Penshaw Monument and Herrington Country Park

Penshaw Monument is the landmark most people in Sunderland see every day without thinking about it. The dark stone temple sits on top of Penshaw Hill between Sunderland, Washington and Houghton-le-Spring, visible from much of the city. Below it, Herrington Country Park has turned a former colliery into lakes, meadows and open hillside. Together they make one of the best-used outdoor spaces on Wearside, and this guide covers the history, the legend, the walks and the practical details.

Penshaw Monument

Penshaw Monument was built in 1844 to 1845 in memory of John George Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, a local landowner and politician who served as Governor-General of Canada. It is a 70ft replica of the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, designed by the Newcastle architects John and Benjamin Green and built by Thomas Pratt of Bishopwearmouth. The foundation stone was laid on 28 August 1844 in a Masonic ceremony led by the Earl of Zetland.

The temple has 18 Doric columns but no roof and no walls, which is part of its appeal: from the top of the hill you walk straight in among the columns and look out across Wearside, the Durham countryside and, on a clear day, the coast. The monument passed to the National Trust in September 1939, and the Trust still cares for it and the hillside around it.

Best for: Penshaw Monument suits walkers, photographers and anyone who wants the widest view in the city for the cost of a steep climb.

Climbing to the top

Inside one of the columns is a narrow spiral staircase leading to a walkway along the top of the temple. It was closed in 1926 after a 15-year-old apprentice died in a fall from the top on Easter Monday that year, and it stayed shut for decades. Since 2011 the National Trust has opened it for booked Tours to the Top, usually on weekends in the spring and summer season.

The tours take a maximum of five people at a time. The staircase is dark (head torches are provided), roughly half a metre wide, has no handrail and is not wheelchair accessible, and there is a minimum height of one metre. Booking is required for everyone, including National Trust members, who go free; non-members have paid a small charge in recent seasons. Dates for 2027 have not yet been published, so check the National Trust's Penshaw Monument events page before planning around a climb.

The Lambton Worm

Penshaw Hill is tied to the Lambton Worm, the best-known legend on Wearside. In the story, young John Lambton skips church to go fishing in the Wear and hooks a small, eel-like worm, which he throws into a well. He leaves to fight in the Crusades, and while he is away the worm grows huge, wraps itself around a hill and terrorises the countryside, eating livestock and children.

On his return, Lambton seeks advice from a wise woman, who tells him to stud his armour with blades and fight the worm in the river, but to kill the first living thing he meets afterwards. When his father greets him instead of the hound he planned to release, he refuses, and the family is cursed for nine generations. Some versions place the worm on Penshaw Hill and others on Worm Hill at Fatfield, and the tale was popularised by a folk song from 1867 that is still sung locally.

Herrington Country Park

Herrington Country Park lies to the south of Penshaw Hill on the site of the former Herrington Colliery, which worked from 1874 until it closed in 1985. Reclamation of the site began in 1996. Today the lakes fill hollows left by mining and some of the grassy hills cover old spoil heaps, a reminder of what lies underneath.

The park has a large lake used for model boat sailing, sculptures, an amphitheatre and a play area, and is home to a wide variety of birds. Its open ground makes it a regular venue for large outdoor events, including the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend in 2005 and again in 2026, and the Monument Festival. Organised runs such as the Penshaw 10K and Half Marathon trail races also use the park and the hill.

Best for: Herrington Country Park suits families, dog walkers and runners who want flat paths and space to spread out.

Walking routes

The classic walk is a loop from Herrington Country Park up Penshaw Hill to the monument and back. The direct path from the bottom of the hill is short but steep and stepped. A gentler route starts at the gate to the left of the main entrance at the bottom of the hill and winds up around the side. The hilltop is exposed and can be windy and muddy in winter, so sturdy footwear is a good idea.

From the hill, paths also lead down towards the River Wear at Fatfield and the paths along the riverbanks towards Washington.

Parking and getting there

There is limited parking at the bottom of Penshaw Hill off Chester Road (A183), postcode DH4 7NJ, and it can fill quickly on fine weekends. More parking is available at Herrington Country Park, from where you can walk up to the monument. Buses including the 2, 2A and 78 stop at or near the foot of the hill; check Go North East for current timetables.

Nearby

A short drive away in Washington Village, Washington Old Hall is the National Trust manor house linked with the ancestors of George Washington, with gardens and a nuttery. On the north bank of the Wear, WWT Washington Wetland Centre has bird hides, woodland walks and play areas, and is currently open Friday to Sunday. Both pair easily with a morning on Penshaw Hill.

Best for: Washington Old Hall and WWT Washington suit families looking to turn a walk on Penshaw Hill into a full day out.

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