Monday 06 September Durham

After enjoying my breakfast I walk across the car park to the coach and as I approach I can see a small screwdriver lying on the ground near to the front offside of the coach. Something isn't right.

As I round the front of the coach I can see the fuel flap open and the screwdriver is directly underneath. And I can smell diesel. Somebody has used the screwdriver where the key goes to force the lock to open and then have syphoned off the fuel. I quickly check the fuel guage and am relieved to see that I haven't lost too much fuel. I wonder if the robbers were disturbed and left in a hurry leaving their tool behind.

I check the coffee machine and nearly burn my finger off? How did I mend that?!!

After showing the duty manager of the hotel the damage we are soon on our way. Today we are visiting Durham Cathedral and then having a tour of the nearby moors in the company of a blue badge guide - Kate.

I drive the short distance to the city coach park where most of the group follow Kate to walk up to the Cathedral while the rest wait in the coach park for the shuttle bus.

I did a bit of shopping while they all visited the Cathedral, mainly to buy the comb I have left behind! My hair looks like I combed it by putting my fingers in the electric socket! The John Francome look!

We are away from Durham by midday and drive through a lot of old mining towns and villages as well as some lovely countryside. I find the towns fascinating as they are all very different from anything we see in the south. Also there seems to be so much open space everywhere, even the rows of terraced houses have space in front or behind.

I nearly run a little terrier dog over as he ran right out in front of me, lucky for him the wheels are six feet from the front!

We stop for lunch in the small town of Stanhope and park at the visitor centre. The cafe here is nice and copes well with all of our group as well as any indivduals who were probably expecting a nice quiet lunch!

From here the drive is spectacular over the moors where there is not a lot of folk about, just a few sheep. Nearly run a sheep over too! Well not nearly but some did run out in front of me just as I was expecting them to.

Our next stop is in a lovely village that I can't remember the name of! And I was only there five hours ago!

It was very old with pretty houses, a famous pub and delicious tearooms.

We depart here at 16:00 and an hour later are back at the hotel where I manage to park closer to the hotel and under lights. Hopefully that will be a deterrent