Quiet Spaces in Durham

Studying and living within a city environment can be exciting but also can be overstimulating. Thankfully Durham is a small city which has many green spaces.

Background

Quiet spaces are found across Durham in a variety of forms from parkland and woodland to quiet rooms in the library. Quiet spaces can allow you to have some peace and tranquillity and calm down.

Wharton Park

Wharton Park is found behind the station, there is a children’s playground but away from there it is quieter. At the top there is an outside gym and there are good views across the viaduct and Durham to the cathedral.

The Botanic GardenThe Botanic Garden

The Botanic Garden is a brilliant quiet space. Students have free entry with campus cards and can enter either through the main entrance near MCS or from South Road. The Botanic Garden has many calming water features, fish and sheep.

 

Old Durham Gardens

Old Durham Gardens is located near the River Wear and Maiden Castle. There are wonderful gardens and a farm with horses and alpacas.

Little High, Great High anBluebells in Little High woodd Gary’s wood

The woods surrounding the Mountjoy campuses are wonderfully quiet, and you can gently stroll along Hollingside lane, in the evening you can hear Owls.

 

The Cathedral

The area surrounding the cathedral especially on the Prebends bridge side is generally very tranquil and provides space to think and contemplate near the city centre.

The Riverside Walks

The river walks are never empty but are generally peaceful. They provide a great way of getting to places without having to go through the city centre and you can watch the ducks swimming near the weir. Who knows, you may even spot a Kingfisher!

The Bill Bryson Library

In the library there are bookable quiet rooms which are for single use. There is also a silent zone for study which is open plan on ground 0 of the Bill Bryson library. There also bookable Disability Support rooms which are slightly bigger and have assistive technology. Booking forms can be found here https://apps.dur.ac.uk/bookings/ https://libguides.durham.ac.uk/studyspaces/space-bookings . To see how busy the library is, follow this link: https://apps.dur.ac.uk/study-spaces/library/bill-bryson/occupancy/display Floor maps can be found here.

Biosciences Atrium

The Biosciences atrium is generally very quiet as no lectures are held within this building meaning that the atrium is not very heavily used.

Practical tips

  • To help make spaces quieter try ear plugs or headphones.
  • To find out more about managing stress follow this link.
  • To find out more about locations within Durham follow this link:

About the author

Written by a current Durham University student