Geography of Durham

The Viaduct

Durham is situated 15 miles (25 km) to the south of Newcastle upon Tyne, in North East England. The River Wear flows north through the city, enclosing the centre on three sides to create Durham’s “peninsula". Durham is a hilly city, claiming to be built upon the symbolic seven hills. Upon the most central and prominant position high above the Wear, the cathedral dominates the skyline. The steep riverbanks are densely wooded, adding to the picturesque beauty of the city. West of the city centre, another river, the River Browney, drains south to join the Wear to the south of the city.

Durham won the Large Town award in the Britain in Bloom awards of 2005.

The county town of County Durham, Durham is located in the City of Durham local government district, which extends beyond the city, and has a total population of 87,656, and covers 186.68 square kilometres. The unparished area of Durham had a population of 29,091, whilst the built-up area of Durham had a population of 42,939.

Durham’s MP is Roberta Blackman-Woods (Labour).

Transport in Durham

Durham railway station is situated on the East Coast Main Line between Edinburgh and London; rail travellers coming from the south enter Durham over a spectacular Victorian viaduct high above the city. By road, the A1(M), the modern incarnation of the ancient Great North Road, passes just to the east of the city. (Its previous incarnation, now numbered A167, passes just to the west.) Durham has an airport, in name, the Durham Tees Valley Airport - but this is actually far closer to Darlington. The Market Place and peninsula form the UK’s first (albeit small) congestion charging area, introduced in 2002.