Running up that hill: a guide to the best routes around Durham

By Dan Bavister

As we approach another Michaelmas Term in Durham, students old and new will be arriving in our wonderful city. However, it goes without saying that while Durham University is often a joyful and enriching place to study, it can also be a stressful experience. As October spills into November, the nights soon become darker and colder, the days shorter, the light scarcer to find. At the same time, our schedules often become busier, with the first set of summatives for freshers and dissertation writing for finalists.

Since coming to university, I’ve found invaluable strength and solace in regular running, hiking and walking in Durham and the beautiful surroundings of the North East. While strictly speaking a city, Durham is inextricably bound to nature. The River Wear flows through our city, with its riverbanks laden with boat clubs bustling ahead of regattas and early morning rowing outings. In the evenings, the sun falls behind Durham Cathedral resplendent on its high hill, casting the Racecourse in an auburn glow.

Arguably my favourite running route, which I take almost every day, is the track alongside the river. Starting from Prebends Bridge (just off the Bailey, near Cuths), the route is relatively easy and clear, with stunning scenery. While slippery and unsafe after nightfall, during the day, especially late afternoon, the route is blessed by a beautiful golden shine that catches in the leaves and colours the water deep shades of aquamarine, auburn and azure. The route, which goes straight from Prebends, round the back of St Cuthbert’s Society, St John’s, St Chad’s and Hatfield College, will carry you past the Boat Club and on to the Racecourse. You can then follow the signage past the cricket and rugby fields and through the woods there (which are full of bluebells and daffodils in the spring) to Maiden Castle, our premier sports facility, and the Old Durham Gardens.

Alternatively, you can follow the track from Prebends in the opposite direction, passing by the Durham School Boat Club. There you’ll find striking views of Durham Cathedral and, perched in the treetops, the crenelated rear promontory of Durham’s historic Palace Green Library and the Music Department. If you continue along the river for around a mile, you will find your route opens out into wide open crop fields and patches of low woodland as you approach Franklin’s Farm. Another staple of Durham’s running routes, the Franklin’s Farm route can be completed in around 30 minutes of brisk running and offers unparalleled vistas overlooking some of Durham’s rich farmland. A mellow change of pace from the relative commotion of Durham city, this route is best in autumn, when the scattered copses and small wooded areas are lit up with fiery reds and deep yellows.

Beyond Franklin’s lies Brasside, a broad, natural pond. Bursting with diverse life in the summertime, in autumn it has a still, ethereal atmosphere. Past Brasside is Finchale Priory, a 13th-century Benedictine monastery laid in ruin by King Henry VIII. The remains, which are Grade I listed, are situated on a bend in the River Wear, four miles from Durham city. You can finish your run here with a picnic near the priory ruins, or enjoy a treat from the English Heritage-run shop and café.

 The Durham University Hill Walking Society has previously led walks to Finchale, which are often available to both members and non-members alike. However, the route is also primed for running. So long as you don’t mind a slightly more meandering route, Finchale is perfect for a sedate run of a weekend afternoon, for example. A trip to visit the priory should be on any Durham student’s to-do list, both for the serene beauty of the route and its significance as a site of outstanding history and heritage. More information regarding Finchale Priory is available on English Heritage’s website.

As many returning students will have already found, and I am sure most freshers will soon find, Durham is a very unique locale, which touches the lives of all who live here. While sometimes we may find the perennial challenges and emotional upheavals of our academic careers here a burden, I’ve found that taking just an hour from each day to run, and in doing so explore Durham, should lift a great deal of that weight from off our weary shoulders.

More information about running opportunities in Durham, including routes, fixtures, training and events can be found on the website of Durham University Athletics and Cross-Country club (DUAXC), or from your college’s running club.

Image: Amana Moore