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Any pointers looking for a little inspiration, my local spot, Thrunton is like the somme.
I've not been out much recently as my back is done in, but apprently the trails round Hexham last night were frozen solid, crisp and fast. They'll have thawed by now though...
err, kielder, that will be more like a grinding paste than gloop. other than that god knows. the bridleway from edmundbyers always seems to hold up pretty well...
Thinking for Saturday and just had a brainwave, I wonder how the uswayburn is holding up?
I think some gloop is kind of inevitable, some of thr tracks over towards alston are rocky underneath but many of the moors (allendale) are peat, so bound to be gloopy unless frozen. Perhaps hamsterley becomes an option.
Go and ride the carriageway above Rothbury. Not exciting but you'll be out with nice views.
uswayburn, depending on route will not be a pleasant ride....
TooTall - MemberGo and ride the carriageway above Rothbury. Not exciting but you'll be out with nice views.
And you'll be within a gnat's crotchet of some of Britains finest cake shops.
Or how about a ride over to Lindesfarne?
Usway I was thinking Alwinton over Clennel street hang a left, bobs youre Aunty, does the burn section get really that bad?
The carriageway yes a pleasant jaunt with the nipper, won't do much for my street cred though on an Orange five.
i wouldn't do it after the rain we've had, the section around middle hill will be bad, as will clennel street.
Are you being serious :?, hard to tell, it is STW afterall, thought Clennel was mainly forrest road.
clennels mainly grass. the last time i rode up that way in the winter, after heavy rain we spent the best part of a day pushing. although that was mainly salters road, not clennel.
give it a go, whats the worst that could happen?
Hepple Whitefield Loop from Rothbury is the safe for weather bet but Warton is right Clennel drains very well and Salter's road won't b too bad. It won't be anything like Thrunton after the sun last few days and high winds it'll be not bad.
Ahh Salters road that figures, bog snorkeling anyone!, I think they have re layed that section in the forrest now, had the misfortune of sampling that BW and guys were working on it.
Drac you must of road Salters in a drought, I was up to my knees in squelchy bog at one point.
I think you have misread Wartons post he thinks Clennel middle hill bad!
Yeah it has bog areas I've flown into the a few times as they're better than any brake but it's only a few parts. I maybe did but it's not that bad, you could stay on the fire roads all the way through but to be honest a bit mud is great fun.
*bump*
A bit of a long shot, but does anybody fancy doing the Usway route from Alwinton this Saturday? Have not been out on the bike for about 6 months, looking to stretch the legs and don't worry it isn't an orange five!
Can't make it taking the kids to see Wreck It Ralph.
The top of Clennel street by Wholehope gates was a bogfest the last time we rode it(not too long ago, the cattle have destroyed any drainage.
The carriage drive was fast as a fast thing yesterday and if you know the right stuff, it`ll test the Halifax hinge 😉
Simonside has been [s]wrecked[/s] affected by the number of walkers trips in the area so only go there if its frozen solid!
Is that the gate at the top of the grassy climb from Alwinton?
Did you sample the delights of the Usway.
What's the Waskerley Way like, any ideas? Moving to Lanchester fairly soon and could do with something decent out of the door.
Waskerley not bad, bit slime between Hownsgill and Rowley Station, seemed fine once out on moors. Top end of Lanchester Valley path not bad either, however can imagine section around Malton will be mess.
Its rained since last June, chances of a dry ride without getting on a plane are zero
Cool, sorry, I meant in general not weather as I've never ridden it. Plotted it on Memory Map and I've basically got a 30km climb to somewhere about Rookhope, turn around and head back.
Worth doing? More importantly, are any of the footpaths that head off from the trail viable?
This thread reminds me of why I stopped riding in Northumberland about 12 years ago. Boring & boggy.
That's why I haven't been on the bike for six months, the conditions have been dire, even the perma dry routes became grim, so I threw in the towel. The summers I mainly ride in t'Lakes, bit of a trek mind.
Trying to approach riding with a fresh perspective, so bog snorkeling it is on Saturday.
bandito - shall I send of the excess dust we have back your way?
Its rained since last June, chances of a dry ride without getting on a plane are zero
It's not rained for over a week.
Cool, sorry, I meant in general not weather as I've never ridden it. Plotted it on Memory Map and I've basically got a 30km climb to somewhere about Rookhope, turn around and head back.Worth doing? More importantly, are any of the footpaths that head off from the trail viable?
The railway lines are very weather proof - there are some bits that get a bit muddy, but I use it as a commute between Consett and Durham and for putting miles in - it gets a bit dull at times, but its very useful. There are some trails that run off them - there is some routes appartently above Lanchester on the Burnhope side. There are also some fun bits around Ushaw Moor (other railway line) but there is issues of locals trying to block them off. You can ride up the Waskerly Way to Waskerley station (for cake) then do the C2 singletrack, though they have now baned you riding off of it (Sustrans getting a bit too involved with the C2 route and forgetting local riders) up the road so you have to walk to the road or push up to the trig point above Rockhope and down the singletrack to the road, and then you can do the Edmunbyers singletrack (which we havent done for ages - it was bad by October, it will be a mess by now!) and then loop back onto the Wasklerly way and home. That is about a 30 miles from Lanchester which will get your legs going.
In terms of ride - Hamsterley is holding up well (though I have done it a few too many times this winter). You can loop the black and red together into a clover leaf shape that is pretty fun. However, if you are Thrunton way it is a bit of a hike! I havent been for a while, but what about Kielder - Cross Border - Newcastleton - Kielder. That should hold up - though not the tech fest of Thrunton. I maybe would avoid some of the boardwalk sections at Kielder - its was leathal last time I did it!
shall I send of the excess dust we have back your way
grrr... stop putting pics on facebook of NZ dust and sunshine...
Well the uswayburn was in fine fettle, Clennel in really good nick, with the grassy climb dry (forgot how well it drains) the only real surprise was a lot of old snow completely covering the track through the forrest before the descent to middle hill, the Usway it's self as beautiful as ever, great to be back in the saddle.