Exploring County Durham: From Industrial Heritage to Festive Illuminations

Today’s journey took me to Cockfield Fell in the morning, a place rich in industrial history, and then on to Bishop Auckland in the afternoon for some modern architectural marvels and festive charm. With the drone and pocket camera in hand, I explored the remains of County Durham’s industrial and cultural heritage.

Morning: Cockfield Fell – Unveiling Industrial Relics

Cockfield Fell, England’s largest Scheduled Ancient Monument, is a vast, open common dotted with remnants of centuries-old industrial activity. This extraordinary landscape offers a window into the mining, transport, and engineering feats of the past.

Air Shaft

Air shafts on the fell were vital for ventilating the underground coal mines, some of which date back to medieval times. These shafts allowed miners to work in safer conditions, providing fresh air and removing toxic gases.Using the pocket camera, I captured the stone-lined entrances of one of these shafts, surrounded by creeping vegetation. The drone provided aerial context, showing the scattered locations of these crucial structures amidst the undulating terrain.

Mine Extraction Heaps

These spoil heaps are the remnants of the mining process, made up of waste material brought to the surface during coal extraction. Their size and shape give clues to the scale of operations that once thrived here.The drone revealed a bird’s-eye view of these features, their contours contrasting against the green landscape. Closer inspection with the pocket camera highlighted the way nature is slowly reclaiming these mounds, softening the scars of industry.

Gaunless Viaduct

The Gaunless Viaduct, part of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, stood tall over the River Gaunless in the 19th century. Built in 1825, this pioneering railway viaduct was dismantled in 1901, but its legacy as a part of the world’s first public railway lives on.While the viaduct is no longer standing, I used the drone to capture the site where it once stood, tracing its path and imagining the trains that once crossed it. Ground-level exploration helped locate the last traces of its foundations.

Coke Ovens

These small, beehive-shaped ovens were used to process coal into coke, a crucial fuel for the iron industry during the 19th century.The pocket camera revealed the intricate brickwork of these ovens, with their arched openings and blackened interiors. Aerial views showed the ovens nestled within the broader industrial landscape of the fell, giving a sense of how they fit into the mining ecosystem.

Skew Bridge

The Skew Bridge was designed to carry the Haggerleases branch of the Stockton and Darlington Railway over a local road at an angle. Its oblique construction was a marvel of engineering in its time.The drone highlighted the unique alignment of the bridge, while the pocket camera captured its weathered stonework and distinctive shape.

Haggerleases Quarry

This quarry once supplied sandstone for local construction and railway projects. It was closely tied to the Haggerleases branch, which transported the quarried stone to other parts of the county.Aerial footage from the drone showcased the quarry’s expansive scale, while close-ups with the pocket camera revealed the tool marks still visible on the rock faces—a lasting testament to the workers who toiled here.

Afternoon: Exploring Bishop Auckland

Newton Cap Viaduct and Skirlaw Bridge

These two iconic bridges sit side by side, each representing different eras of engineering. Newton Cap Viaduct, originally built in 1857 for rail traffic, is now a road bridge. Beside it, Skirlaw Bridge is a much older stone arch structure.I explored both bridges on foot with the pocket camera, capturing their contrasting designs and capturing sweeping aerial views of the River Wear with the drone.

Auckland Castle Aglow

As the evening drew in, Auckland Castle became the star of the show with its stunning Aglow event. The castle grounds were transformed into a magical display of lights, with installations illuminating the historic buildings and gardens.Standing just outside the castle’s grounds, I used the drone to capture the festive spectacle from above. The glowing castle against the night sky was truly breathtaking and a fitting way to end the day.

Reflecting on the Day

From Cockfield Fell’s industrial past to Bishop Auckland’s festive atmosphere, today’s explorations offered a rich tapestry of history and culture. Combining ground-level exploration with aerial perspectives brought these locations to life, preserving their stories in a way that is both engaging and unforgettable.