The Bowes line is an old railway, which like many others in north East England was built by George Stephenson. It originally ran to carry coal from collieries around Dipton in County Durham down to ships moored on the Tyne in Jarrow.
Most of it is now a 10.8 mile walking and cycling route which runs from Sunniside in the west to Jarrow in the east. The eastern end of the route along Potter Street is approximately ¼ mile from Jarrow metro station.
Exe Estuary cycle route overall rating:
(Colour explanation: blue = good, yellow indicates some warning, and red indicates issues to be aware of)
In the middle of the route there is a short segment (approximately a third of a mile) that is on-road. The speed limit along there is 20mph. Despite being built on a disused railway, gradients along the route are as steep as 6%.
All the photos and information for this guide was provided by Real Gaz. Any errors are mine alone.
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Surface on the Bowes Railway Path
West of Monkton village the surface is mostly self-compacting gravel and is ridable even on road bike tyres. East of Monkton village it’s tarmac paths.
The section from Lamesley up to Eighton Banks which passes under the A1 is not recommended for road bikes. It is doable, but is quite rough in places.
Bikes
Normal bikes can use the trail, but you’ll be better off on chunkier tyres, and in places road bikes might struggle. Trikes, and many cargo bikes will be stopped by the barriers.
Refreshments
There are ample pubs and a few cafés along the route.
Toilets
There are plenty of pubs along the route for comfort breaks, and a coffee shop at Birkheads secret garden. The route passes close to village centres, and to Jarrow town centre.
Hilliness
There are some moderate climbs along the route.
Safety from traffic
The route’s not entirely traffic-free, and there’s a short on-road section in the middle. The speed limit along that section is 20 mph.
Points of Interest
Some of the highlights near the trail include the oldest surviving single arch railway bridge in the world at Causey Arch. Two preserved railways are on the route, Tanfield railway and the Bowes railway. There are several works of public art along the route too.
Other Routes in Durham
- The Lighthouse Trail
- Reivers Route – UK Coast To Coast Routes
- C2C – UK Coast to Coast Routes
- Lanchester Valley Railway Path
- Deerness Valley Railway Path cycle route
- The Waskerley Way traffic-free cycle route
- Thorpe Thewles to Ryhope traffic-free cycle route
- Derwent Walk Cycleway
- Two Rivers Cycleway
- Consett & Sunderland Railway Path
- Bowes Railway Path Traffic-free Cycle Route
Barriers
There are some barriers on the western end of the route which are slowly being removed.
East of Eighton Banks there are a couple of A-frame barriers near the Bowes railway museum at Springwell. West is more challenging and has some tight barriers further west.
Most of the route is well signed and easy to follow
Cycle Hire
I’m not aware of any cycle hire facilities on, or near the trail.
Child friendliness
The route is fairly child-friendly, overall, though especially younger kids may struggle with some of the hills.
Social safety
Parts of the route are very isolated.
Forecast for the Bowes Railway Path
What the Bowes Railway Path looks like
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Interactive map for the Bowes Railway Path
You can download the GPX file from the map below, simply by clicking the GPX button. Hovering over the elevation profile will show the elevation for that point along the route, in both metres and feet. It will also show the gradient.
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