he is now double jabbed so he is hoping it’s just a cold. When he had Covid he tested positive on an LFT.

I was talking to an Exeter parent the other day who said there was no testing there and her dd was all f2f . Same at Sheffield as far as I know, there does seem to be a big difference between institutions

Hi, I’ve just found this thread and was wondering if anybody could recommend somewhere to stay in or around Durham when visiting our youngsters? We were thinking of a visit before xmas and with it being a 6 hour round trip it would be good to stay a night. Any personal recommendations?

Indigo lovely, central, quite spenny.
The Honest Judge 5 mins out, perfectly comfortable, more reasonable.