WEARSIDE WIDE

I nipped over to Durham this afternoon to get a few bits of shopping I needed, and to warm up a bit since it was still fresh enough this morning in Hartlepool for me to be wearing a cardigan indoors and regretting leaving my vest off! I hadn't realised it was one of the graduation ceremony days and Durham was full of proud parents and smartly robed graduands so I didn't go up to Palace Green, but walked along the riverside paths instead. I remembered the day I graduated - only 8 years ago, since I was a very ancient mature student - when it was definitely chillier and windier than today, and my then 81-year-old Mum came up to do the proud parent thing. She was thrilled to be shown to a front row seat in the Cathedral just in front of Mick Aston (RIP) who was receiving an honorary degree (and of whom she was a great fan), and near Bill Bryson, the Chancellor at the time who gave me my degree and of whom she is also a great fan.

Anyway, here's a panorama of architecture along the river, from the Old Elvet Bridge with ancient buildings beside it, past the nondescript apartments that have sprouted in the last few years to the definitely 1960s Lecture Theatre block, showing its age, and in need of new window blinds if nothing else!

Wide Wednesday has the theme of "Wood" today, and I was standing on the wooded bank, so the link is a bit tenuous. But thanks to Steveng for hosting. (Bigger is wider.)