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Durham university and surrounds?

I did a summer school at Durham in the 90s. It was a warm, dry summer and the setting overlooking the river was something of great beauty.
 
Thanks again to everyone for the info, both on the university and the location. We will look carefully at the layout and the various college locations, but I don't know in detail which course she is looking at so I may come back on that point.

We will try and book a slot in advance for Beamish, that sounds good and should appeal to everyone. My son who is 16 will be coming along too, in preference to a night on his own or at the grandparents, but I think I should be able to find plenty to keep him interested too. He likes nature, castles and beaches etc. too, so we will be spoilt for choice. I also didn't realise Whitby was so close so we will definitely stop there on the way home. Both kids have already said they'd like to see it, my daughter because she is especially interested in victorian literature and its influences, and Tom just likes goths and vampire stuff.
 
I understand that the locals despise the students tho don't complain of the ££££ brought into the city
 
My daughter did her law degree in Durham, graduating 2 years ago. Some 35 years before that I was there doing a PhD. We both enjoyed our time there. I never noticed any local animosity towards students - there'll be some who don't like students wherever you go, of course, but it always seemed friendly to me.
 
Another Essex resident whose daughter did a classics/history BA at Durham. She loved it, and so did I. Three years that whipped by all too quickly. I long to go back again.
 
Graham B said:
Thank you for all the replies, that's really helpful and we are both most grateful. Beamish Museum and the cathedral will definitely be on the list, and we'll get to both if we can. The Upper Room sculpture looked amazing, but sadly it seems it has long been removed.

My daughter is not a fan of cold places at all, so I'll make sure to mention that. Average temperatures are definitely chillier than she is used to, and she really struggled to enjoy a trip to Iceland. Anything can be mitigated with knowledge and the right gear in advance of course. We're also booking a visit to the south coast and trying to combine tours of Bristol and Exeter, either of which I think she'll find more comfortable climate-wise. We also have family down that way who can help in case of any urgent issues or meltdowns, but wherever she decides to go will be determined on which is the right course for her.
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If it’s a nice day you are not very far from the coast. Tynemouth is lovely & Newcastle has some great restaurants & bars.

Durham may be considered a little boring for the young but it is very picturesque & the Uni has a great reputation.
 
I just had a "which uni" conversation with a friend, which included Durham. My eldest two are at the just graduated/2nd year, so here's a rather opinionated view from their perspective:

6th formers obsess about individual courses, but TBH, unless you are looking at something very specialised, most employers don't know and don't care, the order of "appeal" to employers seems to go:
(a) Oxbridge, but from son's mates it's a total sweatshop these days unless you're incredibly bright. (My nephew is having a v tough time at Cambridge). But the reputation is stellar
(b) somewhere very specialised like LSE for economics.or imperial for science and engineering.
(c) any Russel group uni but try to get a first.. ...
Most important thing is to do something and go somewhere where you'll have fun

then specific unis:
Durham (eldest son's ex GF went). Lovely old colleges and good reputation, not entirely convinced it's deserved, but that doesn't matter if employers think it's good. But a very long way away, bloody cold. Also odd relationship with the town, locals hate the students. And bugger all nightlife, they often went out in Newcastle. It's very very small, my son reckoned he bumped into more friends from SW London in Durham every 2 or 3 weeks than in Leeds where he was at uni!

Exeter - nice town, very small, totally full of public school kids that didn't get into Oxbridge! Son reckoned he once went to mate's party there and knew more than 50% of the guests from SW London!

Everyone who goes to a big Northern uni seems to love it. Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, sheffield. Cheap accom & beer. All are pretty big so great facilities, sports, gigs, clubs, etc. son went to Leeds and totally loved it.

Newcastle - like Leeds but turned up to to 11! Amazing nightlife, but a long way away, and cold. Cheap.

Bristol (no. 2 son is there) - lovely city. Sort of half way between Leeds and Exeter, quite expensive, bigger than Exeter, smaller than Leeds. The halls are lovely, and near the uni, but expensive. Full of Oxbridge rejects!

London Unis - don't do it, you'll be totally broke. And lots of students will end up working in London anyhow.

