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Hi folks,
We are heading to the Ninebanks YHA for a week and I wondered if anyone can recommend any routes?
I’ve got an OS map and can see lots of bridleways east of Allendale over the moor and have cross referenced with Komoot for some photos but wondered if anyone with local knowledge can advise which are in the best condition this time of year?
Thanks
Richard
Quite a few options. From the top of my head the obvious points below...
From the hostel you've got longcross west towards Alston, and ”the chimmneys” to the NE which are both gravelly rideable all year and probably your standards for getting out of the valley (stiff climbs if you're not in the mood). The rest of the bridleways above ninebanks area is mainly grassy/boggy or invisible on the ground so best in very dry conditions only and an "open mind".
East of Allendale town are mainly well surfaced estate tracks nowadays (sadly most singletrack has been ”upgraded”). Avoid all of broadway in winter at all costs on a gravelbike, and the northerly two are most singletracky with a couple of spots likely to be boggy and not hugely fun in winter on gravel bike.
North again and theres a series of lanes from Allenbanks area to Langley Castle to Elrington which are good and less exposed. Continuing this line west you get onto Plenmeller byway which is pretty reasonable all year, and that can link to the S Tyne railway between Alston and Halty) which is fast and sheltered easy sustransy riding.
If you head further north and cross the Tyne then there are byways running west-east linking above Bardon Mill, Haydon Bridge, Newbrough etc all pretty obvious on map, and again less exposed than the tops. Never very far crom civilisation here either.
Out of Allendale to the south, the lane down to Nenthead is good, and Nenthead over to Garrigill via Shawside/Ashgill and then Cross Fell is a good day out and all good weather tracks assuming there's no snow. Looked like the main cross fell track was getting work done recently though so that may affect things. Can loop back via Hartside and Long Cross and some quite byways/back roads in the Eden Valley.
From Allenheads East you get quickly to Rookhope C2C and old rail lines from there. Most of the lanes in Weardale can be a bit damaged in the winter and not that much fun IME.
That's all the obvious stuff on the doorstep I think. Plenty to go at unless the snow comes in. Enjoy.
Brilliant thanks, I’ll have a look at this on the map later this evening. 💪
Depending on how big a ride you want, Kielder is doable from there.
All good suggestions from bajsyckel.
Surprised how dry the track from baybridge (sw of blanchland to slaley) was the other week.
If it's been rainy then some of the above can be quite grim.
One of my favourites is out and back from garrigil to river tees you it's a solid track so good for wetter weather.
Personally love the open space of the upper Tees and shows the north pennines at it's very best.
Or you could do carrshield to nenthead to ashgill then to river tees back up through garrigill join the south tyne trail through to williamston then road back south to clargyll then back over long cross.
Did see a guy on gravel bike doing cow green to high cup Nick and back (again another highlight is high cup nick)
Thanks folks. I’ve mapped one route suggested by Winston, as follows
How about the BW from Sinderhope to Coalcleugh? On the map its called Isaacs Yea Trail.
Isaac's Tea Trail. It's a marked walking route. Only done it on foot but I would think decent parts of that section should be rideable. Narrow heathery tracks from memory and got quite boggy towards the road at Coalcleugh.
RE that particular bit ^^^ - From swinhope down all well surfaced, upper bits are probs only worth bothering with in the dry. Indistinct off the road top esp in low vis. Some decent singletrack threatens to emerge occasionally but it's in the midst of peat bog and if wet a slog and not too inspiring. Grassy/boggy rather than peat hags and heather.
RE your proposed route - I'd suggest that between the hostel and Black Hill will be "memorable" unless you have fairly niche tastes and/or a very heavy frost. Happily the road alternative is pleasant, and you can cut to it via a byway across the river (steep either way). But each to their own, there are some interesting mining remains up there if you get lost.
The Sandstone Way. More of a gravel route than MTB route
BW from Sinderhope to Coalcleugh
Great in the other direction when dry, not great in that direction when wet. The bottom though is gravel (the Black Way) and could be an alternative route to Swin Hope / Middle Hope.