The rowing scene in Durham
Durham is a collegiate rowing city in the same vein as Oxford and Cambridge. Sixteen-plus Durham University college boat clubs share the narrow, winding stretch of the River Wear that loops around the cathedral peninsula, alongside Durham Amateur Rowing Club, Durham University Boat Club and Durham School Boat Club. Most of the racing year revolves around Durham Regatta (one of the oldest in England, run continuously since 1834) and the Bumps-influenced college-versus-college calendar that follows.
Key numbers
The River Wear from Maiden Castle and Pelaw Wood down past the Cathedral peninsula to Prebends Bridge is the main rowing reach. It is narrow, winding and tightly hemmed in by the riverbanks, so the regatta course is short (around 700 metres) and Bumps-style side-by-side racing dominates the college calendar. The Wear is non-tidal in Durham, with most boathouses clustered between Pelaw Wood and Prebends Bridge.
All 16 rowing clubs in Durham
Sorted by founding year. Every entry links to the club's own website; we verified all URLs in May 2026. If you spot an error or your club is missing, let us know.
| Club | Founded | Location | Reach | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
University College Boat Club (Castle)
Founded 1834, the oldest society in Durham University and the oldest boat club in the North of England. Boat club of University College ("Castle"); has won the Grand Challenge Cup at Durham Regatta more times than any other college. |
1834 | Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
Hatfield College Boat Club
Founded 1846 as Hatfield Hall Boat Club; competed in the first intercollegiate race against University College in 1850. One of the historically dominant Durham college BCs. |
1846 | Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
Durham School Boat Club
Founded 1847 (though Durham School crews were among the founders of Durham Regatta in 1834). British Rowing boat code DUS; operates from a boathouse just downstream of Prebends Bridge and also offers rowing to The Chorister School. |
1847 | Durham School, Quarryheads Lane, Durham, DH1 4SZ | River Wear (Durham) | School |
|
Durham Amateur Rowing Club
Founded 1860. The senior community club on the Wear, based at City Boathouse on Green Lane since 1969 (rebuilt 2007); British Rowing boat code DUR with a strong junior programme and multiple British Champions to its name (most recently 2024 and 2025). |
1860 | City Boathouse, Green Lane, Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | Senior community |
|
Durham University Boat Club
Founded 1877. The senior Durham University squad; trains at the Robert Gillespie Boathouse at Maiden Castle and at Tyne United RC in Gateshead. Regular Henley Royal Regatta entries and multiple GB Rowing alumni. |
1877 | Robert Gillespie Boathouse, Maiden Castle, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham); also trains on the Tyne at Gateshead | University / high-performance |
|
St Cuthbert's Society Boat Club
Founded 1893 as the rowing club of St Cuthbert's Society at Durham University. Affiliated to British Rowing and a regular Durham Regatta competitor. |
1893 | St Cuthbert's Society Boat House, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
St Chad's College Boat Club
Founded 1906. Boat club of St Chad's College, Durham; competes annually at Durham Regatta and the Head of the River Race. |
1906 | Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
St John's College Boat Club
Founded 1910 as the rowing club of St John's College, Durham. Shares Clive's Boathouse on the Wear with Trevelyan College BC. |
1910 | Clive's Boathouse, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
Trevelyan College Boat Club
Founded 1976 as the boat club of Trevelyan College, Durham. Trains and racks at Clive's Boathouse alongside St John's College BC. |
1976 | Clive's Boathouse, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
Collingwood College Boat Club
Founded 1981 as the boat club of Collingwood College, Durham. Housed in the Collingwood College boathouse on the north bank of the regatta stretch of the River Wear. |
1981 | Collingwood College Boat House, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
Stephenson College Boat Club
Founded 2001 as the boat club of Stephenson College, Durham (British Rowing boat code GSC). A regular Durham Regatta participant under Durham College Rowing. |
2001 | Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
Grey College Boat Club
Boat club of Grey College, Durham (founded as a college in 1959). A long-standing member of Durham College Rowing competing at Durham Regatta. |
- | Grey College, South Road, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
St Aidan's College Boat Club
Boat club of St Aidan's College, Durham. Co-winner (with DUBC) of the Grand Challenge Cup at Durham Regatta in 2008. |
- | St Aidan's College, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
Van Mildert College Boat Club
Boat club of Van Mildert College, Durham. Member organisation of Durham College Rowing; affiliated to British Rowing. |
- | Van Mildert College, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
College of St Hild and St Bede Boat Club
Boat club of the College of St Hild and St Bede (the largest Durham college). Member of Durham College Rowing and regular Durham Regatta competitor. |
- | College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
|
Josephine Butler College Boat Club
Boat club of Josephine Butler College, Durham (the university's newest mainstream college, opened 2006). Member of Durham College Rowing. |
- | Josephine Butler College, Howlands, Durham, DH1 | River Wear (Durham) | University college |
Major regattas in or near Durham
Second weekend in June
Sunday of Durham Regatta (since 1854)
Autumn (hosted by DARC)
Software for Durham rowing clubs
Most of the 16 clubs above still run their boat booking, member admin, session attendance and crew lineups on a combination of spreadsheets, WhatsApp groups and printed sheets on the boathouse wall. Row HQ is rowing-club management software built specifically for clubs like these.
If your committee is hitting the predictable problems - lineups in the wrong file, fees uncollected, attendance unrecorded, captain on holiday with the password - book a 30-minute demo. We've ported clubs from spreadsheets in a weekend.
See Row HQ for your club
Free forever for clubs of up to 20 active members. No card needed.
Other rowing-club cities
Looking at the wider regional scene? Here are the other cities we have full directories for.
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From the blog
If you're researching the rowing scene in Durham as a club admin or captain, these are the most useful pieces we've written.
Sources & references
- Wikipedia: Durham Regatta
- Wikipedia: Durham University Boat Club
- Wikipedia: Durham Amateur Rowing Club
- Wikipedia: University College Boat Club (Durham)
- Wikipedia: Durham School Boat Club
- Durham College Rowing - official umbrella site
- Durham Regatta official site
- British Rowing affiliated clubs directory