Last Updated on November 28, 2025

Lumiere – Shining a light on Durham

The historic city of Durham in north-east England deserves a place on any shortlist of UK destinations for a weekend break or for an extended holiday. Set in County Durham and a short distance from Newcastle, the city is easily reached by train from King’s Cross in a journey of roughly three hours.

This was my first visit to Durham after far too long thinking about going. Colleagues who had already made the trip spoke highly of it, which only added to the sense of anticipation. Visiting during Lumiere 2025 felt like the perfect opportunity to finally explore the city as it comes alive with light during the darkest nights of the year.

Lumiere Light Festival

Lumiere is a biennial light festival centred in Durham City that has been running since 2009. Organised by Artichoke Creative Trust in London, it is the UK’s leading light festival with dozens of installations from renowned International artists and local artists alike, dotted around the city. 

Entrance to the festival is free; certain areas are ticketed, with a small ticketing fee to aid crowd management. The evening of our visit was very wet; the weather didn’t deter thousands of people from turning out for this incredible experience. 

Most of the light installations are temporary, a few having become permanent fixtures from previous Lumieres. Some of my personal highlights of Lumiere 2025 were Sign, by Vendel & de Wolf from the Netherlands, an installation located outside the Durham University Waterside building, a blazing fire with flames reaching up into the air.

FluoreCycle by Hannah Ayre, a UK artist, was a striking work comprising 70 lit-up bicycle wheels suspended above the street, reminiscent of colourful street bunting.

Elysium Garden, by the UK company Jigantics, was a forest of giant illuminated blooms located on the green outside Durham Cathedral, with the flowers slowly changing colour in time to the sound. The sheer scale of this installation was outstanding.

Within the cloister of the cathedral was a work entitled Solace by Amelia Kosminsky, a UK artist.  This installation was a multitude of Illuminated lanterns suspended in the air as if caught in time.

Lumiere was a unique experience and one I will not forget.

Durham Cathedral

On any short trip to Durham city, visiting Durham Cathedral is a must; do take advantage of a guided tour with one of the volunteers who will delve into the history of this historic building. Please find out more about the Cathedral in our earlier feature.  The sheer scale of this magnificent cathedral was very apparent when I visited, as the seating had been moved to the sides for the duration of Lumiere.

Particular highlights for me included The Daily Bread window, a modern, colourful stained-glass window gifted by Marks & Spencer in 1984, which depicts Christ and the twelve apostles at the Last Supper, seen from above. The window draws you in, encouraging quiet reflection.

Situated within the Chapel of the Nine Altars is the wooden sculpture, the Pietà, by local artist Fenwick Lawson. Inspired by Michelangelo’s work, this sculpture depicts the dead Jesus reaching out to his mother, Mary. Whilst it was on display at York Minster, a fire caused damage to the Pietà, singeing and burning Jesus. Although damaged, Lawson felt it enhanced rather than detracted from the sculpture, which has been on permanent display in Durham Cathedral since 2004.

Crook Hall Gardens

Crook Hall Gardens are worth a visit at any time of the year. I was keen to see them as I love gardens. This National Trust property, incorporating Crook Hall with its medieval hall dating back to the fourteenth century, has a series of interlinked gardens and a small maze. My visit was in November, and parts of the gardens were closed off for maintenance, but it was still worth visiting. Crook Hall Gardens are a short walk from the centre of the city and boast a cosy café offering a selection of hot food, cakes and drinks, perfect for refreshments after strolling around the gardens.

Looking to explore a little more during my brief stay in Durham, I chose to head for Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, before catching the train back to London. I was not disappointed; it was one of the highlights of my visit. I made a note to revisit in the summer when the gardens are at their peak.

Ushaw House, Chapels and Gardens

Ushaw House was built on a hill in 1808, a few miles west of the city of Durham, by catholic priests as a training college for priests. The location was key; it was hidden away from sight, behind a screen of beech trees, during a time when Catholics were persecuted. 

As time passed, the college grew, and a thriving community emerged to meet the seminary’s needs. Ushaw House was opened to the public in 2014 and offers B&B accommodation within its complex, allowing visitors to stay overnight.

The gothic architecture of Ushaw House is stunning; within its interior are a series of breathtaking chapels. The architecture showcases the craftsmanship of Augustus Pugin, the architect of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, and the work of generations of Pugins who succeeded him.

The chapels are a delight to visit. Saint Cuthbert’s chapel is spectacular; this in itself is a reason why you should visit Ushaw House. The current chapel, built by Dunn and Hansom in the French Gothic style, replaced the original version designed by Augustus Pugin in 1847, as the previous chapel was not large enough to accommodate the growing congregation. The details from the first iteration were incorporated into the new design, including the pews, candlesticks, stained-glass windows, and tiles.

Several smaller chapels radiate out from St Cuthbert’s Chapel, amongst them the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, the Memorial Chapel, the Lady Chapel, and chapels to Saint Bede and Saint Gregory – part of the ante-chapel with its marble statue of the Madonna and Child.

Moving on from the chapels, visit the parlour, designed by Edward Pugin as the dining room for the professors, and the refectory, designed by Augustus Pugin, where the students took their meals. These spacious, beautiful rooms give a true sense of the scale of Ushaw during its time as a college.

An airy exhibition space displays works by local artists; the current collection features works by Tom Hume.

Ushaw Historic House and Chapels are worth visiting if you are in Durham; it is the only location in the world where you can see examples of the architecture and design of all six members of the Pugin family.

My visit to Durham was brief but memorable; I will revisit it when I have the opportunity.

I was a guest of Visit County Durham, staying overnight in the Radisson Blu Hotel close to the city centre. 

Factbox

Lumiere 2025 is the last light festival in its current format in Durham. Plans are to reimagine the festival for future years. For more information on the Lumiere Festival.

Crook Hall Gardens are open all year round and are worth a visit if you are staying in Durham.

Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens are a hidden gem, close to Durham city. Why not take the time to go there? You will not be disappointed.

There are numerous attractions and places to visit in Durham and the surrounding area. 

For a visit during the summer months, see our article on Kynren, a spectacular and unique outdoor event.

Our suggestions for an itinerary in Durham city, including more detailed information on Durham Cathedral, can be seen here.

Further afield, why not take time to visit one of the many interesting attractions in Durham County? For our recommendations on what to see in County Durham.

If you are looking for a special place to stay in County Durham, why not consider Seaham Hall as a base?

This is Durham has a wealth of information for planning a visit to Durham city and the wider county of Durham.