Attractions Near Durham

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Durham and the surrounding North East offer a wealth of things to see and do. Below is a guide compiled by members of the astronomy group. A map of Durham is available from the city's tourism website.

Within Walking Distance

The city centre is compact and most of these can be reached on foot from the department.

Newcastle & Gateshead (by bus or train)

Newcastle is around 20 minutes by train and offers a lively quayside with world-class arts venues.

Further Afield (car recommended)

These make excellent day trips from Durham.

  • Blanchland — picturesque medieval village in the Derwent Valley
  • Escomb Church — remarkably intact 7th-century Saxon church
  • Wallington House — National Trust house with extensive walled garden
  • Alnwick Garden — spectacular modern gardens with a famous treehouse
  • Alnwick Castle — medieval castle and filming location for Harry Potter
  • Cragside — National Trust house, the first in the world lit by hydroelectric power
  • Lindisfarne (Holy Island) — tidal island with a priory and castle; check tide times before visiting
  • Whitby — historic fishing port with a ruined abbey; where Dracula came ashore
  • Robin Hood's Bay and Brunswick Bay — stunning cliff-lined bays on the North Yorkshire coast
  • York — historic city with a minster, walls, and the National Railway Museum
  • Kielder Observatory — public stargazing facility in one of England's darkest skies; the department has connections here
  • Kielder Water and Forest Park — reservoir and forest for walking, cycling, and watersports

Theatre & Cinema

Durham

Newcastle

  • Theatre Royal — leading regional theatre with West End productions
  • Tyneside Cinema — beloved independent arthouse cinema
  • Empire multiscreen cinema

Boldon (car required)

For Children (car required)

Hiking

The Lake District (~2 hours)

One of the best places for hiking in the UK, with options for all abilities from gentle lakeside paths to challenging fell walks. Good bases include Keswick, Coniston, and Cockermouth.

Weardale & Teesdale (local)

  • Stanhope — hike through the dean and out onto the moors
  • Middleton-in-Teesdale — walks out onto the hills, with wildflowers in season; Weardale steam railway connects Stanhope to Wolsingham
  • Barnard Castle — walks along the River Tees

North Yorkshire

  • Cleveland Way — beautiful views around the edge of the North York Moors
  • Whitby — fishing port with an abbey and coastal walking
  • Robin Hood's Bay — peaceful, cliff-lined bay with a charming village
  • North Yorkshire Moors Railway — steam railway from Pickering, with access to moorland walks

Beaches

Northumberland Coast (north)

Miles of golden sand with several castles and villages nearby. Best enjoyed when winds are westerly — an easterly Haar (sea fog) can roll in without warning. In season, boat trips depart to see grey seals.

  • Alnmouth and the Northumberland coast — some of the emptiest beaches in England

North Yorkshire Coast (south)

  • Runswick Bay — picturesque bay with a sandy beach
  • Whitby — harbour town with beaches and a famous abbey on the clifftop

Mountain Biking

Hamsterley Forest (local)

Durham's mountain biking centre with purpose-built trails and bike hire available. Significant investment in recent years with ambitions to become the best destination in the North of England.

Hexhamshire Common

Remote moorland singletrack between Blanchland and Allendale Town. Boggy in winter, fast in summer.

Yorkshire Dales

Starting from Reeth — big climbs, big drops, and a challenging route through abandoned mines and quarries.

North York Moors

Guisborough provides access to a challenging black route through forest. Dalby Forest has singletrack trails and Pickering offers a train option for shuttling.

The Lake District

Classic rides with fantastic scenery; suits both technical riders and those looking for long mountain routes.