Station Arrival & Welcome Pints
London train arrives into Durham Station. Dan arrives from Bristol. Welcome pints and lunch in Durham.
London & Bristol Group Arrival
10:33 LNER train arrives from Kings Cross (James P, James A, Alex, Rich). Dan arrives from Bristol. Meetup for quick lunch & welcome pints.
Hotel Check-In & Bag Drop
Check-in opens. Just state your name at reception. Rooms are fully prepaid by James P. Free resident parking.
Castle Grounds & River Wear Walk
Casual 1 to 1.5-hour group walk around the castle parkland, woodlands, and the River Wear loop. Relaxed pace.
Pre-Dinner Drinks in Library Bar
Reconvene for drinks. Mark Stapleton arrives and joins the group here.
Dinner at Knights Restaurant
Group dinner in the castle's vaulted stone restaurant hall. Followed by board games and drinks in the lounge.
Breakfast at Leisure
Breakfast not included in room rate. Options at castle dining room or in town (30 min walk / 5 min taxi). Andy departs today.
Countryside Hike (Led by Alex)
4–5 mile scenic countryside hike through local fells and trails, ending at the pub for lunch.
Pub Lunch @ The Chester Moor
Hearty pub lunch and pints. Mehal arrives midday and joins the group here. 5-min cab/lift back to castle after.
Taxis Depart for Newcastle
Pre-booked group taxis depart hotel for central Newcastle (~25 mins drive).
Whiskey Tasting Experience & Quiz
Hosted in the medieval friary. Includes welcome craft beer, artisan snacks, tutored premium whiskey tasting & quiz.
Group Dinner at Blackfriars Banquet Hall
Pre-ordered 3-course dinner in the historic medieval banquet hall. Cost is £110 per person (covers James A as groom, plus includes a £113 group drinks credit!). Followed by Newcastle nightlife.
Debrief Breakfast & Packing
Coffee, hearty breakfast, and debriefing the weekend shenanigans.
Hotel Check-Out & Goodbyes
Vacate rooms by 11:00. Head to Durham Station for southbound trains or drive home!
👑 James A (The Groom)
Fri 13:18 LNER train • 2 Nights • Room Prepaid
⭐ James Patterson (Host)
Fri 13:18 LNER train • 2 Nights • Organizer
🥾 Alex (Hike Lead)
Fri 13:18 LNER train • 2 Nights • Leading Sat Walk
🍷 Richard Tosh / RT (F&B Lead)
Fri 13:18 LNER train • 2 Nights • Dinner Coordinator
🚗 Pablo Savva
Fri ~13:00 (Kia EV6 from Scotland) • 2 Nights
🚗 Mark Stapleton
Fri ~18:30 (Driving via site visits) • 2 Nights
🚗 Chris
Fri Morning (Driving, station lift hero) • 2 Nights
🚆 Sam Hayhurst
Fri Midday • 2 Nights • Attending all events
🚆 Dan
Fri 13:18 (Train from Bristol) • 2 Nights
🚗 Andreas Phillips (Andy)
Fri Morning (Driving) • Departs Saturday
🚆 Mehal Shah
Arrives Sat ~12:00 (Chester Moor Lunch)
🗺️ Save All Stag Pins to Google Maps
Save all stag venues directly to your Google Maps app with one tap (Lumley Castle, Durham Station, Chester Moor Pub, Blackfriars, EV Chargers & Tesco):
🏰 Lumley Castle Hotel
14th-century castle hotel. Free guest parking on-site. Bar, restaurant, and courtyards.
🚆 Durham Railway Station
London & Bristol arrivals at 13:18. 6.2 miles from Lumley Castle (~12 mins taxi).
🍺 The Chester Moor Pub
Saturday hike lunch stop. Mehal meets the group here. 2.2 miles (5 mins taxi) back to castle.
🥃 Blackfriars Restaurant (Newcastle)
Medieval Dominican friary. 18:00 Whiskey Tasting flight & Quiz, followed by 20:00 3-course dinner.
⚡ Gridserve Washington Services (A1M South)
Pablo's optimal rapid charge stop. 350kW ultra-rapid chargers. 12 mins splash charge gets +35% battery. Just 7 mins north of Lumley Castle.
🛒 Tesco Superstore Chester-le-Street
Breakfast cafes, cash machine, pharmacy, and emergency supplies. 1.4 miles (4 mins drive) from castle.
1 Drive Down from Scotland (Fri Morning)
Depart ~10:15 in your Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD with 100% charge (~240 mi range). Total drive to Durham area: ~125 miles (~2h 20m).
2 12-Min Splash Charge @ Washington Services
Pull into Gridserve Moto Washington Southbound at 12:35. Plug into 350kW CCS. In just 12 mins at 230kW peak, your 800V EV6 adds ~35% battery (reaching ~63%).
3 Park at Lumley Castle & Drop Bags
Drive 7 mins from the charger to Lumley Castle, arriving at 12:58. Park in the courtyard. Free parking for residents. Drop overnight bag at reception.
4 12-Min Uber to Durham Station (13:05)
Hail an Uber from the castle gates at 13:05 (~£10). Arrive at Durham Station at 13:18 just as the 10:33 Kings Cross train pulls in! Greet James A, James P, Alex, Rich, and Dan on the platform.
★ Saturday Dinner Contribution: £110
Richard Tosh locked in the Blackfriars menu. Cost is £110 per person (covers your meal, James A's meal, and includes a £113 group drinks credit). Settle transfer with Richard directly via the WhatsApp group.
5 Sunday Return Drive (Effortless)
Check out at 11:00 on Sunday. Your EV6 still has 60%+ battery ready to roll, giving you plenty of juice to hit the road without hunting for slow chargers!
Master Google Doc Handbook
The complete, printable group briefing:
James A’s Stag Weekend: Master Operational Handbook