Walks in Durham by train

Recommended: Scenic for most of its length, with a choice of walking high, low, or on the beach.

Coastal: four fifths along the coast.

Time: 3h30–6h30

Walk details: Railwalks.

Similar walk: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Recommended: A quiet walk, separated from built-up areas, with several steep climbs and descents.

Coastal: nine tenths along the coast.

Time: 4h30–9h30

Lunch: No food or drink en route after Seaham.

Warnings: Several steep climbs and descents.

Walk details: Railwalks.

Recommended: A varied route through nature reserves and beaches.

Coastal: four fifths along the coast.

Time: 6h–11h30

Warnings: About two miles around the port alongside a main road.

Walk details: Railwalks.

Recommended: A direct town-centre-to-town-centre route, under 20% on roads with the rest flat and well-surfaced tarmac path mostly along the riverside. Passes through a semi-industrial landscape and runs close to the river.

Waterway: two thirds along the River Tees.

Time: 2h–3h30

Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Time: 6h30–12h30

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Cracking views along the river. An urban route with a mix of green and built-up spaces, following the banks of the River Tyne and only leaving the river to skirt industrial units. Almost all tarmac or paving and accessible for wheelers and with a minor detour at a stepped railway crossing near Blaydon. A peaceful bridleway start; cracking river views. Follows the Hadrian's Wall National Trail (Hadrian's Way) and the Keelmans Way cycle path along the Tyne, rich in wildlife including the world's most inland kittiwake colony, peregrine falcon and shelduck (best at low tide). Information boards cover the history of industrial Tyneside; the 'Dunston Staiths' timber jetty is visible across the river.

Waterway: three fifths beside rivers and canals.

Time: 2h–4h

Lunch: The Italian bistro Liosi's is on the route; no toilet stops along the riverside.

Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk. Crossing the river at Scotswood Bridge is a little fiddly, walking beside the busy A695 traffic.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Amazing views all the way; this gorgeous route. A gorgeous, largely traffic-free rural route reliably walkable year-round, on good ground with limited road walking on quiet lanes. Starts uphill out of Durham; the ground is mostly good but there is quite a lot of tarmac. The sections either side of Finchale Priory are briefly very steep, with a long and steep flight of steps and a footbridge over the river. Largely coincides with other waymarked routes. Finchale Priory is an English Heritage site.

Time: 3h30–6h30

Lunch: There is a cafe at Finchale Priory, roughly midway.

Warnings: The steps down to Finchale Priory are long and steep and can be tricky in wet weather; the quiet roads either side have no pavements and occasional fast cars.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A good route making use of a riverside path and off-road sections as far as possible through otherwise urban areas and including an attractive park. Some path closures near a quarry require short detours. Passes Fulwell Quarry, which has many alternative paths.

Time: 2h–4h

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A lengthy route with substantial pavement sections at the start and end and narrow countryside footpaths in between. The section around Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park is the nicest but also the most challenging terrain. Can be muddy when wet.

Time: 4h–7h30

Warnings: The route crosses the busy A689; the safer crossing point is slightly east of the line shown, at the traffic lights. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Lots of lovely nature and panoramic views. A long route mixing town road-walking with field paths and farm tracks across open country, with panoramic views and lots of nature. Many field paths are poorly maintained, lost or heavily overgrown with nettles and brambles and very wet and muddy after rain. Passes under the A1 near Darlington; there is an ice cream shop at Walworth a short detour off-route.

Time: 5h30–10h30

Warnings: Many field paths are overgrown, lost or blocked and need hacking through nettles; some require detours around farms. Parts cross or run beside the busy A6072 and A1, and the A1 underpass can flood. Tough going for adults and impractical with wheels away from the towns. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.