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My backyard, lets hear tales of cycling adventures in these desolate, bog infested outliers of civilisation, there is no nobler county than that of Northumberland, as it roles processionly northward to the border, in a great wave of historic and coloured moorland, cresting the skyline into suprising and sudden singletrack descents.. has there ever been anyone daft enough to drag thier bike up Bloody bush edge for instance? for that stunning bog snorkelling, i bet somebody has... please lets hear you're tales.
Holds up Southern shandy drinker's hand, I've certainly had some adventures in Northumbria! Arrived in Alwinton thinking I could buy a sarnie and couldn't. Hot day with no food apart from manky offerings in the bottom of the Camelbak, fortunately had loads of liquid. Was determined to ride Clennell Street and Salter's Road, the bog around I think Davidson's Linn was something else, Scared myself witless descending to the water then crossed a barricaded bridge with bike. Being on my own for a very long day made it all quite an adventure.
Did the Border ridge last summer and it was brilliant, lovely and dry (which is rare) and it was all running fast until I started descending down clennell street then I hit a large group of friccin ramblers who purposely wouldn't move out the way !!
Must go there more often really as its quite close to me, cracking place to ride for pure isolation ... apart from friccin ramblers !
Unlucky it's pretty rare to see many people, but ramblers are a hazard, gather in flocks and you can hear them before you see them. Which section of the ridge did you do, around Windy gyle great, north from Cheviot over the Schill and further down Steer rigg and onwards to Yethom, is also a favourite.
Love cheeky descents from Cheviot to College Valley (IIRC), the slog out of Alwinton, cakes at the farm in Barrowburn accompanied by tales of tupping.
Started in barrowburn (wedder leap) then up uswayford to windy gyle then along to the street, not a person in sight all the way around till the best bit at the end ... law of the sods !
I'll have to go up there more often now with ard rock coming up and some of the climbs are really cheeky
[url= https://gcrapper.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/almost-to-scotland/ ]Salter's road last year[/url]...
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Yep the descent at the end is one of the best in the area, love that section all the way from Windy gyle, so fast.. do it regular as clockwork in the summer.
PS Salters road nooo!! a bit misleading that pic, did it once, definetly an old school outing, i think the upper bog may well have been drained.
Yeah, just picked the nicest picture from my blog. The Salter's Road was definitely grassy and hard work...
This more like it?
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**** yeah, where do i sign up!
That trip inspired a trip along Usway Burn some time later...
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'twas a grand day out!
The Usway, the jewel in the crown.
What a great thread, we should do more of these County love in's. We have a Hampshire one going, this Northumberland one now too.. I wonder which County will be next?
Well, I've only been to Northumberland a few times, absolutely loved it each time I go. It's a stunning County, there are no more words.
It's a strange County I think, totally unspoiled, yet invaded by so many, littered with Pits and Mines yet you'd miss them unless you knew where they once lay. A County often passed by, the A1 taking me to North Berwick for many, many sailing events and yet I never stopped over in Northumberland on the way. Then one day an old Uni friend invited me up to stay near Once Brewed, it took an age to arrive in what looked like a forgotten time. I've been a good few times since, and it never ceases to amaze me.
The other week was the first time I rode in Keilder Forest (that Gravel Grinder thingy) and I saw more in one day there than I can honestly type. Utterly lovely, spectacular and punishing on the legs too.
I will be back, oh yes.
It's rubbish keep away.
Really enjoying this thread and the pics too. Went to Northumbria 3 times on holiday and have many happy memories. 8)
Don't be grumpy Drac. 😉
I live in Newcastle and I've never explored Northumberland. I did an uplift day at Alwinton and proceeded directly to hospital with the nastiest injury I've ever had.
I wouldn't mind finding some girlfriend friendly routes that we can pootle around on for a weekend and camp in the van.
I was up at Kielder at the weekend. The cold, dry sunny weather and almost dusty tracks were awful. The locals were not at all friendly. It was Hellish.
I agree with Drac, stay away it's a despicable place. Make sure you stay away in mid June when we go back for more horrible times
I love the great expanse of industrial forest at Kielder, i go there for the stunning views and the pristine gravel trails :D.
