Guided Walking Tour of Durham & its Infamous Characters
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
This tour is not just about Durham, the place, but its people and the stories behind them. From Durham's Narnia connection to its mining heritage, from dragons & saints to a serial killer, this city is full of stories you won't forget.
Travellers, students and locals alike are guaranteed to discover something new about Durham while enjoying breathtaking views of the cathedral and historic city centre.
The tour is family friendly and offers a fully accessible route.
Your guide is an enthusiastic local resident, Durham University graduate, and expert in all things Durham, past and present.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Durham Market Place
At the heart of Durham's historic old town, your guide will tell the story of Lord Londonderry, whose statue dominates the scenery, and Durham's mining heritage.
Elvet Bridge
Situated on the winding River Wear, above the former dungeons of Durham, Elvet Bridge sets the scene for the story of Jimmy Allen, the People's Piper, who had a nightclub named after him.
What‘s Included
Expert in Local History & Folklore
Gratuities
Options
Guided Walking Tour of Durham & its Infamous Characters
Reviews
243 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Very entertaining
diannea851,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tom was very entertaining and so interesting We really enjoyed our tour and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to get to know more about Durham
Insightful and enjoyable tour with Tom
K9347CLmichaelc,,Dec 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tom was an amazing guide he was very passionate and can tell this is something that he loves doing. It was our 1st guided tour and will most definitely do more tours
An excellent and...
Patrick H,,Nov 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00An excellent and interesting tour, Tom is a very knowledgeable and entertaining guide. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone visiting Durham.
An excellent walking tour
Sarah W,,Nov 18, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a really entertaining roughly circular walk, which lasted a little over 1.5hrs. The walk is broadly flat (taking into account Durham's hills!) and covers the key parts of the "peninsula" including Palace Green. As promised, it takes in some of the key characters in Durham's history. It was great that it also included a bit of the beautiful riverside walk. Tom was an enthusiastic and amusing guide with good local knowledge. He was particularly interesting and passionate about the extraordinary feat of construction of the Cathedral. Many quirky local facts were also covered. The talk was inclusive for all levels of historical knowledge. As a former student, I learned more about Durham than I had gleaned in 3 years! The walk inspired our subsequent visit to the Mining Gallery in Bishop Auckland the following day.
Highly Recommended
trevorc801,,Nov 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great local guide, very knowledgeable and entertaining, Highly recommended a great way to see the city. We both enjoyed ourselves.
Informative, entertaining tour exploring Durham's history.
mbU7703VV,,Nov 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very interesting, amusing and enlightening experience. I had personal service as the only participant. That's dedication from Tom!
Durham Dun Right
Tom H,,Oct 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The guide Tom was fun, knowledgeable and engaging. A fun tour of Durham, learning about this ancient city.
I will never see Durham the same way
DanielFrancisco P,,Oct 25, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00I came all the way from London just to hear the story about the man on the horse, and it was absolutely worth it! The tour went beyond my expectations, full of fascinating stories, and delivered with passion. Every stop brought history to life in such a way that kept me captivated. I’ll definitely be recommending this to friends visiting Durham. I will never see this city the same way again! And by the way, I got the magnet! Thanks a lot… also, chips, gravy, and cheese didn’t look very appetizing at first, but I loved every bite. I’ll definitely be recommending this tour to my friends.
Well worth doing. A must do activity
Steve T,,Oct 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Excellent guided tour. Tom was very knowledgeable and it was an informative tour. He really brought the city to life with his humour and dramatic approach to storytelling. The 90mins flew by. Would highly recommend. The tour is too cheap in our opinion for what you get and so we gave more in a tip!
Excellent
JanetSmith95,,Oct 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An excellent walking tour led by Tom. Lots of fascinating information delivered in an amusing and engaging way. I would recommend it as a bit more than the usual ' and on the left is the cathedral'.
Related Experiences
Operated by Characterful Durham Tour