Fun Runs & Charity Walks Durham | July-August Events

Three organised fitness events open for registration this month in Durham, starting with a 5km fun run along the River Wear on July 25.

Wellness programmes in the city have drawn steady crowds since the council expanded its active travel routes two years ago. Local groups now schedule events around school holidays to capture families who want low-cost outdoor activity before autumn routines resume.

Named routes and venues

The July 25 event starts at Elvet Bridge and finishes at Wharton Park, with a shorter 2km option for children that loops through the Palace Green area. Organisers from Durham City Run Club will manage the course alongside volunteers from the Newton Hall community centre. A separate charity walk on August 9 begins at Durham Railway Station and follows the Wear riverside path to Crook Hall before returning via the Flass Vale trail. Entry for either event costs £12 for adults and £6 for under-16s, with proceeds split between local food banks and the county air ambulance service.

City records show 420 people completed last summer’s Wearside charity walk, up from 310 the year before. Average participant age sits at 38, according to the event’s post-race survey published in September 2025. The same survey noted that 64 percent of entrants lived within a two-mile radius of the start line.

Signing up and next steps

Registration for the July 25 run closes at midnight on July 20 through the Durham City Run Club website. Walkers for the August 9 event can sign up in person at the Newton Hall community centre until August 2. Anyone new to group exercise should speak with a GP before taking part, especially if they have not run or walked distances over 3km in recent months. Printed maps of both routes are available at the Durham Tourist Information Centre on Millennium Place.