Durham City Guided Walking Tour with local expert guide

5.0 (10 reviews) 1 h 45 min Free cancellation

out of 5

10 reviews

5.0

Durham City Guided Walking Tour with local expert guide — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Durham City Guided Walking Tour with local expert guide, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Take a historical walking tour of Durham, in a small group, with Peter. He's lived a few miles from here most of his life, and delivers the tour with knowledge and humour. You'll walk through a thousand years of history, from saints and kings to bishops with armies and the coal industry that shaped it.

We start at the Journey Statue, where monks fleeing Viking raids buried St Cuthbert in 995. We pass the Marketplace and the Castle William the Conqueror built in 1072, before he fled the city in terror over a saint's coffin. We see Cathedral stonework, barely changed since 1180, and hear how Durham's Bishops ruled with near royal power for 750 years.

You'll hear how coal defined this county for nearly 500 years, until 1993, and how its Miners' Gala still fills these streets every July. Along the way: a statue almost nobody liked, a ghost said to still play his pipes at midnight, and a fog said to have saved the Cathedral from German bombers in 1942.

Private and Luxury Historical Tours Walking Tours Small Group Low Supplier Cancellation Rate Low Last Minute Supplier Cancellation Rate Short term availability Weather Dependent - Moderate

At a glance

Duration: 1 h 45 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 8 people
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: English
Operated by: North East Spirit Tours

Ages: Children (0–14 years) · Adults (15–120 years)

What is included

Included

Included: There are no entrance fees payable as part of this tour

Not included

Not included: This tour does not enter Durham Cathedral or Castle.

Itinerary

The Journey

15 min

We'll start with the Journey statue which tells the story of the Viking raids which led to the monks of St Cuthbert accidentally founding Durham in 995.
Durham Market Place

20 min

This lively square has been Durham’s civic heart for centuries, home to the historic Market Hall, three fascinating statues, and the beautiful St Nicholas’s Church. We'll talk about where the bodies are buried - literally - and the story of Charles Vane, the worst man in Durham to ever have a statue built to him.
Framwellgate Bridge

20 min

Having walked down the busy shopping street Silver Street and seen the hidden passageway up to the Cathedral, we'll stop on Framwellgate Bridge to get your first view of the majestic Durham Castle, discussing its fascinating history.
Prebends Bridge

5 min

We'll walk along the River Wear path, taking in the fantastic view of the Castle and the Cathedral from below as well as seeing the historic boat houses and mills.

We'll then take in the view that JM Turner made famous of the Cathedral from Prebends Bridge and discuss the famous and infamous Prince Bishops of Durham.
Stop 5

10 min

We’ll see the best preserved remains of the old city walls, and walk up South Bailey and into the College - today the most exclusive and peaceful part of the city but once the heart of the monastery.

It’s then to the Chorister School - including a photo of some surprising famous ex-pupils - and see the infamous Dark Entry to the Cathedral.
Durham Cathedral

15 min

View of the Cathedral from College Green
Durham Castle

5 min

Passing into the heart of the World Heritage Site, Palace Green is the historic centre of the old fortified city of Durham. From here we'll get another view of the majestic Cathedral, Castle and the discuss the historic church and university buildings of Palace Green.
Kingsgate Footbridge

Passing by

We cross the river over the modern masterpiece Kingsgate Footbridge, telling the surprising story of its connection with Sydney Opera House.
Old Elvet

10 min

It's then on to outside His Majesties Prison Durham to talk about a daring escape and an infamous ghost, then on to the lovely Old Council Offices on Old Elvet, where we'll talk about the historic and world famous Durham Miners Gala. Our final stop is Elvet Bridge, home of two of notorious night spots, one with a connection to high politics.