Outdoor Activities

Walker, cyclist or rider - of horses or waves, County Durham's panoramic countryside and thrilling coastline will exhilarate and inspire.

You can stride along 40 miles of the Pennine Way, past unrivalled river views and England's largest waterfall, High Force. You can wander the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and beautiful country parks, or explore an excellent network of public footpaths including over 60 miles of former railway reclaimed as much by wildlife as by walkers. The 11-mile Durham Coastal Footpath also harbours rare plants of international importance.

Our quiet country lanes offer cycling for all abilities and Hamsterley Forest provides some of the best off-road thrills in the area with a purpose-designed skills loop and cycle hire. Long distance trails include the award-winning C2C national cycle route through some of England's finest moorland; the W2W through the Durham Dales and Durham City; the National Byway and the North Sea Cycle Route. Check out our bed and breakfasts en route to keep you refreshed and refuelled!

Prefer 4 wheels to 2? Check out www.deepdaleoffroad.co.uk for a thrilling 4x4 driving experience near Barnard Castle, whether you're a first-time off-road driver or you bring your own vehicle with you. And at Weardale Off Road (www.weardaleoffroad.co.uk) you can enjoy a whole package of outdoor activities including 4x4 driving, quad biking and archery.

Durham's coastline is renowned for its sea angling and our reservoirs, including Derwent, Waskerley, Tunstall and Grassholme, offer some of the best upland fishing in the north. There's also excellent sailing to be had at Derwent and Grassholme, rowing on the Wear and water-skiing at Balderhead, all amidst spectacular scenery.

Our peaceful moorland, forests and bridleways are wonderful to explore on horseback, whether you bring your own pony or try your hand at one of our trekking centres. Find your nearest Tourist Information Centre for further details.