River Wear Cruises & Rowing Boats
Brown's Boathouse, Elvet Bridge
Rent a rowing boat or take a river cruise beneath the medieval Elvet Bridge. Circling the peninsula on the water gives you views of the cathedral and castle from the river.
Elvet Bridge dates from the 12th century. Beneath it, Brown's Boathouse rents hand-rowed boats, which you can row toward Prebends Bridge in about an hour. Next door is the Prince Bishop river cruise, a roughly one-hour trip with commentary that passes the castle and the wooded banks below the cathedral. Rowing boats are charged by the hour, and the cruise costs about £10. Queues are long on summer weekends. Around the bridgehead are riverside pubs, and the Durham Regatta is also held on this stretch of the river in June.
Opening hours
Approx. Apr–Sep 10:00–18:00, weather permitting
Nearby sights
- Durham Market Place
- Palace Green Library
- Durham Cathedral & Castle
- Crook Hall & Gardens
- River Wear Riverbanks & Prebends Bridge
- Oriental Museum
- Durham University Botanic Garden
- Finchale Priory