The National Trust and Durham County Council are upgrading a 10.5km stretch of the River Wear corridor in Durham, County Durham, to make it easier for people to walk from the city into the countryside. The project aims to fix broken links in the local walking network and ensure the route is accessible to a much wider section of the community, including wheelchair users and people with pushchairs.
Workers are installing new footbridges to replace narrow or flood-damaged crossings and are installing accessible kissing gates to replace old wooden stiles. Much of the long-distance route is being resurfaced with weather-resistant surfacing to reduce winter mud and improve year-round access.
The project uses Crook Hall Gardens as a main gateway to the river path following the National Trust’s acquisition of Crook Hall in March 2022. The work links to a £3.7 million scheme announced in May 2024 to improve Durham’s walking and cycling network; major infrastructure installations on the corridor are scheduled through 2026.
Once the upgrades are finished, the improved path will provide a clearer link between the city centre and Finchale Priory. Local officials expect the changes to benefit more than 50,000 residents, who are expected to be able to access the river more easily for exercise and nature trips.
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