Monday 24th June

Road trip! Today the eldest and I are off to Durham so she can look at the University. This means it’s another early start and we’re heading north. Rather than facing too much motorway driving I go up the M6 and cut across country from the Lake District. We stop for a cup of tea, and the bacon rolls Mrs P sent us out with, at a roadside café on the Dales, and despite it being chilly the early morning view is wonderful. Our journey proceeds through a number of small towns I’ve never been through before, most of which are decorated in bunting, though we’re not sure if it’s still up from the Jubilee.

I drop the eldest at the University, get parked and then join her. We have a look around the library before she goes off to her subject talk and I take a walk up to the cathedral. I’ve never been to Durham Cathedral before and it’s actually smaller inside than I expected, having seen it previously only from a passing train carriage. There are plenty of people on hand to help you, and the cathedral and surrounds are very traditional.

I walk down the hill to the market square passing a number of university colleges and getting a feel for the place. I end up sat in the Students’ Union waiting for the eldest and am amused to find that a pint of beer is cheaper than a regular cup of coffee. It makes you wonder what they think students should be drinking.

She eventually appears and we tour a couple of the colleges which are very impressive, though I’m amused that it is parents and not the kids that ask all the questions. When one lady asks how often the rooms are cleaned, I see her son shake his head and raise his eyes to the heavens, and her husband laughing. We go to the accommodation talk together,r and once again it’s the parents asking questions. Another tour of a college, all of which have been conducted by bright friendly students, and we’re back on the road. The verdict on Durham is nice place, probably quite quiet in comparison to a lot of cities, but looks like a great place to study. Looks like it will make the eldest’s list.

The drive home is only blighted by the motorway being blocked at Preston, where some poor soul has had a puncture in the outside lane at rush hour. We arrive home and Mrs P takes the eldest straight out to dancing, while I wolf down my tea and head out to a Governor’s meeting at the school. I have a quick moment to take in the wonderful, and frankly exotic A level art exhibition, before the meeting. I don’t know if it’s deliberate government policy but everything governors now have to deal with seems to be so policy and process orientated and consists of huge amounts of paper, that I fear that the education of the children is being lost in the paperwork and processes. It’s a sad thought to end a good day on.

Yours in favour of bunting.

Jay