[1] From outside Shire Hall in Old Elvet, proceed along the pavement away from the City Centre until you are opposite the Dun Cow pub on the opposite side of the road. Cross the road and go into the side passage alongside the pub and go past the pub and down the passage going through two doors (this is a public footpath!).
[2] Turn right at the bottom of the slope and follow the footpath between stone walls and then continue in the same direction along a wide track with the University cricket ground on your left. Cross the access road to this ground and go straight ahead passing the groundsman's house on your left. Continue along with Green Lane road on your right into the car park for Durham City Cricket Club passing the clubhouse on your left.
[3] Turn right out of the car park and immediately left onto a road. After a few yards fork right down a track and follow this to the river Wear. Turn right along the bank of the river until you reach a fence and gate leading into the University's Maiden Castle sports grounds.
[4] Turn right along the path at the foot of the steep slope, and then fork right on a path ascending the slope.
[5] Near the top of the slope, turn right and follow the path up steps keeping the steep slope on your right to reach the top of the hill which is believed to be the Iron Age fort of Maiden Castle. Continue around the top of the hill keeping the steep slope on your right and emerge into a field and go straight ahead with the slope still on your right to a stile in the next fence line.
[6] Go over the stile and follow the path with the slope on your right and the rear of the former Whinney Hill school on your left (This has been used as the location of the Police Station in the George Gently t.v. series). Continue on the path as it turns left at the end of the fence line.
[7] Where the path emerges onto Whinney Hill road turn left for 150m and then turn right and proceed down the road with the prison wall on your right.
[8] At Hallgarth Street turn right and after 100m, immediately before the Victoria pub, turn left down Church Lane.
[9] At Church Street, turn left and crossing the road, enter the St Oswald's church graveyard. At the war memorial fork right along a path to the top of the wooded slope down to the river and continue on the path as it descends gradually towards the river. Follow the path with the river on your right until you reach Prebend's Bridge.
[10] Go straight ahead with the river on your right until Framwellgate Bridge is reached and go up the steps to the top of the bridge and cross it towards Durham Castle.
[11] Where the road bears left, turn right by the Carphone warehouse down steps. At the foot, fork left and go up a steep slope to the top of the bank. Turn left between buildings through "Windy Gap" and emerge in Palace Green between the Cathedral and the Castle.
[12] Turn left around Palace Green and on approaching the Castle entrance turn right. Turn left down cobbled Owen Gate and at its end turn left down Saddler Street until it meets Elvet Bridge Road.
[13] Turn right down this road and cross Elvet Bridge. Cross the main road by the traffic light controlled junction and go straight ahead along Old Elvet to your start point at Old Shire Hall.