IT feels like a lifetime since we could head to the shops without a mask and a bottle of hand sanitizer.

While the pandemic is far from over, vaccinations are now being rolled out which health secretary Matt Hancock has described as “the light at the end of the tunnel” and people are starting to dream of life after lockdown.

To keep your spirits up, here are some things you can look forward to when lockdown ends:

Having a few pints at the pub

After some challenging weeks stuck in the house and home schooling the kids, I bet a lot of people are missing the pub right now.

However, the day will come when pubs can once again open and you can enjoy a few drinks with friends.

Maybe you are eager to have a pint at the historic Dun Cow in Durham or perhaps you are craving the sirloin steak served at The Black Horse in Ingleton.

You could even embark on a pub crawl without needing to book in advance.

Which local pub do you miss the most?

Days out with the kids

By now, it’s likely that your kids are clawing at the walls, desperate to have a day out.

When restrictions ease, you will never complain about a day out at the Wacky Warehouse or Magic and Mayhem soft play again.

Instead of taking them to the local park, you could take the kids somewhere a bit different in County Durham this year.

Hall Hill Farm is a fantastic place to go if you live near Durham.

The farm is home to donkeys, rabbits, lambs and so much more.

Alternatively, the 4 Motion skate park in Darlington is the perfect place to try something different.

Watching live sports matches

It’s been so long since sports fans were allowed to cheer on their favourite teams.

When lockdown restrictions ease, we can get back into local stadiums and watch a match or game up close and personal.

Luckily for local cricket fans, Emirates Riverside will host the first ODI of the Royal London Series this summer.

(Twitter/@RiversideDurham)

On 29th June, England will take on Sri Lanka and the game will be the first opportunity to watch the world champions on home soil since the ICC Cricket World Cup. 

Going to a restaurant

Ordering takeaways in has lost its charm and now many of us are desperate to dress up and enjoy a meal at a restaurant when lockdown ends.

Many local restaurants opened up last year- but many could have missed the chance to try them thanks to the changing lockdown rules.

Ciao Italia Ristorante and Mercato is just one restaurant that opened in Durham last July; they serve delicious-looking Italian food.

(Facebook/@ciaoitaliaristorantedurham)

Taking part in a running event

After lounging on the sofa watching Netflix and eating food throughout lockdown, the last thing many of are thinking about right now is running.

The Durham City Run festival couldn’t go ahead last year- at least not as we know it.

(Facebook/ @durhamcityrun )

Instead, the event went virtual and saw around 900 people complete 10K, 5K or one mile races.

However, a new provisional date of 15th-18th July is in place for this year- hopefully the runners can have crowds cheering them on this time around.

Watching a live performance

When lockdown is over, we can all once again enjoy a show at a theatre or concert hall.

2021 is looking a lot brighter in this regard, as several live events are currently scheduled for summer.

There’s plenty going on at Durham Cathedram and Aled Jones (3 May) and Scounting for Girls (25 June) are scheduled to perform.

There are also plenty of events and performances planned at the Darlington Hippodrome including vari, ous tribute acts, a performance from Jooles Holland and his orchestra (21 May) Chris Ramsey’s stand up (12 November) and a pantomime production of Cinderella.

Browse other shows available on the Hippodrome website.

Fingers crossed they can all go ahead this year!

A stress-free holiday

The travel rules since the pandemic have been ever changing and evolving, making many apprehensive about travelling abroad even when they were allowed to.

Matt Hancock has also advised Brits against travelling abroad this year and plan to have a “great British summer” instead.

 Many of us can’t wait to jet off on a plane- but we can still dream and start planning the next big holiday.

Until then, there are plenty of fantastic weekend getaway locations right on your doorstep.

If I wanted to stay somewhere truly luxurious, a treehouse stay at Ramside Hall in Durham would be at the top of my list.

The Gables Pod Camping’s in Escomb is another great option; they have some fantastic glamping pods and the site even featured on Channel 4’s ‘Four in a bed’ last year.

Going to a festival

The coronavirus brought an end to festivals- even local ones.

However, a spokesperson for Durham County Council said the Lumiere festival is currently scheduled to go ahead.

The Northern Echo: The Lumiere FestivalThe Lumiere Festival

They said the UK’s largest light festival is currently set to take place from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 November 2021 “offering a welcome sign of brighter times ahead”.

Excitingly, Bishop Auckland’s Heritage Fest is also set to take place from 14-15 May.

(Facebook/@heritagefest)

It’s one of the first music festivals of the year and features names such as Gareth Gates, Five and Ray Quinn.

Christmas traditions

Christmas was a very different affair for everyone in 2020.

If the kids got to see Santa at all, it was likely from behind a Perspex screen or via a video call.

Last year the Durham Christmas Festival went virtual- but it’s hoped that this year we can peruse the gifts and treats on offer for ourselves.

Across County Durham, even the Christmas light switch on were crowdless including the Darlington one which was transformed into a virtual event.

When lockdown restrictions ease we can once again resume our normal Christmas traditions.

Getting to see your loved ones

I’m sure many will agree that the hardest thing about lockdown Is not being able to spend time with our loved ones.

Videos calls simply aren’t enough and many are desperate to go shopping in the town centre or even just walk around Stanhope Park in Darlington or the Botanic Gardens in Durham without fear of passing the virus on to them.

When lockdown is over and the pandemic is just a moment in history, we can hug our family members a little tighter.

What are you most looking forward to when lockdown ends? Let us know in the comments.