Campus unis - Nottingham, Warwick etc. Very safe break from home, but a bit claustrophobic. Lots of people end up living in the local towns and then having to commute to uni.

it's interesting that once the kids have headed off to uni the detail of the course seems pretty irrelevant. What counts is accomodation (esp in years 2 and 3), price of beer, how many nightclubs, what sports are available and so on.

HTH
Phil
 
philsparks said:
I just had a "which uni" conversation with a friend, which included Durham. My eldest two are at the just graduated/2nd year, so here's a rather opinionated view from their perspective:

6th formers obsess about individual courses, but TBH, unless you are looking at something very specialised, most employers don't know and don't care, the order of "appeal" to employers seems to go:
(a) Oxbridge, but from son's mates it's a total sweatshop these days unless you're incredibly bright. (My nephew is having a v tough time at Cambridge). But the reputation is stellar
(b) somewhere very specialised like LSE for economics.or imperial for science and engineering.
(c) any Russel group uni but try to get a first.. ...
Most important thing is to do something and go somewhere where you'll have fun

then specific unis:
Durham (eldest son's ex GF went). Lovely old colleges and good reputation, not entirely convinced it's deserved, but that doesn't matter if employers think it's good. But a very long way away, bloody cold. Also odd relationship with the town, locals hate the students. And bugger all nightlife, they often went out in Newcastle. It's very very small, my son reckoned he bumped into more friends from SW London in Durham every 2 or 3 weeks than in Leeds where he was at uni!

Exeter - nice town, very small, totally full of public school kids that didn't get into Oxbridge! Son reckoned he once went to mate's party there and knew more than 50% of the guests from SW London!

Everyone who goes to a big Northern uni seems to love it. Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, sheffield. Cheap accom & beer. All are pretty big so great facilities, sports, gigs, clubs, etc. son went to Leeds and totally loved it.

Newcastle - like Leeds but turned up to to 11! Amazing nightlife, but a long way away, and cold. Cheap.

Bristol (no. 2 son is there) - lovely city. Sort of half way between Leeds and Exeter, quite expensive, bigger than Exeter, smaller than Leeds. The halls are lovely, and near the uni, but expensive. Full of Oxbridge rejects!

London Unis - don't do it, you'll be totally broke. And lots of students will end up working in London anyhow.

Campus unis - Nottingham, Warwick etc. Very safe break from home, but a bit claustrophobic. Lots of people end up living in the local towns and then having to commute to uni.

it's interesting that once the kids have headed off to uni the detail of the course seems pretty irrelevant. What counts is accomodation (esp in years 2 and 3), price of beer, how many nightclubs, what sports are available and so on.

HTH
Phil
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Very true that. Son missed out going to York due to an errant marker so ended up in Newcastle doing law. Loves it & think he would have hated York, his girlfriend is there so he goes reasonably often.

I went to Uni in Sheffield & still live here now, wonderful city, very unique, it’s fun up north.
 
I've been to most university (ie the pre-92 ones) campuses in my time. One that sticks in my mind, for the wrong reason, is Nottingham. On the taxi ride from the station to the university, the taxi driver said 'Nottingham's not as bad as people say. The high crime rate is mostly students getting robbed because they flash their money around too much'.

The weirdest one was Bradford. The main university building is an anonymous-looking '60s tower block. But up on some high floor is a panelled dining room, where I had the biggest meal of my entire life with some university dignitaries. It was about a dozen courses long, with wines to match, and after the meal I could barely stand, let along talk coherently. The next day, I was thinking maybe we'd have a working lunch, with sandwiches/snacks. Nope. Back to the dining room, for a meal that was fortunately only five courses.

I did my own first degree at Exeter. Then as now, almost the first thing anyone says is 'Well, I was supposed to go to Oxford, but [insert reason why they didn't]'. A lovely place. I understand they actually have a supermarket there now.
 
When Durham students want some nightlife they just jump on the train to Newcastle, about 15 mins.
 
Wot's Klute?

Ah, daughter, who is here at the moment, just confirmed, nightclub with some kind of Cummings f-i-l interest. She was amused when I asked.
 
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