Wolsingham: Walking Trails, Weardale Railway and Churches

Wolsingham combines a variety of walking trails with a historic railway, a remarkable church and local traditions. Anyone looking for holiday accommodation for an active stay will find various ways to spend their days here: short circular walks around Tunstall Reservoir, longer walks through Wolsingham Parish, guided tours and a journey on the Weardale Railway. There are also historical insights and events that give the town its own character.

Walking trails around Wolsingham

Wolsingham is officially recognised as a “Walkers are Welcome” town. Wolsingham Parish has more than 80 miles of footpaths, including the long-distance Weardale Way. This allows you to plan your stay according to different preferences without having to commit to just one route.

The Tunstall Circular Walk is a 2-mile circular route around Tunstall Reservoir, north of Wolsingham. Another route leads from Wolsingham to Tunstall Reservoir. It runs along both sides of the valley at a higher elevation and reaches the wooded shores of the reservoir. The Wolsingham Circular Walk is 5.75 miles long, starts in the village of Wolsingham and features moderate climbs as well as impressive views. Take the different distances and the character of each route into account when planning your day.

Guided walks and historic railway

The monthly guided walks in Wolsingham start at 10 am on the second Saturday of each month at Wolsingham Town Hall in the Market Place. They are circular walks between 5 and 10 miles long. No membership, booking or admission fee is required to take part. This is an easy way to combine the walking focus of your trip with a regular monthly activity.

The Weardale Railway also offers a different perspective on the region. This historic passenger railway provides journeys with views across Weardale and allows visitors to explore the historic market towns of Wolsingham and Stanhope. On Purple Timetable days, the historic railway offers an approximately 12-mile round trip between Stanhope and Wolsingham. This means you can combine a day of walking with a train journey or take a trip between the two places without making your stay revolve exclusively around one activity.

Church and local history

The Church of St Mary and St Stephen was rebuilt in 1848 under W. Nicholson from a 12th- and 13th-century building. Its most distinctive feature is the Norman west doorway, which was moved to the north wall of the tower. For travellers interested in culture, the church provides a specific place to visit alongside the landscape attractions. Wolsingham’s history also includes Godric, who received eremitic training there under the guidance of the older and more experienced Aelric.

Traditions and travel planning

The Annual Show organised by the Wolsingham Agricultural Society takes place on the first weekend of September. In 2026, the agricultural Saturday of the Wolsingham Show will include a craft and food market featuring regional produce. Events like these give your trip a special focus and complement the walking and cultural attractions with an insight into local traditions.

When choosing your holiday accommodation, you can use Wolsingham as a base for a stay that brings together trails starting in the town, the Tunstall routes, the railway and cultural discoveries. Consider which experiences are most important for your travel group: short circular walks, longer hikes, a guided tour, historic places or an event. This allows you to create a travel plan with its own rhythm from the range of activities on offer.

Discover more destinations

If you would like to broaden your selection, here are some more destinations: West Auckland, Hutton Magna, Middleton-In-Teesdale, Bowburn, Bishop Auckland, Durham, Hamsterley and Bishop Middleham.

For the main travel overview: Durham.