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Durham Dales: My Obsession, Your Escape.

Hi everyone!

During the day I earn my living as a Commercial Photographer, travelling the four corners of the UK and sometimes France & Spain taking images for Constructors, Architects and pretty much anyone else involved in the construction industry. 

My passion, photography, became my job as my skills developed over the years. My skills developed rapidly as a member of the Master Photographer Association and I was fortunate enough to win Industrial Photographer of the Year 2018 and Commercial Photographer of the year 2019. 

I started visiting the Durham Dales in earnest, perhaps 14 years ago when I got my first Motorcycle. ( Im 64 now). I was stunned at the raw and honest beauty of the Durham Dales. 

For me it’s one of those places that you visit ( like Glencoe) and you “feel something” as you go through it. In its most visceral sense, it’s a feeling of belonging, even though you dont really know the area, it’s a special feeling indeed. 

When I’m home from work, wherever that has taken me, London, Birmingham, Glasgow etc, the way I unwind is to visit the Durham Dales.

No longer on my motorbike as I find I prefer the comfort of my car! I can take sandwiches and a flask of coffee or enjoy lunch and a coffee in one of the many cafes in the Durham Dales and still remain dry if the weather changes, which invariably it does. 

So why this website? Well, hopefully if someone stumbles across i,t they too may be drawn to the beauty of the area for their own reasons and decide they may like to visit.

Im not proposing to offer a full travel guide, just a “feel” for the area so you can decide yourself if the Durham Dales are for you

If you’re too far away to visit, or maybe you would like to revisit but are unable to right now, then hopefully this website will over time, bring you some pleasure as a virtual looking glass into this lovely area.

I will try to visit the Durham Dales each weekend, if time and weather allows and add blog posts of my experiences, any walks I’ve been on, people I may have spoken to or Cafés, Pubs I may have visited.

St-Johns-Chapel,-St-Johns-Chapel-Weardale,-The-Durham-Dales-black-and-white
St-Johns-Chapel,-St-Johns-Chapel-Weardale,-The-Durham-Dales-black-and-white
A poignant scene in the Durham Dales: black and white view of St John's Chapel Town Hall (Upper Weardale Town Hall) with a war memorial statue of a soldier, commemorating the sacrifices of local heroes in World War I.
A poignant scene in the Durham Dales: black and white view of St John's Chapel Town Hall (Upper Weardale Town Hall) with a war memorial statue of a soldier, commemorating the sacrifices of local heroes in World War I.

If you would like to correspond with me the email address is info@thedurhamdales.co.uk. 

As a final thought, I am also creating a website on an area that has very strong sentiment attached to it also. Teruel Province in Aragon. 

It is a remarkable area of Spain which I have been visiting for the last 24 years. Whilst studying for my degree In French and Spanish at Newcastle University.

I became good friends with a Spanish Student studying English at Newcastle. We have remained good friends for many years and often visit each staying for weeks at a time.

Because of this long standing friendship I have been fortunate enough to visit and work in Spain ( for some of their local councils) creating images for tourist brochures and websites etc

It’s a rugged area, with several abandoned villages and many small villages in seemingly remote locations.

I am working on this Durham Dales Website and my other Teruel.co.uk website in tandem and may link one to the other at times to maybe explain what appeals to me about them both. 

If you like what you see please get in touch with suggestions of where to visit and share the site with others who may comment and enjoy it too.

Plus, if you know of local events, that would be good to know too.

Im looking forward to the journey!