Wheeeere Off to see the Wiz...Ahem OX!!! lol

During the week my friend John had asked me had I seen the photo's and Youtube footage of the Old Baths at Durham, to which I replied "No". So I decided to checkout the video and images and found them really interesting. It's a real shame that such a beautiful building which opened back in 1932 has not been looked after an converted in to something useful. The place has so much character

During my search I found various articles and thought I'd post this link to show you what the building looks like and just how it has fallen in to disrepair and been vandalised

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=23941#.U0F9AVfIvRU

Both John and I would have liked a look inside, well maybe not John as he thinks the building is "spooky" as he describes it lol

Anyhoo whilst searching on the line I discovered there was a sculpture down on the riverside in Durham. It was done by Andrew Burton. So I mentioned this to John and we both decided to have a ride down to Durham to try and find it and get some pics.

Mooooooooo!

Well Sunday morning came and I got up with the same annoying headache as I have had for the last week or so. I have been getting these headaches, which are right behind my left eye for sometime now. I have had MRI's and nothing shows. I had been to the opticians (I'm going back almost 6 years here lol) and at the time everything was ok, so it wasn't that. I visited my doctor who gave me these headache tablets that kind of work for short periods and eventually I visited my dentist and ended up having my wisdom tooth pulled which helped the problem, however now it's back. So plan of attack get my eyes tested again. I know I need glasses, as when I'm writing stuff at work it's at arms length just so I can see it. Plus it's bad crack when you have to rely on a magnifying glass app on your phone to read small writing lol. Now I don't mind wearing spectacles, no my problem is the whole logistics of carrying them around. I know for a fact I'll either lose,sit,stand or drop them and I don't fancy having a pair hanging around my neck as that will just mean I lose any street cred I ever had.

Anyhoo, as I was saying headache this morning. I then decided to make some sandwiches for our outing. Mmmm corned beef and jam I thought, in fruit loaf baby bread. As I went to put the packet of corned beef away I decided to nick an extra slice and began chewing it. I had just got to the fridge when feck me I bit down on something really hard, a bit of bone or something and I thought I had broke my back teeth..Aww brilliant now I have a headache from hell in and around  my left eye and toothache where I think I may have broke a tooth or lost a filling.

Never mind John shows up and he's not looking nowt flash. Poor John has done something to his back and says to me "Oh jeez me backs gone off". So I ask him, "you sure you up for a ride out", as it's quite a long one and a bit of a killer drag whichever way we come home from Durham. John says he will be ok so we head off and crack on.

It's been a bit of a funny day weather wise, what with wind,rain and sunshine all mixed in. John and I just steadied away, heading over to South Moor and up the Black Path, then along to the Morrison Road ends and turning to go down past Maiden Law and down Lanchester bank. From there it was onto the Lanchester Valley cycle path and we came off at BearPark. It was here I bumped into Mark. Mark is the brother of my good mate Steven and  he loves to get out on his mountain bike, he's a dead canny lad and we get on well. I really enjoyed our bit chat and Mark pointed both John and I in the right direction to get down to the riverside. We then said our goodbyes and Mark was off, he was having a ride to South Shields.

John and I rode down into Durham and through the old Market place, taking a left over the bridge and this brought us out on the right road for Old Elvet. A little further along the road and I spotted the Cow and Bandstand.

We had a little ride around before going down to the sculpture,trying to figure out where the old baths might be. Google maps didn't help in the slightest pfff!

It was then  case of getting a few snaps. I wanted to get some of both John and me together and was on messing around trying to get my mini tripod set up, when a very nice lad asked if he could help. "that would be great" I said and we went on to have our pics taken and have a bit of a chat. Gordon introduced himself and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. Gordon was with his family and we were just about done so I gave him the address of my blog and hopefully he will visit and see the images he took. Thanks Gordon good job. I'm useless with Photoshop so tried my best to do your snaps justice.

Thanks for taking these pics Gordon

John the Coo n Me

John and me been cow tipping

Eye Spy

Is it a cow or an Ox?

From the Cow sculpture we headed over to the Old Baths, you see I had asked Gordon if he knew where they were and it turns out they weren't far along from the riverside.  Once there John and I had a quick investigation. We found a window that had been boarded up, but was partly un-covered so had a quick peek through. Boy I sure did want to climb through the window and go and have a good nosey around and get some pictures.Unfortunately the window was a tad high and  getting through wearing a prosthetic limb would have been tough. Ah well never mind.

From Durham it was the return leg home...Grrrrr...drag, drag,drag. The worst bit for me is when I get back on the C2C at Birtley, behind this old pub. I have checked my Strava and as I recall from there it is 6.33 miles back home. I hate every pedal stroke.

Eventually got home though after 34 odd miles. I'm wrecked once again, aching good knee, skinned ass which is a bit sore, still got a headache and my tooth is hurting on the right, oh and don't mention the dreaded Phantom Pain. I ask myself why do I put myself through this? ...Well because it's fun to be with your mates, it's great meeting new and interesting people, it's awesome seeing our beautiful countryside  and plus there was nowt on Telly lol

I got a few more snaps of the Sculpture and John

John happy after his Nutella n Jam sandwich

The Durham Cow

Now may go for a well earned nap