High Force: Enjoying Durham's Countryside

When friends ask me what I’ll miss most about being in the U.K., I’d reply, ‘watching football matches at St. James Park.’ A very, very close second would be the gorgeous English countryside.

Capitalising on the Sun’s decision to grace the skies above (it is not often that he chooses to do so), we made the trip to High Force on the River Tees in County Durham. I’d first heard of it during a visit to Barnard Castle one year ago and my mate at my local pub, Charlie, reminded me of its existence when I bumped into him last week. The journey was longer than Emily had expected it to be but driving through the countryside in County Durham proved to be a visually therapeutic experience in itself, the glorious sunshine accentuating the verdant splendour of the dales which were dotted with the colours of sheep and cattle. If only we could’ve played John Denver songs on the way (although Emily did sing a line of ‘Country Roads’)!

High Force

High Force was not crowded with visitors as it was a weekday and a short, pleasant walk through the woods from the car park took you to the waterfall itself. Along the way, one can admire the rock formations perpendicular to the walking path whose curious geometric design made them appear almost artificial, the flat surfaces inevitably inviting visitors to leave their marks. Sitting on the rocks at one side of the bank, one could admire the water plunging quite forcefully (no pun intended here) from the cliff edge, the sound of rushing water adding to the blissfully serene character of the place. It was an ideal place to visit after a hectic academic year and I’d certainly recommend it to everyone studying in Durham. Needless to say, only plan a trip there on days when sunshine and clear skies are forecasted (approximately 4 times a year in England).

Coming from a city-state that’s very much a concrete jungle, I’ll miss the fresh air of the countryside and the tranquillity of the woods. Thoreau wrote of the wild as a place free from the shackles of conformity and society and as a city-boy easily fatigued by the hustle and bustle of urban life (deep down, I don’t believe that I’m actually one), I’ve always thought it ideal to be able to escape to the countryside regularly as there, one finds not only serenity, but sanity.