A very welcome addition to Durham city centre, Clayport library replaced a not-very friendly…read morebuilding behind the Fighting Cocks. It is well set out and child-friendly, and with a good selection of books and other material. The ground floor is given over to books, with computers for internet access and downstairs is the digital media suite where dvd's, and cd's are available for loan, and there are more computers available. There are many holiday activities on offer also.

There's usually some cool exhibitions on at the Library on the Palace Green so it's always worth…read morechecking out. Our visit today was to see the Magna Carta on its grand tour of the country to commemorate its 800 year anniversary. More of that later. Once inside the historic stone entrance you find yourself in a super modern library and exhibition space. It's not what you'd expect but it kind of works. There's a nice little gift shop and great staff to help you out. The Magna Carta exhibition was excellent; a genuine copy of the 1216 charter sent to Durham (it didn't get one in 1215 because there was no Bishop in place) was right there - actually right there. It was quite amazing to see it so close, albeit in a glass case. The exhibition focusses on the history of rebellion and there was lots of other good stuff too like the gloves worn by Charles I on the day of his beheading.

While Durham isn't on the tourist radar for most, the Durham Cathedral is most definitely worth a…read moredetour for those visiting northern England. The cathedral and castle sit perched atop the city along the river. We took the somewhat steep riverside route up to the cathedral, and while it was quite a bit of a hike, the views along the river were fabulous. After exiting, we went via the city streets, which was also a treat as we were able to admire the unique city architecture and cobblestone streets. The cathedral is alongside the university campus, with the adjacent castle being part of the school. There is no fee to visit the cathedral, but there is a suggested donation, with optional paid tours. There's also a gift shop and a place to grab food (architecture is amazing here). Durham Cathedral was used for filming scenes for Harry Potter movies and Avengers Endgame. The cloisters and main cathedral chambers are very picturesque. I'd recommend a visit to the city of Durham and its cathedral if you find yourself looking for things to do in Northern England.

We visited Durham Cathedral in September 2024 on our way from York up to Bamburgh. I had wanted to…read moreexplore Durham as it is another ancient city with Saxon, Viking and Norman history. We chose not to visit the castle, due to time, but that gave us more time at the Cathedral. It was well worth it. We took the self-guided audio tour and it was excellent. It was a relatively busy day - all the new students were moving in - but it didn't feel too crowded. There are many interesting points of interest inside this magnificent building, of course St Cuthbert and The Venerable Bead are the hilights for me. There are lots of beautiful stained glass windows, of course the stunning rose window. There is a great looking cafe, but we did not have time to stop and eat. It looks like a great option for refreshments after a few hours on your feet. We parked at the Riverwalk Mall parking lot and walked over the Framwelgate Bridge to Market Square. Its a short but moderately steep walk up the top of the hill where the castle and cathedral are. Well worth exploring.

Peterlee library is on the outskirts of peterlee town centre…read moreIt is inside of peterlee college so there is plenty parking spaces. This library is large with plenty of choice. There is a nice childrens section with reading corner and a very good computer area where you can go online or use the printer or copy machine. They have a good choice of audio books and cds for you to borrow and the prices are very good. This libary will be closing soon onto the new college site in peterlee.

Absolutely excellent the staff are very helpful - the disabled access could be better but I…read moreunderstand they are working on this. Opening hours could be longer too - but it is local and good.

The new Library in Ryhope is really modern. It looks like a 'cool' building if you could ever class…read morea building as cool. There are two entrances one on Black road and one on ryhope road, so it is easy to get to. There are about 6 or 7 computers for you to use, you just have to check with the staff that they are free to use and not booked. It isn't the biggest library in Sunderland but it has a good range of books and a lovely childrens area that is brightly coloured and comfortable. If you find that the book you want isn't there, the staff are always willing to try to find it and order it in for you.