102310_south durham (6):(6) 22/5/08 10:14 Page 1

This riverside and woodland route is 8 kilometres (5 miles) in After you pass Fountains Hall on the right the road bears length and will take up to 3 left and passes between the buildings of Grey College, with hours. It mainly follows Walks to the South of Durham a spectacular view of to the right. surfaced paths or roads and When Hollingside Lane meets South Road turn left to cross can be followed at all times of South Road at the pedestrian crossing, and a few paces to the GA the year without walking boots. L TE PETH ND left will take you to the end of Elvet Hill Road . H-I 540 The route is generally level, but FRANKLA ORCHARD DRIVE A690 metres (590 yards). there is an ascent of 40 metres THE SANDS ATE EG SID E E Turn right onto Elvet Hill Road, ID AC (130 feet) in 500 metres (550 S PL R S E N’ T A A and just after Van Mildert College EM W E yards), an average gradient of R WHARTON A691 E F T A

PARK F P there is a road on the left leading G R

NORTH ROAD R 1:12, in Great High Wood, L O GILESGATE L

A V

E I

M D

W

E to the Oriental Museum (opening M N between points and , and W

A C

R E E F

R hours: Monday-Friday 10.00- L a corresponding, though more O G A

D A GATE 17.00 and weekends and Bank gradual, descent between T ILES E G Market Place A GILESGATE Holidays 12.00-17.00). Continue points and . At three TH A690 YPA points along the route it is possible to take short-cuts back CLA along Elvet Hill Road past into the city centre. Trevelyan and St. Mary’s Colleges on the right. Where the road N MARKET OR T TH RO PLACE E LEAZES ROAD meets Potter’s Bank turn right to walk down the hill to a E A The route crosses a number of main roads and you should R D T E roundabout. Cross over Potter’s Bank just before the L

S L I B take care when crossing these roads. Where possible you V S N A E SILVER ST D roundabout and then cross Quarryheads Lane at the stone

N C O FRAMWELGATE D WATERSIDE ELVET L T ALLERGATE BRIDGE should walk on pavements or pedestrian paths. E ELVE T R T B cottage by the White Gates. Go through the gates and follow the U S RIDG CASTLE T S R E

E CROSSGATE E Go from the Tourist T track, which bears to the right and continues downhill to cross

Information Centre in OLD ELVET Prebends’ Bridge . I-J 1,020 metres (1,100 yards).

N SPORTS GROUND

A690 O R

Millennium Place ( on map), T H

B As you cross the bridge you

A NEW ELVET I

turn right and go past St. L E

Y get one of the classic views of the Nicholas’ church into the COURT LANE . GREEN LANE Cathedral on your left. On the far S E W OLD BOW LANE R Market Place. Either go through H C I SUMMERVILLE FULLING ET N side of the bridge turn left onto Tourist Information Centre LV N MILL E E GREEN LANE the Prince Bishop’s Shopping Y D

H

I the riverside footpath, which will ERY LANE

L Centre and use the lifts or the stairs next to B.H.S. to reach M HMP L ARG DURHAM M RUGBY take you past the Old Fulling Mill the riverside path, or bear left at the end of the Market Place H FOOTBALL OLD GROVE ST A L CATHEDRAL L GROUND DURHAM Museum (opening hours: April- G A and walk along Saddler Street. At a fork in the road where EY R IL T A H October 11.00-16.00 daily, and B H H S T there are some steps (Magdalen Steps), take the left-hand T T R R A U G O E L E November-March 11.00-15.30 S L T A H road () and walk towards the until you THE L CHURCH STREET IL H MAIDEN OLD DURHAM Friday-Monday). At the end of the footpath, there is a flight of Y reach the last shop on the left. Beyond that shop are steps E FARMHOUSE N CASTLE IN WOODS steps to the bottom of Silver Street. Turn right and walk up H which will take you down to the riverside path . A-B 340 J W OS W Silver Street into the Market Place. Walk past the right-hand metres (370 yards). BOYD ST ALD C WHINNEY O end of the church . J-A 1,020 metres (1,100 yards). U HILL The riverside path is also a cycleway so you should be RT ELVET BANK E Short-cut 1 prepared for riders to approach you from either direction. A177 At the west end of the bridge When you reach the turn right and follow the A177 riverside path, go between THE GRAHAM MOUNT JOY SPORTS CENTRE riverside path (with the river the shopping centre and the on your right) below Maiden Boathouse Bar. For the next ST MARY’S COLLEGE Castle Woods. After the woods 2 kilometres (1.5 miles) the POTTERS BANK Elvet Bridge

