Walking in County Durham

Historically, County Durham is a land hemmed in between the two mighty rivers of the north - the Tyne and the Tees.

The county stretches from the high Pennines to a low cliff coast.

Its richly wooded landscape covers a treasure trove of coal and lead.

This guidebook contains detailed descriptions of several one-day walks, plus a handful of interesting cycleways and outline descriptions of a few long-distance routes.

They are spread all over County Durham and have been chosen to illustrate the region's history, heritage, countryside and natural wonders.

The terrain covered ranges from field paths to open moorlands, from the high Pennines to the North Sea.

There are 33 walks making up the main body of this guidebook.

They are mostly circular, but the Durham Coast Path and the Boundary Route over Mickle Fell are linear.

Together, these one-day walks cover about 270 miles (435km) of immensely varied countryside, showing you the best and most interesting features of County Durham.

You will be able to discover something about the region's geology, natural history and heritage by following informative trails or by taking in specific sites of interest along some of the walks. A network of Tourist Information Centres can help you to discover the best places to stay, how to get around, and what else to see.