planning cycling holiday

This website may be of interest...

www.northumberland-coast.co.uk

Regards Neil

"passing tyke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My friend and I are planning a cycling holiday and thinking about
Northumberland. We have been looking at the Sustrans Coast and Castles
route. Has anyone done this? If so, what is it like?

We wouldn't necessarily be fixated on following the Sustrans recommended
route. I'd just like to know if the general area is nice for pootling
(good scenery, quiet roads) and not too taxing (not too many steep hills).

We are both middle-aged women who are utility cyclists rather than
athletes. We did a short trip (about 90 miles over 3 days) in East
Anglia last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Any recommendations, suggestions, advice etc welcome.

TIA

Northumberland is a lovely county (says this Northumbrian born lass). Get
the relevant OS Landranger maps for the area and start pootling!

If you can, get to visit Cragside House near Rothbury. It is *fabulous*.
Owned by National Trust now - first house in the world to have electric
lights (original bulbs still work). Lord Armstrong changed the local climate
by the planting of 3,000,000 trees - so it's warmer then it 'should be' in
the area. Plus lovely grounds to wander about in.

Also Bamburgh Castle and a stunningly wonderful coastline with mile after
mile of sandy beaches...

Away from the coast is also lovely.

South-east Northumberland is more industrial and urbanised, but still some
lovely countryside.

A bit lumpier than East Anglia though!

wafflycat said:

Northumberland is a lovely county (says this Northumbrian born lass).

A billion northumbrian-born midges agree.

Quoted message said:

Get the relevant OS Landranger maps for the area and start pootling!

A Landranger doesn't really cover enough ground to be much use for
cycling - other than local rides from a single base. The 250000
series work for touring.

Quoted message said:

Also Bamburgh Castle and a stunningly wonderful coastline with mile
after mile of sandy beaches...

Lots of castles. ISTR enjoying Alnwick and Berwick, for instance.
You forgot to mention Lindisfarne, which is a bit more unique than
"another castle".

Quoted message said:

Away from the coast is also lovely.

South-east Northumberland is more industrial and urbanised, but still
some lovely countryside.

A bit lumpier than East Anglia though!

But on the flat side compared to most of what surrounds it.

--
not me guv

"passing tyke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My friend and I are planning a cycling holiday and thinking about
Northumberland. We have been looking at the Sustrans Coast and Castles
route. Has anyone done this? If so, what is it like?

We wouldn't necessarily be fixated on following the Sustrans recommended
route. I'd just like to know if the general area is nice for pootling
(good scenery, quiet roads) and not too taxing (not too many steep hills).

We are both middle-aged women who are utility cyclists rather than
athletes. We did a short trip (about 90 miles over 3 days) in East
Anglia last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Any recommendations, suggestions, advice etc welcome.

TIA

Go to France. Cycling heaven.

Ken.

Nick Kew said:

Lots of castles. ISTR enjoying Alnwick and Berwick, for instance.
You forgot to mention Lindisfarne, which is a bit more unique than
"another castle".

As Simon and I can testify, Lindisfarne can lead to a chronic case of
"cycling along an unprotected causeway into a headwind of excessive
proportions". Fine if it occurs on the way out, but an [censored] if you know
you have it to look forward to before you can go anywhere.

Jon

Jon Senior said:

Nick Kew said:

Lots of castles. ISTR enjoying Alnwick and Berwick, for instance.
You forgot to mention Lindisfarne, which is a bit more unique than
"another castle".

As Simon and I can testify, Lindisfarne can lead to a chronic case of
"cycling along an unprotected causeway into a headwind of excessive
proportions". Fine if it occurs on the way out, but an [censored] if you know
you have it to look forward to before you can go anywhere.

Yeah, we had that too. Out at over 30mph no effort; back at a walking
(when knackered) pace and b***** hard work.

Mind you, it's only a short distance. The following day, heading into
the same wind from Dunbar (where we camped the night) to Edinbug was
grim indeed.

--
not me guv

in message <[email hidden]>, Jon

Senior (') said:

Nick Kew said:

Lots of castles. ISTR enjoying Alnwick and Berwick, for instance.
You forgot to mention Lindisfarne, which is a bit more unique than
"another castle".

As Simon and I can testify, Lindisfarne can lead to a chronic case of
"cycling along an unprotected causeway into a headwind of excessive
proportions". Fine if it occurs on the way out, but an [censored] if you know
you have it to look forward to before you can go anywhere.

