wotif
A man standing in front of a sculpture of people. 1
A man in a black shirt with a logo, standing in front of a building and a castle-like structure surrounded by trees. 2
A group of people standing in a town square with historic buildings and a statue in the background. 3
A historic stone building with a large arched window and a smaller window with a metal grille. 4
A street with shops, including one with a 'FARU' sign, and pedestrians walking. 5
By North East Spirit Tours

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
Free cancellation available
Price is AU$28 per adult

Features

  • Free cancellation available
  • 1h 45m
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation

Overview

  • 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.

Activity location

  • The Journey
    • Walkergate
    • DH1 1SQ, Durham, United Kingdom

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • DH1 1WA
    • Millennium Place
    • DH1 1WA, Durham, England, United Kingdom

Check availability

Durham City Tour with a Local Guide

  • Activity duration is 1 hour and 45 minutes1h 45m
    1h 45m
  • English
Language options: English
Price details
AU$28.29 x 1 AdultAU$28.29
Total
Price is AU$28.29
Until Tue, 29 Sept

What's included, what's not

  • Inclusions
    There are no entrance fees payable as part of this tour
  • Exclusions
    This tour does not enter Durham Cathedral or Castle.

Know before you book

    • Service animals allowed
    • Public transport options are available nearby
    • Travellers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Activity itinerary

The Journey

  • 15m
We'll start with the Journey statue which tells the storey of the Viking raids which led to the monks of St Cuthbert accidentally founding Durham in 995.

Durham Market Place

  • 20m
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 storey of Charles Vane, the worst man in Durham to ever have a statue built to him.

Framwellgate Bridge

  • 20m
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

  • 5m
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.

The College

  • 10m
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

  • 15m
View of the Cathedral from College Green

Durham Castle

  • 5m
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 (Pass by)

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

Old Elvet

  • 10m
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.

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIES
    The Journey
    • Walkergate
    • DH1 1SQ, Durham, United Kingdom

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLE
    DH1 1WA
    • Millennium Place
    • DH1 1WA, Durham, England, United Kingdom

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