Ushaw Hall

We’ve just had a little trip away for the week which saw us going to two places in the North East, one we had never heard of before this year, and one we’ve visited regularly for day trips. but never stayed before.

So the first was Ushaw Hall, an ex-Catholic seminary hidden in the Durham countryside not a stonesthrow from Durham itself, but you couldn’t see the Church of England cathedral at all, hidden by intervening hills and countryside.

We both sort of found this at the same time as there is “Kwaidan: Encounters with Lafacadio Hearn“, an exhibition about one of the earliest Japanese ghost story translators and when Shanna looked into it we found we could stay at their b&b which gave early access to the grounds and chapels as well as access to the current exhibitions.

Have to say that though facilities were a bit on the basic side, the fact that you could walk the grounds in the evening and see the chapels before anyone else was there more than made up for those.

There were times when we came across bit where we felt we could have been in Brittany or Ireland not North East England.

The evening walk to the pub is so much easier going on the footpath as the road is a bit speedy and the pathway missing in some bits, pub was a pub and the food was ok and filling.

St. Cuthbert’s Chapel is stunning as are some of the other smaller chapels, but you really knew where you stood if you were staff as their chapel was of almost methodist plainness.

One of the reasons I really wanted to go was their library which held an extremely rare collection of books but this is rarely open due to conservation efforts and keeping the books in the correct humidity, this was also the case with a collection of a couple of hundred reliquaries which needed controlled storage.

Very frustrating being in same building as all these jewels but unable to even get a glimpse.

The exhibition was excellent, I’d seen the ’65 film an age ago and read some of the translation, but this was a fascinating exploration of his life and work.

The works by the other artists on the themes of his adapted and translated works were fascinating, with a lot of different media being used to explore the themes and emotions of the stories, but I think my favourite may have been Alice Maher’s etching in response to Rokuro-Kubi with the heads joined by intertwining hair.

Overall a relaxing couple of days in a completely hidden gem of a place, staff were so friendly and enthusiastic as well.

We then hopped on a bus, train, then Metro across to Whitley Bay and thankfully the good weather came with us!

We’ve visited Whitley Bay quite a bit in the last few years and it gets nicer and nicer each time and when thinking where we would like to go for another couple of nights to fill the week out this was at the top.

There is a perfectly adequate Premier Inn right on the shorefront which meant we could watch the sea all the time, though this time we didn’t bother with the hotel breakfast as there were some more interesting prospects in the town.

Of course we walked to St Mary’s lighthouse and saw Golden Plover, Grey Seals, Lapwing, Turnstone, Heron, Oystercatchers, Cormorant, and a few bunting type things I couldn’t identify. There were also so many starlings and crows flocking about.

On the 26th we walked slowly down the coast pausing to take in the sights, going through Cullercoats all the way down to Tynemouth, this was to have a birthday meal for my partner at Riley’s Fish Shack which we’ve been going to since 2017 now. As always a great atmosphere and great food, though the hispi could have done with a metal knife!

Another couple of restaurants that we went to were Kith and Kin both mornings for brunch, and Little Lobo for an evening meal.

Overall a lovely few days of food, culture, and walking.