Croxdale to Durham Along the Great North Road

This 5th section of the Along the Great North Road, from Croxdale, starts in open countryside, then crosses the old Sunderland Bridge which once carried the Great North Road across the River Wear. The route then passes the landmark Cock o' the North roundabout, then follows South Road past the modern university buildings down New Elvet into the heart of Durham City finishing in the historic Market Place.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Along the Great North Road (County Durham)

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.93 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: No
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 75 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 148 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 123 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 37 m
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Description of the walk

Start : The Coach and Horses, Butcher's Race, Croxdale, County Durham (DH6 5JU). Grid ref. NZ 277 356

(S) From The Coach and Horse, follow the A167 North-Eastwards for 1.5 Km.

(1) On reaching the car dealership at Croxdale village, keep to the right-hand side of the road and cross the roundabout heading North towards Durham. On leaving the village you will cross over the East Coast Mainline Railway.

(2) On reaching the village of Sunderland Bridge, cross the road using the island in the middle of the road. Then take the footpath to your left down to Sunderland Bridge and cross the River Wear. Look to your left for a view of Croxdale Viaduct which carries the East Coast Mainline towards Durham.

(3) Immediately after leaving the bridge, turn right and go through the gate passing Old Bridge House and follow the footpath to the roundabout. Cross the roundabout and take the A167 towards Durham ensuring you are on the right-hand side of the road. The Honest Lawyer will be on your right. Cross the River Browney and continue up the hill.

(4) On reaching the roundabout, named after the pub which once stood where the apartment block now stands, bear right towards Durham, crossing the road to walk down the left-hand side of South Road (A177).

(5) After 1 Km you will reach the outer reaches of Durham University Campus with John Snow and South Colleges on your right, continue past these and Van Mildert College to the junction of Elvet Hill Road. If you wish to visit either the Oriental Museum (to your left along Elvet Hill Road) or Botanical Gardens (right along Hollingside Lane), return to South Road after your visit and continue walking North-East towards the city centre.

(6) At the Whitechurch crossroads, continue straight ahead into Church Street passing St Oswald's Church on your left. You should now be able to see the cathedral to your left through the trees. At the end of Church Street, continue North into New Elvet passing the student' union building (Dunelm House) on your left, you will have a good view of the cathedral here across Kingsgate Bridge. Continue down New Elvet passing the Three Tuns Hotel on your right. This old coaching inn is now student accommodation. You will notice other old hotels and pubs on this corner.

(7) At the traffic lights, turn left and walk across Old Elvet Bridge. If you wish to visit the Cathedral and other venues on Palace Green, turn left here. Return to this point after your visit. On reaching the Magdalene Steps continue bearing right along Saddler Street to the Market Place. There were many inns here once, however they have all been turned into shops (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 123 m - Coach and Horses Inn, Croxdale
  2. 1 : km 1.57 - alt. 87 m - Croxdale Car Dealership
  3. 2 : km 2.33 - alt. 66 m - Sunderland Bridge
  4. 3 : km 2.57 - alt. 43 m - Gateway to Private Road
  5. 4 : km 4.72 - alt. 94 m - Cock o' the North Roundabout
  6. 5 : km 6.17 - alt. 89 m - South Road/Elvet Hill Road Junction
  7. 6 : km 6.86 - alt. 56 m - Whitechurch Pub
  8. 7 : km 7.66 - alt. 38 m - Junction of New Elvet, Old Elvet and Elvet Bridge
  9. E : km 7.93 - alt. 55 m - Market Place, Durham

Practical information

Start : The Coach and Horses, Butcher's Race, Croxdale, County Durham (DH6 5JU). Grid ref. NZ 277 356

Transport: Park in Durham (there are many car parks) and take Arriva bus 7 to the start of the walk.

Facilities: The walk starts at the Coach and Horses in Croxdale. There are no more facilities until you reach the Honest Lawyer. There is also a cafe at the Botanical Gardens. Whitechurch is recommended and there are a large number of cafes, takeaways and public toilets in Durham itself.

