Durham Amateur Rowing Club - Durham | UK Rowing Clubs | Row HQ

Durham Amateur Rowing Club is based at City Boathouse, Green Lane, Old Elvet, on the River Wear. Its home water covers about two kilometres between the Maiden Castle footbridge and the weir beyond Prebends Bridge.

The club was founded on 5 December 1860 after an organising meeting at Ward's Waterloo Hotel. It built a boathouse near Prebends Bridge in 1897, moved to its current Green Lane site in 1969, and officially opened the rebuilt clubhouse in September 2007.

Adult and junior beginners can take learn-to-row courses with qualified coaches and club helpers. The 2026 course programme covers rowing, sculling, coxing and indoor rowing, while recreational membership is available after a learn-to-row course.

The club's history records a first Grand Challenge Cup win at Durham Regatta in 1863. In 1969 its first four qualified for the Britannia Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta and won one race in the main draw.

Durham recorded 184 open wins at 31 events in 1998. By 2004 it reported 258 members, including nearly 96 juniors, and 153 open wins from across the club.

Published championship records list British titles for Durham crews across multiple decades, including junior singles titles in 2024 and 2025 and a junior double in 2025. The club's current results page continues to publish results from local and national events.

Durham also runs the Durham Small Boats Head. Its 2025 review says entries for that event filled within hours, while the club's 2026 beginner programme and race reports show both participation and competition continuing at the Green Lane base.