My daughter is headed for Dilston Castle to do two weeks on an archeology dig in September. I told her I’d ask you nice smart people for information about weather and such, so she’ll know better what to pack and what to expect. I’m assuming she’ll need some kind of rain gear, just in case, and probably sweaters or hoodies to layer, but anything you can tell us would be all to the good.
Actually, any inside info would be good to have. She’ll be flying into Newcastle, taking the train to Hexham, and then the people from the site will be picking her up from there. She’s also planning to spend three or four days in London at the end of the trip. Her dad has offered to pick up the difference in cost for the all-female dorm rather than the co-ed dorm in the hostel she’s looking at in London.
She’s pretty excited about this, and we’re pretty excited for her. I only wish I could go with her.
It’s generally been a pretty wet summer in the UK and planning for rain is only sensible. However, the weather in September in the north can still have warm spells, so in terms of minimising packing it’s the worst of all worlds: she’s going to have to be ready for almost anything. Except blizzards. Not in September.
To get the “well, duh!” observation out the way first, she’ll be in one of the great areas for British archaeology (and wonderful landscapes). Since all of it can be walked and there’s reasonable public transport about, she might consider taking a good pair of hiking boots.
Newcastle’s not one of my favourite British cities, though its setting on the Tyne with all the bridges over the river is spectacular. It’s got a particular reputation as a hard-drinking party-town on weekends. Standard dress code is short skirts for the ladies and T-shirt and jeans - and never ever, ever a jacket or coat, even in the depths of winter when there is a blizzard - for the men.
It does have some interesting archaeology about. Roman fort out at South Shields and there’s the church at Jarrow associated with the monastery where Bede lived. The university museum has many of the finds from Hadrian’s Wall. But if she’s only in the area for two weeks, then it’s make more sense to concentrate any archaeological sightseeing away from the city.
And if she’s not bored of the area’s archaeology by the time she gets to London, it should be noted that the British Museum is currently doing a major blockbuster exhibition on Hadrian.
Be willing to ask people to repeat themselves if she doesn’t understand them, no, seriously. I’m English and am no stranger to the Geordie accent and I had problems working out what some of the people I was talking to were saying.
As for weather it’s not been all that warm recently so the clothing your propose sounds sensible, although you might get some sunny days so pack some t-shirts and strappy tops as well (it’s not like they take up much space is it?).
For London I have a ton of suggestions but if she’s only there three or four days then there’s a limit to what she can do. If you want a list then by all means PM me and I’ll come up with something (I’ll probably just dig out the list I gave to the last person asking for London suggestions on the Dope, actually…).
Rain gear: oh, yes. It’s pishing down here as I type. There’s no way of predicting what the weather’ll be like in September – it could be anything from warm and dry to freezing cold and soaking.
On the plus side, Hexham’s a lovely town, as is Corbridge. If she gets the chance, she might like to visit Haltwhistle, which isn’t far away, and bills itself as the Centre of Britain (which it is, if you choose the right method of calculation).
Public transport isn’t actually that great in the countryside in Northumberland, though being on the route of the Wall, she’ll have better than many (so long as she only wants to east or west). The main East–West rail line runs through there, so both Newcastle and Carlisle are easy day trips – Carlisle castle may be worth a look.
She’s one of those people who unconsciously pick up speaking patterns and accents, so we have no idea what she’ll sound like when she gets back. I’m sure it will be funny for a while. And annoying to her dad, who just doesn’t understand that phenomenon.
