Chester-le-Street Amateur Rowing Club Riverside Chester-le-Street Co Durham DH3 3DR

Parking is available at the Amateur Rowing Club. This route is also accessible via public transport. From Durham, take Go North East bus no. X2, 21, X21, X22, X24 or 50. You can also take the train from Durham railway station.

[1] Start the walk at Chester-le-Street Amateur Rowing Club.  Turn right onto the riverside footpath.  The boat house will be on your right and the River Wear will be on your left.  

The club was founded in 1888.  A downturn followed its heyday in the 1950s but Bob Heywood revived the club in the 1980s.  It now boasts junior, senior and veteran teams and a world champion.  Victoria Bryant rowed in the under 23s ladies 8 in the World Championships. 

[2] Walk along the riverside footpath and pass Durham County Cricket Club on your right. You will then pass the Riverside Sports Complex on your right which includes football pitches, rugby pitches, tennis courts and an athletics track. 

As the youngest County in the County Championship, Durham’s brace of title wins in the space of 20 years is an impressive feat. Since they were added to the senior ranks in 1992, the County has won the Friends Provident Trophy at Lord’s and back-to-back titles in 2008 & 2009. Home-grown talents such as Paul Collingwood, Graham Onions and Steve Harmison even represented the England side at the Riverside venue, which held its first International Test with the visit of Zimbabwe in 2003, and has since hosted Bangladesh and the West Indies. The County will also stage an Ashes test against Australia in 2013.

The sports complex is home to many clubs and organisations including Chester-le-Street Athletic Club, Chester-le-Street Rugby Club and Durham Area Disability Leisure Group, the Gateway Wheelers and a wide range of junior (boys & girls) football clubs. The facility has hosted many prestigious sporting events including the World Veteran’s Athletic Championships, the Nike UK Cross Country Races and the Nike Premier League Under 16 Soccer Tournament.

[3] Continue on the same path as it bends round with the river and a wildlife area to your right.  At the end of the wildlife area you will have houses to your right and the river will bend away from the path to the left.

[4] 50m after the river bends away from the path turn right onto a footpath between two houses to enter a housing estate. Turn left onto Bradman Drive and continue along this road until it bears right and Durham County Cricket Club will be in front of you.

[5] Turn left and stay on the footpath on the left hand side of the road with Durham County Cricket Club to your right. 

[6] At the round a bout cross over the road and stay on the footpath as it bears left to return to the car park next to Chester-le-Street Amateur Rowing Club.