The Weardale Way

The Weardale Way is a long distance walking trail in the North of England. It visits many of the best known locations in County Durham and Tyne & Wear including the World Heritage Site at Durham, founded in the 10th-century by monks belonging to the Community of St. Cuthbert. Starting from the award-winning Killhope Lead Mining Museum in Weardale – high in the North Pennines – the route attempts to follow the 68-mile course of the River Wear as it traverses the medieval County Palatine of Durham that once included the ceremonial county of Tyne & Wear where it ends on the North Sea coast at the ever-popular resort of Roker. Passing through or close to venerable market towns like Bishop Auckland, Stanhope, Wolsingham and Chester-le-Street the trail walks equally well in either direction though we’ve chosen to present it west-to-east so that the wind will usually be on your back. I don’t doubt that some will prefer the increasing physical challenge and sense of remoteness that comes with tackling it the other way around but the route files we supply work well in either direction.