Cycling in Durham City

Whilst Durham might not seem at first glance an ideal city for cycling, a bike can be used for many shorter journeys. Already there are many facilities for cyclists and these are being added to all the time.

Several cycle routes link the outlying residential areas to the city centre and other areas with large employers. National Cycle Network Route 14 links Belmont and parts of Gilesgate to the city centre via Old Durham.

Example of Cycle Route Sign

Whilst it is not a direct route, for much of its length it’s traffic free and provides a very picturesque approach to the city centre. Newton Hall is well served with two routes; one leads to County Hall and the Aykley Heads Estate, and the other the city centre via the Penny Ferry Bridge.

Pennyferry Bridge

Of course, Durham is a bit hilly and you might find some routes hard to start with. As you cycle more though, your fitness and stamina will improve. And think how good you’ll feel the first day you cycle easily up those hills! As with any new exercise, if you haven’t done anything strenuous for a while, think about consulting your doctor first,

NCN Route 14 to city centre

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this information. The following PDF file provides information on the cycle facilities in Durham (and where the hills are!). Durham Cycle Map.pdf (1 page, 2488kb).

You can also see a key for the map.