Welcome to Walkabout Durham! I am Peter, your guide, and I have developed six guided walking tours to help you discover this beautiful 1,000 year old city.
Whilst strolling along cobbled streets and riverside footpaths, you will view some of the world's best architecture and encounter gripping tales of the kings, Prince Bishops and local people who have made Durham one of England's most fascinating and historically significant, cities. Choose from our tours below- all set against the backdrop of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes Durham Castle and Durham Cathedral.
Our detailed tours are a perfect way for tourists, day-trippers, students and locals to learn more about our wonderful city. An ideal way to start your break in Durham. Book directly through the website for the best price.
Our Tours
Take a walk through time as we explore the stunning and dramatic peninsula of Durham city. From some of the most spectacular vantage points around, we will discover tales of the miraculous St. Cuthbert and his journey here 300 years after his death! Plus we encounter legendary kings and ferocious rivalries that have shaped Durham since the Anglo-Saxon times. From wealthy and eccentric Prince Bishops, to humble locals, we uncover how people have helped to craft Durham into the city it is today.
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1 hour 30 minutes
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£13 p.p.
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Mon- Fri: 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm &6pm
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Sat-Sun 2pm
Fully immerse yourself in the amazing history and culture of Durham on this full day private tour. You will walk the cobbled streets, bridges and beautiful riverside paths whilst learning about 1,000 years of history. From saints and Prince Bishops to the darker side of the city’s history, there are stories in abundance. During the tour you will be guided around the magnificent Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle. Both were commissioned during the Norman period and are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. They provide some of the best examples of architecture from the 11th century in England. Over the course of the tour, you will stop for coffee and cake at one of the city's atmospheric cafes and, later in the day, drink a beer (or a soft drink) in one of its many historic pubs. You can also customise the tour by adding additional extras such as museums and alcohol tasting at some of the city's best spots. We are delighted to launch this new tour- bringing together all the best that Durham city has to offer in one day.
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7 Hours
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£130 per person
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9am daily
All of the features of the history tour plus more! Here we explore the wider city and uncover some hidden gems. Learn about the ‘King in the North’ - the legendary St. Oswald - who returned from exile to reclaim his father's Northumbrian lands and establish a legacy that paved the way for Cuthbert and the Durham story. We also take a look at the dark side of Durham as we explore the prisons, executions and hauntings that add to the mystery and intrigue of the city. Finally, a tour of Durham would not be complete without delving into its rich coal mining heritage and the local people who are at the heart of the Durham story.
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2.5 Hours
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£18 p.p.
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Sat-Sun 10am
Combine two of the best things about Durham in one tour- its history and its pubs! See the stunning architecture in the heart of the historic city centre and discover the tales of conquest, miracles and tragedy that makes Durham truly unique. Add to this four stops in atmospheric and historic pubs to enjoy some real cask ale and you have the perfect walking tour.
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2 hours 30 minutes
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£28 p.p.
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4 1/2 pints included
Delve into the darker side of Durham's past as we discover the gruesome, shocking and tragic tales of our city's rich history. From the medieval prisons, castle and cathedral to the city's historic pubs, we explore the hauntings, crimes , deadly battles and saintly miracles that add mystery and character to our beautiful little city.
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1 hour 30 minutes
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£13 p.p.
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Mon-Fri: 6pm
Explore Durham at your own pace and at your own time with Walkabout Durham's collaboration with VoiceMap.
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1 hour
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£7.87
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From VoiceMap
Why book with Walkabout Durham?
Highly Rated and Excellent Reviews
5 years of delivering walking tours
Historically accurate and thoroughly researched
Dog friendly on all tours
Amazing views and photo opportunities along the way
Hints, tips and recommendations for food, drink and entertainment
Reviews
What are people saying about Walkabout Durham?
Best way to start our city break
Fab full city tour.... The best mix of history, myth, legend and local custom. Peter was very
entertaining and informed and gave us tips on how to get the best from the rest of our trip.
This was a delightful way to get oriented in this wonderful city.
About Us
Your Guide
I'm Peter, your tour guide and founder of Walkabout Durham. I'm actually a geography teacher by trade, so I love being out and about and hope I'm pretty good at teaching people a thing or two about places.
Walkabout Durham is now in its fifth year and what a great five years it has been. We have had visitors from every continent (aside from Antarctica!) and have hosted a range of bespoke tours for individuals, couples, coach groups, university visits and work functions. The biggest group so far has been 50 people - such a challenge but a great experience.
I'm a County Durham native. Raised in Seaham, I now live in Thornley with my wife.
My great interests are travel and history. Since leaving school, I have had a great urge to explore as many places as I can, meet new people and learn about the culture and history of some of Europe's greatest cities. I studied physical geography in Manchester and spent a year in South Dakota, USA. Since then, I have travelled through Europe - often sleeping on beaches to maximise my budget. I'm often torn, but my favourite city (aside from Durham of course) would have to be Paris. On each visit I discover something new. The history is fascinating and brutal, much like in Durham and the culture is so rich and varied. Above all, like most places I visit, I find that it is the people who bring the character and richness to a place.
Why have I created Walkabout Durham?
I have always been an independent traveller - walking around cities and finding the odd bit of information here and there to quench my thirst, as well as stopping at random cafe's and bars to soak up the atmosphere. However, four years ago, we visited Florence for our first wedding anniversary and took a guided walking tour. I was blown away by how much I learned within the space of two hours compared to exploring alone.
I decided that I wanted to help people have this kind of experience too, and what better platform than my home city of Durham. Months of research followed and now we have three different tours - all unique and showing a different aspect of Durham! It is a fantastic way to start your trip.
What do I love about Durham?
I visit Durham almost daily and never tire of it's unique atmosphere. Each time I visit, there is a constant reminder of our past. From the dramatic architecture on Palace Green, to the many reminders of our rich mining heritage, Durham retains it's history. I am so proud to call this place my home.
Durham is a bustling city, with restaurants, cafe's and traditional pubs aplenty, but I love that within the space of a few seconds, you can escape the busy streets and find yourself on secluded riverside walks with spectacular views.
As a local, I already had some knowledge of our more recent history, however, I have discovered a whole new side of Durham since planning our tours. It has been fascinating to go back through time and learn about the people who have helped build and shape the city we see today. Now, each time I visit and find something new, I can appreciate how it links to our past. To truly get to know Durham, you really do need to go back to the beginning!
Get in touch
Want to:
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Discuss group tours for your business/ group of friends/ organisation?
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Discuss customising tours?
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Talk about any special requests?
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Find out more?
Simply get in touch via the email, phone or contact form and I'll get back to you within 24 hours.
07546381644
"The city of Durham itself is an intensely beautiful and historic place. There is so much history there, but what makes it special is that it appreciates having that history - it looks after it and does positive things with it" - Bill Bryson
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