A damping valve for a hydraulic damper, comprising: a valve housing comprising an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber; a housing valve seat arranged between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber; a valve element comprising: a cylindrical first portion for slidable reception in a bore of the valve housing and a second portion having a valve surface for selectively engaging and disengaging the housing valve seat, wherein: the first portion of the valve element has at least one first axially extending passage formed therein extending between at least one inlet aperture at one end of the first portion of the valve element and at least one outlet aperture formed at an opposite end of the first portion, and the first portion of the valve element has at least one second axially extending passage formed therein extending between at least one inlet aperture at the one end of the first portion of the valve element and at least one outlet aperture formed at the opposite end of the first portion, the at least one second passage comprising a one-way valve configured to allow flow through the at least one second passage to the one end of the valve element but to block flow through the at least one second passage from the one end of the valve element; and wherein the valve surface allows passage of hydraulic fluid between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber; and a spring element mounted within the valve housing for biasing the valve element into engagement with the housing valve seat; the bore of the valve housing having a closed end defining a bore chamber between the one end of the first portion of the valve element and the closed end of the bore; the at least one first passage providing fluid communication between the bore chamber and the inlet chamber; the at least one second passage providing fluid communication between the bore chamber and the inlet chamber; the one-way valve configured to allow flow in the at least one second passage in a direction from the inlet chamber to the bore chamber, but to block flow in the at least one second passage in a direction from the bore chamber to the inlet chamber; and the at least one outlet aperture of the first passage communicating with the inlet chamber, and the at least one outlet aperture of the second passage also communicating with the inlet chamber. a valve housing comprising an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber; a housing valve seat arranged between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber; a valve element comprising: a cylindrical first portion for slidable reception in a bore of the valve housing and a second portion having a valve surface for selectively engaging and disengaging the housing valve seat, wherein: the first portion of the valve element has at least one first axially extending passage formed therein extending between at least one inlet aperture at one end of the first portion of the valve element and at least one outlet aperture formed at an opposite end of the first portion, and the first portion of the valve element has at least one second axially extending passage formed therein extending between at least one inlet aperture at the one end of the first portion of the valve element and at least one outlet aperture formed at the opposite end of the first portion, the at least one second passage comprising a one-way valve configured to allow flow through the at least one second passage to the one end of the valve element but to block flow through the at least one second passage from the one end of the valve element; and wherein the valve surface allows passage of hydraulic fluid between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber; and the first portion of the valve element has at least one first axially extending passage formed therein extending between at least one inlet aperture at one end of the first portion of the valve element and at least one outlet aperture formed at an opposite end of the first portion, and the first portion of the valve element has at least one second axially extending passage formed therein extending between at least one inlet aperture at the one end of the first portion of the valve element and at least one outlet aperture formed at the opposite end of the first portion, the at least one second passage comprising a one-way valve configured to allow flow through the at least one second passage to the one end of the valve element but to block flow through the at least one second passage from the one end of the valve element; and wherein the valve surface allows passage of hydraulic fluid between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber; and a spring element mounted within the valve housing for biasing the valve element into engagement with the housing valve seat; the bore of the valve housing having a closed end defining a bore chamber between the one end of the first portion of the valve element and the closed end of the bore; the at least one first passage providing fluid communication between the bore chamber and the inlet chamber; the at least one second passage providing fluid communication between the bore chamber and the inlet chamber; the one-way valve configured to allow flow in the at least one second passage in a direction from the inlet chamber to the bore chamber, but to block flow in the at least one second passage in a direction from the bore chamber to the inlet chamber; and the at least one outlet aperture of the first passage communicating with the inlet chamber, and the at least one outlet aperture of the second passage also communicating with the inlet chamber.