Accessibility: The entire section is on footpaths. Note that there is a swing gate by the roundabout in Sunderland Bridge. Wheelchair users and those with pushchairs should continue straight ahead after crossing Sunderland Bridge and walking around the road

In the nearby area

  • Oriental Museum: This is a little gem of a museum and houses collections from the Near and Far East (5).
  • Botanical Gardens: This is a lovely place to rest after walking along the roads for the first part of the journey (5).
  • Durham Castle: The castle is known as University College and is home to many of Durham University's students (tours must be booked) (7).
  • Durham Cathedral : Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site with the outstanding Norman Cathedral as its centrepiece (7).
  • Palace Green Library/Archaeology Museum : As well as being one of the university libraries with special collections, the archaeology collections are housed here. There are permanent and temporary exhibitions throughout the year (7).
  • Heritage Centre (spring/summer opening only): This small museum charts the history of Durham City and is a little gem (7).

Other walks in the area

Walking Weardale Way - Sunderland Bridge to Durham City Centre

Walker
↔8.61 km ↗+85 m ↘-90 m ◔2h 40 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Brandon and Byshottles (County Durham)
This walk is a little more challenging and includes some steep gradients but finishes with a more leisurely walk along the river banks in the city itself finishing at Brown's Boat House next to Elvet Bridge. Along the way the route passes several farms, Croxdale Hall with its Chapel and Shincliffe Hall. These are closed to the public but make good route points.

Walking Sunderland Bridge to Durham Cathedral - The Way of Life

Walker
↔6.70 km ↗+117 m ↘-96 m ◔2h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Brandon and Byshottles (County Durham)
This walk largely follows the River Browney and then the River Wear passing through managed woodland around the outskirts of Durham City before passing the university and St Oswald's Church before rejoining the banks of the River Wear finishing with a walk along the South Bailey to Durham Cathedral.

Walking Whitworth to Sunderland Bridge, The Way of Life

Walker
↔6.58 km ↗+1 m ↘-68 m ◔1h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Spennymoor (County Durham)
This section of the walk begins at Whitworth Hall Country Park with its deer, crosses farmland before passing through the pretty village of Tudhoe and then joins the Weardale Way for a short section before reaching the outskirts of Durham City.

Walking Durham Loop

Walker
↔6.15 km ↗+64 m ↘-58 m ◔1h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from City of Durham (County Durham)
This walk takes in the main visitor attractions in Durham, starting from the Howlands Park and Ride, visiting the Oriental Museum, Botanical Gardens, Castle, Cathedral and Market Place. There are some steep hills, but a bus can be caught from Elvet back to the Park and Ride.

Walking Colleges of Durham

Walker
↔7.82 km ↗+111 m ↘-111 m ◔2h 35 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from City of Durham (County Durham)
This walk follows some of the oldest and most historic streets in the city and passes all 17 Durham University Colleges as well as its visitor attractions. Throughout the walk are many visitas of the castle, cathedral and River Wear.

Walking Binchester to Whitworth, The Way of Life

Walker
↔4.54 km ↗+12 m ↘-37 m ◔1h 20 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from County Durham
This shorter section allows follows the Auckland Way for a time before crossing farmland to Whitworth Hall and Deer Park.

Walking Durham University Loop

Walker
↔2.55 km ↗+36 m ↘-36 m ◔0h 50 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from City of Durham (County Durham)
This short walk around the university showcases the best the campus has to offer. It is suitable for a lunchtime walk for staff and students, and for a longer walk taking in the Botanical Gardens and Oriental Museum. The walk is accessible, but be ready for a steep climb through the Botanical Gardens.

Walking St Oswald's and River Bank Loop, Durham

Walker
↔2.16 km ↗+22 m ↘-16 m ◔0h 40 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from City of Durham (County Durham)
A short walk along the River Wear taking in St Oswald's Church, Prebends Bridge and the Count's House. This walk provides views of Durham Cathedral and the Fulling Mill on the peninsula and passes the one remaining gate in the city walls.

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