You want to check out http://highfellevents.co.uk/
Barry seems to know every single trail in the Cheviots and can put on a damn good event. I helped him with the Breamish Behemoth and the Clennel Colossus last year, great ways of discovering the area.
If you time your trip right, you get accompanied by the sound of heavy artillery from Otturburn and the sight of squaddies running around.
Few years ago I was taking some Cheviot virgins around. Up on the border ridge between windy gyle and black brae the north wind was so strong it was blowing helmets off heads and people off bikes. Then it started hailing. There is no shelter along that part.
Still, had a nice tailwind on the down into coquetdale.
Unfortunately the usway burn stretch isn't as good as it was after the loggers got their machinery on it.
Northumberland is crap. Don't bother.
We really should have an STW Northumberland branch ride out.
Well, I was going to keep things to the Cheviots, but as Kielder is mentioned...
Well overdue for a return trip, but this was [url= https://gcrapper.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/a-trip-to-scotland/ ]the last visit[/url].
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Think it was a mistake going all the way down the hill to Newcastleton - it was hard work climbing back up with a "full Scottish" inside...
Where next? North Pennines, because that's home territory!
My favourite loops start from Wooler - perfect Singletrack on a dry day and I rarely meet another bike out there. I've always thought of riding off road from Wooler to Alwinton then home along the Coquet to Rothbury but for no logical reason have never done so.
Just 'cos such stuff interests me Northumberland is the present county and I believe Northumbria is an ancient kingdom of the Angles running from Edinburgh to York area so would include great mountain biking inc. the North Yorkshire moors, Pennines as well as Glentress/Innerleithen.
Was a little cool and grey last weekend, but hail just brushes off and the trails were dry, even dusty in places!
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So wonderfully big and empty, proper killer loop territory
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Have had the same idea, Wooler to Alwinton, but i have been put off by the amount of road in making a loop. Keep thinking that maybe just getting a pick up at Alwinton would be the way forward, maybe this summer!
Yup ... Northumberland is shite ... you'll all hate the peace and quiet 😉
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Northumberland is stunning. Top marks for the Lionel Thierry reference.
Flock (?) of feral goats that you can smell for a mile downwind. Riding all day without seeing anyone. The relief when your front wheel does not disappear into the bog up to the fork bridge. Headwind all the way round a loop. Having to pedal downhill into the wind to make any headway.
All the trails are filled with walkers, there are trail Nazis at every turn. I wouldn`t bother, look away, there is nothing to see here. Go to Glentress instead...or Hamsterley
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Yep, more love for Northumberland here, live in Newcastle.
The Usway Burn is a great bit of singletrack. I've only ridden it since it was logged so don't know what it was like before, but I thought the packed down blanket of small branches over roots was quite fun.
Some great descents to the middle.
And over Pass Peth from Shillmoor is great if you don't mind a bit of HaB (or you're an animal).
Kielder gets a bad press sometimes from self-described "proper mountain bikers" but I like the place.
Let's not forget Thrunton.
We did a Cheviot loop many years ago, think it might have been a route out of MBR. I remember tough grassy climbs, some great singletrack on the way to Alwinton and running out of food. Also buckled my front wheel enough I had to disconnect the front v brake. Happy days.
Shhhhhh ...... dont mention Thrunton 😯
Agree Usway Burn is a great section, but it'll be hard going up there at the mo ! wish these snow showers would do one !!
We did a Cheviot loop many years ago, think it might have been a route out of MBR. I remember tough grassy climbs, some great singletrack on the way to Alwinton and running out of food. Also buckled my front wheel enough I had to disconnect the front v brake. Happy days.
That one may have been my fault. 😀
Thrunton stopped being a secret over 10 years ago. 😥
We did Jedburgh via Dere Street to the ridge and then took the Pennine Way to Yetholm. Then St Cuthberts back to Jed.
It was a long, hard day (50 miles and just over 8000ft of climbing according to Strava), and the 'pave' on top was murder when riding HT's.
Barely saw a soul, and those walkers we did were all very friendly.