Wolsingham: Walking and a Historic Railway

If you are considering Wolsingham for a hotel stay with walks, route length, starting point and date provide practical guidance. Alongside routes around Tunstall Reservoir, there are guided walks, a historic railway and the architectural history of the Church of St Mary and St Stephen. This allows you to plan your stay around the topics that interest you most.

Walking 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 figure refers to the parish area, not to a single walk. For choosing a specific route, the paths differ in length, starting point and connection to the reservoir, among other things.

In the 2026 season, the Tunstall Circular Walk is within the North Pennines National Landscape. The two-mile circular route goes around Tunstall Reservoir, north of Wolsingham. A route from Wolsingham to the reservoir runs along both sides of the valley at a higher elevation and reaches the wooded shores. Check current route conditions before travelling.

In the 2026 season, the Wolsingham Circular Walk is a 5.75-mile circular route starting from the village of Wolsingham. Its features include moderate climbs and impressive views. By comparison, the Tunstall Circular Walk goes around the reservoir, while the Wolsingham Circular Walk starts in the village. The route lengths and starting points therefore give you practical guidance for planning.

The guided walks in Wolsingham are circular walks of five to ten miles. They start at 10 am on the second Saturday of each month at Wolsingham Town Hall in the Market Place. For 2026, the listed period runs from 10 January to 12 December; future dates may change, so check the schedule for your visit. No membership, booking or admission fee is required for these walks.

Ride the Weardale Railway

The Weardale Railway is a historic passenger railway offering journeys and views of Weardale. It provides access to the historic market towns of Wolsingham and Stanhope. On Purple Timetable days, the historic railway offers an approximately 12-mile return journey between Stanhope and Wolsingham. Operating days and services may change; check the current timetable before travelling.

Church and local history

The Church of St Mary and St Stephen was rebuilt in 1848 under W. Nicholson, using a building dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. Its architectural history includes a Norman west doorway, which was moved to the north wall of the tower. The church’s history thus brings together the rebuilding and an older architectural feature in its relocated position.

Another story associated with Wolsingham concerns Godric: he underwent eremitic training there under the guidance of Aelric, who was older and more experienced. Together with the church’s architectural history, this story provides another historical point of interest alongside the paths and railway.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Horden, Stanley, Newton Aycliffe, Sedgefield, Shincliffe, Chester-Le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Bishop Auckland

For the main travel overview: Durham.