ELVET HILL ROAD the path continues with the river will always be on your A177 DURHAM Elvet Bridge UNIVERSITY grounds of Durham City Rugby Club on your left, then swings right. The path will take you left and joins Green Lane. Turn left down Green Lane, with the under a modern road bridge (New Elvet Bridge) and past a HOUGHALL TREVELYAN COLLEGE City, and then University cricket grounds on your right. pedestrian bridge on your right (Baths Bridge). Continue along ST.AIDAN’S COLLEGE A177 COLLEGE At the end of the University grounds, a road joins from the left. the path, with the grounds of the College of St. Hild & St. SOUTH ROAD F Continue straight ahead into Old Elvet and walk past the red- Bede on your left. After the first boathouse a footpath, which ORIENTAL brick Old Shire Hall on your left and the Royal County Hotel on turns off to the left and climbs between the buildings of the MUSEUM M your right. At the traffic lights, cross over New Elvet and walk College, enables you to link to The Caldecotes Circular Walk up Elvet Bridge. At Magdalen Steps turn right into Saddler (leaflet available from the Tourist Information Centre). Shortly I Street and continue straight ahead into the Market Place and after passing the second College boathouse cross a bridge then into Millennium Place. over a small stream (Pelaw Wood Beck) which is a tributary of VAN MILDERT GREAT COLLEGE COLLINGWOOD HIGH WOOD the river . B-C 810 metres (880 yards). COLLEGE Short-cut 2 H On the west side of the A177 turn right and walk north along The riverside path now BOTANIC GARDENS the roadside path. You will pass East Durham & Houghall becomes more rural. There are Community College on your left, and the Graham Sports Centre the steep tree-covered slopes of on the right. The path climbs through trees and you reach the Pelaw Woods on your left and A177 outskirts of the city at a roundabout. Take the road ahead, Cathedral View sports fields across the river. Hallgarth Street, and continue until you reach traffic lights. Looking beyond the river and sports fields you will see the G Continue straight ahead down New Elvet, with university silhouettes of the Cathedral and Castle against the sky. LANE E buildings on your left. At the next set of traffic lights, turn left Eventually you will see the premises of Durham Rowing Club and walk up Elvet Bridge. At Magdalen Steps turn right into on the other side of the river and you come to an open field HOLLINGSID Saddler Street and continue straight ahead into the Market . C-D 610 metres (660 yards). Place and then into Millennium Place. At this point there is a choice of routes and only the VIEW POINT STAGES Short-cut 3 second alternative is suitable for buggies and wheelchairs, At the road junction turn right and follow the track for a short although it is possible for them to follow the first route as far MAIN WALK PLEASE NOTE! distance between hedges until it reaches a stile. Cross the stile as Old Durham Gardens and then return to this point and take and continue through the field with the hedge on your left until you

