You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Hi,
I am visiting some friends at the weekend who are stationed up at the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary due to their daughter receiving treatment after a horrific accident. They could do with a bit of a break, so while the wife is with mum I'd like to take the dad for a break on some trails. Can anyone recommend where would be good?
Thanks,
Hamsterley is a bit of a trek but will certainly take your mate's mind off his troubles. Chopwell Woods are a bitcloser but nowhere near as extensive.
Glentress will take about 2hrs drive each way. Kielder about 90 minutes. Hamsterly is probably getting on for an hour an Chopwell 15 mins. Natural: moorland routes round Hexham area about 30 mins drive or a bit longer into north Northumberland.
Other less mountain-bikey options direct from RVI would be to head to the coast along to riverside routes for ice cream/fish n chips; or head inland towards Wylam / Corbridge.
Thrunton is about an hour north, lots of short singletrack tech trails lurking in the trees, seek and thee shall find 😉
Rothbury Simonside is ace when it's dry!
Or go further up the valley for Scottish Border fun, all singlespeedable as well pretty much ;0)
How far you wanting to venture and what sort of riding?
Chopwell is probably the best bet for a quick blast/distraction. Have a look at strava and it will show you where the trails are
Only ridden up that way once but might be moving there soon 🙂 Went to see my sister last December. Did most of whats mentioned above, Chopwell was good for a blast, went to Hamsterly in the snow and ice then did a great ride out through Slaley (sp) forest and onto the moorland. Couldn't find any trails in that forest itself but loved the moors bit and the OS map reveals tons more down there.
Had a moment of incompetence which I blamed on the Racing Ralphs in Chopwell and ended up down the bank to the right [url= https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/8UODSjDpqFE2jTZ07o5eNtiWAhpYCWXRVpePIqbFAUw=w1113-h835-no ]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/8UODSjDpqFE2jTZ07o5eNtiWAhpYCWXRVpePIqbFAUw=w1113-h835-no[/url]
The moors [url= https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-****StPX61yc/UL08LQ2d5AI/AAAAAAAABB4/xFyd_QAHW7Q/w1113-h835-no/DSCN0099.JP G" target="_blank">
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-****StPX61yc/UL08LQ2d5AI/AAAAAAAABB4/xFyd_QAHW7Q/w1113-h835-no/DSCN0099.JP G"/> [/url]
Just had a look in everyons favourite gps site and Thrunton+Rothbury look amazing, think I will definately be moving up there now and might not have to limit myself to SE of the city as I originally planned 🙂
loads of trails in chopwell worth exploring, probably best going with someone who knows them to get most out of it really but the main trails are pretty easy to find if you follow your nose. same for thrunton
hamsterleys good crack, can go out onto moors from there if you want to escape it too. lots of moorland trails out edmundbuyers/hexhamshire common way
Hexham is a 30 minute drive/train ride, loads round here.
Not got time this weekend for riding, but drop me an email if you want I can point you in the direction of fun 🙂
Hexhamshire common will be brilliant this weekend. there's a pretty well documented route that starts at Whitley Chapel. the views from the moors are stunning. maybe an hour from Newcastle, maybe a bit less.
Nothumberland nothing special I mean look how crowded it gets.
[url= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5461/8870506543_91bb51bf8c_c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/leecollis/8870506543/ ]Middle Hill towards Uswayford[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/leecollis/ ]Lee Collis[/url], on Flickr
Hexhamshire Common, a couple of weeks ago:
[url= http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/9096447716_5a25d7c848_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/ir_bandito/9096447716/ ]P6190008[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/ir_bandito/ ]ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2858/9096456486_39ca14621f_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/ir_bandito/9096456486/ ]P6190014[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/ir_bandito/ ]ir_bandito[/url], on Flickr
🙂
ir_bandito it doesn't get better than that! that used to be my favorite place to ride (when I had an MTB)
actually I might go up there on my CX bike next week...
Its all running very nicely at the moment. The Broadway from Hangman Hill to Kings Law is quite cut up though from motocross bikes churning it up in the winter 🙁
I did Edmunbyers, Blanchland and Broadway on Tuesday. It is really rutted at the bottom as ir said. Shame, it's all dry and fast otherwise 😈
I live in Rothbury and can confirm that the trails around Simonside/Harwood Forest are smooth, dry and fast. Follow the forest road past the bottom of the Simonside crags and once you're into the woods you'll be lucky to see anyone for the rest of your ride (Note: this is only a good thing if you don't injure yourself and are lying in a ditch waiting for someone to come along - you could be waiting a very long time).
On the other side of the valley to Simonside (north of Rothbury) there's the carriage drive. Its not a massive area but there's loads of singletrack to join together to keep you entertained. Just be mindful of the snakebites - and not the tyre related kind!
chopwell is dry and good just got back from a quick loop
if your fancying the route up the tyne towards wylam the track is blocked or was earlier in the week on south bank of tyne between scotswood bridge and newburn bridge so use the north bank track until you get to newburn bridge
Rode round Hamsterley Red with the smallest boy today. Bone dry everywhere.
Try these guys (shamless plug as i'm a member)
Just rock up and ride, either Sunday or Wednesday for a great local ride
[url= http://www.beamishoddsox.co.uk ]Beamish Oddsox[/url]
Thanks for the replies everyone.
I think we're going to be up there at around 3pm so can't venture too far. maybe an hour tops.
Hamsterly would be great but I think that would be pushing it timewise, although the red and black are pretty short. Maybe Chopwell or Simonside but as I'm not famailiar with the area so something well signposted is a must!
I'll send him the link to the thread and let you know where we end up.
Right, better start packing as I've got a 3 hr drive.
Thanks again.
Kev
We went to Hamsterley and did the black in the end as it closed at 8pm. The climbs and top rooty section were grueling in the heat but he enjoyed the break from the hospital. We will be going back there in the near future to do the red.
Thanks again for all your help.
Kev