Explore the Peninsula & Pelaw Loop
Location: City of Durham, County Durham
A flat, fast river run linking Durham's two big meanders. You're on firm riverside paths almost the whole way — tarmac and good gravel — with just a short urban stretch through Elvet and past the rugby club connecting the two loops.
The peninsula section is enclosed and tree-lined, busy with walkers near the city centre but quiet round the southern tip. The eastern loop under Pelaw Wood is the quieter half — a lovely bit of trail-feel path that can get muddy after rain. A couple of short pulls where the route climbs away from the river, otherwise barely any elevation. Watch for pedestrians and rowing crews near the boathouses at weekends.
Good for a steady tempo run — nothing technical, easy to keep the legs turning over.