the second route. KEY SHORT CUTS GARDENS reach trees and another stile. Cross the stile and you meet a track; 1 At the beginning of the open WOODS/ turn right and follow the track which bears to the left and then to field go straight ahead on the MUSEUMS GREEN AREAS the right before it meets the A177. Turn left and the path climbs 500m 1km N left-hand of the two paths. through trees and you reach the outskirts of the city at a At the end of the field, the roundabout. Take the road ahead, Hallgarth Street, and continue path bears left at the corner until you reach traffic lights. Continue straight ahead down New of Old Durham Gardens. At the pedestrian bridge the two alternative routes converge. Elvet, with university buildings on your left. At the next set of traffic track until you meet a road at a boom gate, go through the gate Immediately after the corner Cross over the bridge, and at this point it is possible to return to lights, turn left and walk up Elvet Bridge. At Magdalen Steps turn Old Durham Gardens and you will be on the Houghall Farm road. Turn right and take the path on the right, the city centre [see short-cut 1 below]. To continue the full route right into Saddler Street and continue straight ahead into the continue past a riding school paddock on the left, until you reach a which runs through an old railway embankment. The path turn left to walk beside the river and follow the path alongside the Market Place and then into Millennium Place. then crosses a narrow bridge (unusable by buggies or road junction . F-G 1,150 metres (1,250 yards). grounds of the University Graham Sports Centre to reach Wheelchairs and buggies cannot complete the whole route wheelchairs) over the Old Durham Beck. Continue across Access to Houghall Farm, turn Shincliffe Bridge. Do not go over the bridge but cross straight over since there are stiles. However, a shorter version is possible playing fields to reach a bridge over the river . left to enter the Farm areas. the A177 . E-F 610 metres (660 yards). and uses the lifts in the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre to get D-E 540 metres (590 yards). Entrance charge to the Farm. Take care crossing this road as the bridge rises on your left. to the riverside path . It then follows the route above, using Open: Easter to Oct 10.00 – 16.00 Please note: the route leading to Point E across the alternative 2 and short-cut 1 or short-cut 2. At this point it is possible to turn right to return to the city centre daily and Oct to Easter playing fields is NOT a public right of way and neither is the [see short-cut 2 below] and buggies or wheelchairs should follow Weekends and school holidays pedestrian bridge (University of Durham permissible route). the short-cut. It is also possible to turn left to link to the Shincliffe 10.00 to 16.00 or dusk. 2 At the beginning of the open Parish Walks (leaflet available from the Tourist Information Houghall Gardens At this point it is possible to turn field take the right-hand of Centre). To continue the full walk go ahead into a small copse. right to return to the city centre [see short-cut 3 below], or to the two paths which runs Where the path meets a road at the buildings of the Pump House, continue straight ahead at the road junction and cross a stile to the beside the river and cross turn left and continue along the road. right of a letter box. Follow the path through the trees and, when it the Kingfisher Bridge over This road has no pavements and is used by traffic to/from reaches Great High Wood, follow the path that continues straight the Old Durham Beck. Houghall Farm. You should follow the Highway Code and walk on ahead. The path climbs steps to reach Hollingside Lane. Turn right The path continues alongside the left-hand side of the road. and follow Hollingside Lane, passing Hollingside House and the the river, under an old Kingfisher Bridge University Botanic Gardens on the left. railway bridge, with the steep slopes of Maiden Castle Just before the road bears to the right you will find a stile on the Woods on the other bank, and enters the University playing right. Cross the stile and take the path which winds between trees The Gardens are open to the public and have a café which you fields. Shortly afterwards, on your right, you reach a bridge parallel to the road. The path gradually climbs, and where it forks can use even if you do not visit the gardens (opening hours: over the river . D-E 540 metres (590 yards). take the right-hand fork. The path then descends by a series of March-October 10.00-17.00 daily, and November-February The Peninsula steps to meet a farm track at a stile. Turn left along the farm 10.00-16.00 daily) . G-H 1,290 metres (1,390 yards). .gov.uk about durhamcity Durham Cathedral concert Durham Cathedral tickets for service ‘Meet and Greet’ groups coach @ tradeinfo 0191 301 8531 • • t: e: .gov.uk .gov.uk durhamcity Mon-Sat 09.30-17.30, Sun 11.00-16.00 Our friendly staff provide staff Our friendly about information beautiful Durham City and beyond! of books range Great maps and souvenirs booking Accommodation service @ touristinfo 0191 384 3720 durhamtourism.co,uk www. Open daily: • • • his for guide David Butler and walking tour historian local thanks to Grateful of this guide. help in the preparation invaluable Durham Tourist Information Centre Information Durham Tourist Durham City DH1 1WA Place, 2, Millennium t: e: Visitor Services Durham ‘Best UK City’ – 2007 Condé Nast Traveller Awards