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Hiya,
I'm off up to Craster next week with the parents.
My dad has just been given my old full suss and is keen to do some mountain biking. He's 65 and a very experienced and fit roadie, who has occasionally dabbled with some chunky-tyred shennanigans with me. So we've done the North Face trail in the Lakes (he loved it, despite an OTB that drew blood) and some natural stuff near Sheffield (again, coming off but having a laugh).
So, I'm thinking Kielder should be fun. How techy are the reds there? He was fine with Sherwood Pines and Cannock but I would say any harder and he might struggle with technique. I'm under instructions from my mum to keep him in one piece and unbloodied this time.
How about natural riding round the Cheviots - worthwhile or will it be a giant bog? Not too fussed if it's not massively technical as just being in the hills is good but not a massive fan of slogging through mud.
Suggestions appreciated.
Cheers.
Kielder is miles away, Glentress is probably as close. (1hr 45 from the other side of Alnwick to Peebles)
I'll leave the other stuff to the current locals
Am I allowed to mention Thrunton woods?
I'd go to Harwood, ride over to Hepple Whitefield then along the valley on the road and back up to simonside via Tosson. Nothing too technical - mostly double track - but fantastic views, a long swoopy descent and a fun climb back up to the ridge.
Clennel street via Pass Peth and The Middle Starting in Alwinton would be good too.
I've done a loop from Alwinton near Rothbury but would struggle to say what the route was now as it will have been about fifteen years ago when I did it. But heads north in to the Cheviot hills on Clennel Street. Can't even remember which book/mag we got the route from.
That was useful wasn't it?
Many thanks chaps,
If anyone has routes on PDF or GPX that would be great.
+1 Thrunton Woods
although thrunton is great,,,there is also this…if you want a kind of halfway house in in terms of cycling pref of you and yr Da.
http://www.sandstoneway.co.uk/
My FIL has a static caravan at Craster. There's a good circular route which goes through rock , Rennington and denwick then crosses the river aln via a ford on to alnmouth and back via the coast and castles route. I think it was in Derek Purdys Northumberland trails book.
Here's the first part more or less with extras.
https://www.strava.com/activities/170811301
Also Thrunton is about 90 minutes ride from there. A good half day would allow you to ride up to long crag or just round the perimeter fire roads and back.
Fantastic as thrunton is, it's a pretty poor suggestion for a novice - the fireroad stuff can be done elsewhere in (even) more picturesque surroundings and the singletrack ranges from easy peasy to pretty damned tricky and is tough to link together on a first visit. It'd be easy to end up having a bad day.
edit: and Coe Crag really isn't a novice mountain biker's route.
Derek Purdy`s Northumberland mountainbike guide has several trails for all abilities in it. Not a recent book by any means but still very relevant 😉
Thanks all for the recommendations. Sounds like some good routes to do
I'd go to Harwood, ride over to Hepple Whitefield then along the valley on the road and back up to simonside via Tosson. Nothing too technical - mostly double track - but fantastic views, a long swoopy descent and a fun climb back up to the ridge.Clennel street via Pass Peth and The Middle Starting in Alwinton would be good too.
Got any more details please lemonysam? Something like mikesbike's strave link above would be great if you have anything...
Cheers