Rambles around the British Isles.

Bill Bryson put Durham on the map a few years ago by urging us all to visit and to borrow his car to get there. I fully agree with him and am offering mine for all such journeys. Last week I headed up for a full on nostalgia tour with my old room mate from the first year. Miss Towers was as ever delightful company and we had much fun revisiting our old college, eating all our favourite food in our favourite places and wandering around gazing at all the pretty views once more.

We went to Grey College during our time in the fair city. Grey made the somewhat grandiose claim to boast that one of the views from the college grounds was "arguably the finest in Europe". Thinking about it, that's a pretty bold claim, to beat the Alps, the Pyrenees, Vienna, Venice, Prague and countless other pretty places is some statement. Especially when this is the view.

Arguably it's the finest view in Durham, although the views from the top of the Cathedral might have something to say about that... So I think the revised blurb should boast; "arguably the finest view from Grey College, or Durham or maybe Europe if you have a particularly fine lawyer." Ok, so it's less snappy but slightly more accurate.

I loved my time in Durham, I loved going back and feeling that sense of belonging when a place creeps into your soul. Going back to these places in life always leaves you feeling more of a complete person, almost as if you leave a part of yourself when you go. I felt complete and at peace there, and if that's a little cheesy then I don't care. See how happy being back makes me. This is me outside Holgate house, home to me for 2 years.