There are 279 green lanes open to motorcycles within 25 miles of Durham, about 81 miles of riding in all, and 73 of them are within 10 miles.
The nearest named lane is Wear Road, 5.8 miles southwest of the town centre.
The riding leans northwest: 42% of the lane mileage in range sits in that direction.
The densest cluster is around Blanchland, 21 miles west, with 29 lanes within 3 miles of it.
*Lanes open to motorcycles by their recorded designation, BOATs and unclassified county roads, counted as whole lanes. Legal status can change, always check a lane yourself before riding.
Every lane within 25 miles
Durham in pink, rings at 10 and 25 miles, the busiest lane clusters numbered.
Tap any lane on the live map for its status, hazards and weather.
Open the map →Where the lanes cluster
The three busiest patches of lane in range, numbered on the map.
- 1Around Blanchland21 miles west of Durham · 29 lanes, about 15 miles of riding within 3 miles
- 2Around Byers Green5.7 miles southwest of Durham · 22 lanes, about 4 miles of riding within 3 miles
- 3Around Westgate23 miles west of Durham · 6 lanes, about 3 miles of riding within 3 miles
The nearest named lanes
Open to motorcycles, measured from the centre of Durham.
- Wear Road5.8 miles southwest · 0.7 km long · BOAT
- West Ousterley Road6.8 miles northwest · 1.1 km long · BOAT›
- Coal Road9.7 miles southwest · 1.1 km long · BOAT›
- Back Lane9.8 miles northwest · 0.5 km long · BOAT
- Iveston Road11 miles northwest · 0.6 km long · BOAT
- Yarm Lane11 miles southeast · 3.5 km long · BOAT›
- Weatherleyhill Lane12 miles west · 1.4 km long · UCR›
- Saltersgate Lane12 miles west · 0.7 km long · UCR
Which way to head
Lane mileage within 25 miles, by direction from Durham.
- Northwest34 miles
- West21 miles
- Southwest9 miles
- Southeast8 miles
What the riding is like
County roads (UCRs) are on the council’s list of public roads, which doesn’t confirm motor vehicle rights the way a BOAT does. Worth checking locally.
The longest lanes in range
- Yarm Lane11 miles southeast · 3.5 km long · BOAT›
- Mill Lane21 miles northwest · 1.8 km long · UCR›
- Low Lane23 miles southwest · 1.7 km long · BOAT›
- Leazes Lane13 miles west · 1.7 km long · BOAT›
- Mount Eff Lane21 miles southwest · 1.6 km long · BOAT›
- Seeingsike Road23 miles west · 1.6 km long · BOAT›
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National parks within reach
Questions riders ask
Are there green lanes near Durham?
Yes. We map 279 green lanes open to motorcycles within 25 miles of Durham, 73 of them within 10 miles, going by each lane's recorded designation. Legal status can change, so check a lane before you ride it.
What's the closest green lane to Durham?
The nearest named lanes are Wear Road (5.8 miles southwest), West Ousterley Road (6.8 miles northwest) and Coal Road (9.7 miles southwest), measured from the town centre.
Are any green lanes near Durham closed?
Within 25 miles, we don’t know of any named lane that’s closed to motor vehicles and none has a seasonal closure we know of. Our closure records aren't complete, so use the Legal Status Search on a lane's card, and check signage on the day.
Can I ride green lanes near Durham on a motorbike?
On BOATs and unclassified county roads, yes, as long as it's road-legal, taxed, insured and ridden with care. Restricted byways, bridleways and footpaths are not open to motor vehicles, and a Traffic Regulation Order can close any lane.
Which national parks are near Durham?
The North York Moors is 26 miles away, The Yorkshire Dales is 26 miles away and Northumberland National Park is 29 miles away.
More near you
See them on the map
Every lane’s legal status, hazards and closures are free on the Holloway map, with a quick email sign-in.
Open the map, free Green lanes near other townsBuilt from our lane data on 29/09/2026. Lane data from OpenStreetMap contributors and council rights of way and highway records (public sector information under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and OS data © Crown copyright and database rights). Place names © OpenStreetMap contributors. Reference only: legal status changes, check signage and current Traffic Regulation Orders before riding.