Rides from / near Consett?

Chopwell back towards Newcastle has waymarked and non marked trails keep you busy for a bit. You could either roll down derwent walk and cross over befoee Rowlands Gill or very short drive there

Quite a lot of offpiste at Hamsterley if you look on strava heatmap

Pure gravel you could just take the Waskerley way railway path which goes right under Consett. If the wind forecast is more than 5mph then expect gales and normally westerly so outwards it is a bit uphill and head wind but go as far as you want then turn round and head back. Cafe at one point (unsure if open)

Or do this old classic, you can park in Edmundbuyers itself. Pig of a road climb out of Bay Bridge but the descent from Bolts Law is good and should be reasonably dry atm

https://www.komoot.com/discover/Bol t's_Law/@54.8034580,-2.0794920/tours?sport=mtb&map=true&toursThroughHighlight=440748&focusedTour=27292966

Gravel from our factory out to rookhope and back is a great ride. 50k maybe, about 3 of them on road.

Chopwell does have a few trails, the official ones are very short and although it's a small wood some of the unofficial ones can be tricky to find if you don't know the place. If riding there from Consett on the Derwent Walk the viaduct at Hamsterley Mill is currently closed to the public and the marked diversion takes you away from Chopwell woods on the road up to Burnopfield then back down to Rowlands Gill. Personally I'd choose Hamsterley over Chopwell, especially at this time of year

Gravel wise, heading up to Parkhead is really nice - that's route 7 towards Stanhope and Rookhope.

The NCN route 7 and 14 are all good around that way. The challenge is making a loop that isn't massive but if you use them as the majority then you just need to connect them up on back roads and paths.  One of my regulars is out from Newcastle to Consett then towards Beamish back in through Lobley Hill. It's more urban than getting out the other way though.

Bolt's Law +1

I do it quite often when I want an evening/half day ride that feels like I'm getting out of town without driving for ages. Usually park in Edmundbyers at the end of the bridleway, road through Blanchland, Baybridge and up the road towards Stanhope, do Bolt's Law as an out and back, then back to Edmundbyers on the bridleway.

You could also add on a ride up onto Blanchland Moor, but you inevitably end up losing a lot of height on tarmac. The path down to Rawgreen (out and back) is nice, as is the Carrier's Way, but you'd have to be pretty fit to do that and Bolt's Law/Edmundbyers in 4 hours.

Or do this old classic, you can park in Edmundbuyers itself. Pig of a road climb out of Bay Bridge but the descent from Bolts Law is good and should be reasonably dry atm

https://www.komoot.com/discover/Bolt’s_Law/ @54.8034580,-2.0794920/tours?sport=mtb&map=true&toursThroughHighlight=440748&focusedTour=27292966

STW classic ride 122.

^^ that looks great actually. Just read STW Classic Ride #122.

That's what I'm gonna do - cheers!

Here it is in web format, thought it was older https://singletrackmag.com/2019/01/singletrack-magazine-issue-122-the-borders-of-northumberland/

And my comment at the bottom about a very boggy bit

Oh yeah, can recommend a pint and a bowl of roast potatoes in the Derwent Arms (used to be the Punch Bowl) in Edmundbyers after.

Depending on what type of riding you're wanting, you can jump on the bike at Consett, follow the C2C to Rookhope, take the road climb out of there and straight on the bolts Law route down to Edmundbyers (which is the best bit). Follow the road via Muggleswick back to the C2C from there. That'll give you perfect mix of gravel, singletrack, and good road climbs. Can be done inside 3 hours depending on your pace and it'll feel a proper ride out.