SUP Route: Durham City Centre

Paddleboard Route Review: Durham City centre, County Durham

📍 Location Overview

Name: Durham City Paddle Route

River: River Derwent

County: County Durham, UK

What to Expect: A gentle, scenic paddle ideal for beginners and families. Calm, shallow stretches of water during summer months but can be busy on weekends and evenings with rowers and boat users. This is probably the busiest stretch of river in the area so it isnt the best spot for first timers (try Ebchester or a lake first). This route is excellent for beginners taking their first short sup journey once they've got the hang off the basics...and with the bonus of a path alongside, it's great for all the family to join, whether it's by foot or on the water.

River walk alongside the river

✅ Quick Summary

Skill Level: Beginner-friendly

Distance: 1.6 mile round trip.

Duration: a leisurely 30 minute paddle in each direction.

Launch Spot: launch from the wooden deck on the river next to Clive's boathouse car park

Parking: There is quite a lot of parking space at Clive's Boat house car park but can be busy on rowing race days, Sundays and sunny evenings. Parking is payable by app only (Evology and Paybyphone) and is ran by parking-eye so make sure you get proof of payment as the signal isn't always strong enough to clear payments straight away!

Toilets/Cafes: The only nearby toilets are wild wees' in the woods or in the rowing club but you'd need to be a member, otherwise wait until you get to the boat club pub & restaurant. there's no nearby cafe to the car park for non rowing club members but once you paddle up to the boat club pub your in the city centre which has an endless list of quality cafes to eat, drink and toilet if you fancy a longer stopover.

Ideal Conditions: Low wind, steady flow, spring to early autumn. Check the sewagemap before leaving for safe water quality and the Durham rowing club website here for safe water levels

Mobile Signal: Strong throughout the route but sometimes weak internet in the car park.

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🧭 Route Breakdown

Full route GPX files and Youtube 3D flyover available on our OutdoorActive page or can be viewed on our youtube channel.

1. Launch Point:

Easily accessed next to the boathouse a short 1 min walk downhill from the car parking area

Launch point at Clive's boathouse

2. On the Water:

Flow rate and depth:- variable, shallow to start with but gets deep closer to durham city.

Any hazards? In high water levels be cautious and check river levels and seek local knowledge,

The most common hazards on this river are other river users and poor water quality.

Scenic highlights:- the river is busy and adjoined by a scenic river walk footpath. Views of Durham cathedral appear as you paddle round the first corner past the rowing club steps. The paddle up to the pub feels like going back in time and your the star of the show- the beer garden and bridge are usually filled with onlookers wishing they were on the river too!

3. Route Options:

This is a best used as a short out and back route to get used to paddleboarding journeys. Family members can walk along the river walk path alongside the river for photos and meet up at snack points! The whole route is pram friendly for relatives who want to walk alongside and meet up at the pub - we do this regularly with any visitors we have, something for everyone!

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Suitability

Kid Friendly?  Yes— all ages

Shoreline access for breaks or picnics? Yes, there is some steps either side of the river about halfway along the route where you can get on/off boards - although there's no official permission to use them we've never had any issues quickly loading and unloading for picnic stops or swapping children over between land and water!

Shallow enough for confidence-building? yes at the starting point but less so once you've paddled towards Durham.

📝 Final Thoughts

Best part of the route:  the feeling of being on a proper SUP journey, with a pint or an ice cream to celebrate! :)

Who should try it: beginners wanting to try a river journey, families after an adventure. The route is also great for walkers also who can follow on foot and meet up at the pub and certain stops along the way!

What to avoid: some Sundays! check the Durham rowing club for regatta dates as these are usually very busy and we should give the rowers priority on the river these days, we have plenty of other places to paddle!

Would I paddle it again? Yes, we use it regularly to introduce new people to paddleboarding!

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⭐ Overall Rating (5 out of 5)