County Durham: Finchale Abbey, Chester le Street and Durham
8 people attending
17 places left
A beautiful 9 mile linear walk starting out from Chester-Le-Street along the river and heading to the beautiful, secluded Finchale Abbey. Finchale ("Finkle") was founded in 1196 as a holiday retreat for the monks of Durham. Nowadays, the ruins nestle in a sweeping curve of the River Wear and are a beautiful spot for a picnic. After we've taken our share of history and cake, we'll walk on across The Scogs and Barkers Haugh to approach Durham from the country.
This is a linear walk which will start in Chester-Le-Street and finish in Durham city centre with tea and cake/a pint. Transport back to the start point is possible by regular buses or trains.
Picture Credits
All the photographs for this page were taken by the walk leader, ncl_toby and permission is given to ODL to use them.
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What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch and water. There is a kiosk/little tea shop at Finchale Abbey which is often open, but don't rely on it - there are no other shops en route.