County Durham: Finchale Abbey, Chester le Street and Durham
11 people attending
14 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.
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are extremely mild, or who has recently tested positive for Covid-19, is asked not to attend.
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.