Uh-huh.

It was a grand day out, and cycling across the bottom of the sea was a
novel experience, but coming back I was clicking down my gears 'til I
didn't have any more to go down. That was one /brute/ of a headwind. The
other great excitement of that ride was 'SO at Crossroads'...

Full report here:
http://www.jasmine.org.uk/dogfood/story/article_7.html

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

' ' <------- this blank intentionally spaced left

Nick Kew said:

Jon Senior said:

Nick Kew said:

Lots of castles. ISTR enjoying Alnwick and Berwick, for instance.
You forgot to mention Lindisfarne, which is a bit more unique than
"another castle".

As Simon and I can testify, Lindisfarne can lead to a chronic case of
"cycling along an unprotected causeway into a headwind of excessive
proportions". Fine if it occurs on the way out, but an [censored] if you
know you have it to look forward to before you can go anywhere.

Yeah, we had that too. Out at over 30mph no effort; back at a walking
(when knackered) pace and b***** hard work.

Mind you, it's only a short distance. The following day, heading into
the same wind from Dunbar (where we camped the night) to Edinbug was
grim indeed.

There's a train for that, isn't there? East Lothian's really lovely for
cycling on a still sunny day, of which there seem to be plenty, but if it's
windy, then you're really working hard.

--
Ambrose

"passing tyke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My friend and I are planning a cycling holiday and thinking about
Northumberland. We have been looking at the Sustrans Coast and Castles
route. Has anyone done this? If so, what is it like?

We wouldn't necessarily be fixated on following the Sustrans recommended
route. I'd just like to know if the general area is nice for pootling
(good scenery, quiet roads) and not too taxing (not too many steep hills).

We are both middle-aged women who are utility cyclists rather than
athletes. We did a short trip (about 90 miles over 3 days) in East
Anglia last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Any recommendations, suggestions, advice etc welcome.

TIA

My partner and I started out on the Coast and Castles route last October; a
combination of illness, torrential rain and being blown by the wind into a
wall on the way into Berwick induced us to get on the next Virgin Voyager
back to Sheffield, but we both agreed that what we had seen was lovely and
we're having another go in a couple of weeks time. The roads were quiet, the
scenery very pleasant, especially near the sea, and the castles impressive
(looming up out of the mist).

The two days that we did presented no gradient problems at all, although the
last stretch into Edinburgh will obviously be more of a climb. The route was
well thought out and signposted, and the Sustrans map was, we thought, an
excellent, practical and informative bit of cartography.

Because it was so very wet (at Seahouses they brought us two pints of beer
and a couple of towels) we didn't consult the map as often as we should have
done, and got caught out by a missing or vandalised signpost in the region
of Cheswick. Maybe it's been reinstated since.

Highly recommended from what we saw of it.

Alan

Simon Brooke said:

It was a grand day out, and cycling across the bottom of the sea was a
novel experience, but coming back I was clicking down my gears 'til I
didn't have any more to go down. That was one /brute/ of a headwind. The
other great excitement of that ride was 'SO at Crossroads'...

Funny how three innocuous words could be _so_ exciting.

I do miss decent length rides at the minute. My week of commuting about
4km just doesn't really compensate. If I ever manage to get vaguely
established here, the 'bent will be crossing the channel (Must swap
mirror to the other side!) and we shall be going touring in a southerly
direction.

Jon

wafflycat said:

If you can, get to visit Cragside House near Rothbury. It is *fabulous*.
Owned by National Trust now - first house in the world to have electric
lights (original bulbs still work). Lord Armstrong changed the local
climate by the planting of 3,000,000 trees - so it's warmer then it
'should be' in the area. Plus lovely grounds to wander about in.

The house is closed throughout 2006 "for renewal of essential services"
- its probably in need of rewiring :-)

Garden and outbuildings are open though.

Julesh

passing tyke said:

My friend and I are planning a cycling holiday and thinking about
Northumberland. We have been looking at the Sustrans Coast and Castles
route. Has anyone done this? If so, what is it like?

We wouldn't necessarily be fixated on following the Sustrans recommended
route. I'd just like to know if the general area is nice for pootling
(good scenery, quiet roads) and not too taxing (not too many steep hills).

We are both middle-aged women who are utility cyclists rather than
athletes. We did a short trip (about 90 miles over 3 days) in East
Anglia last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Any recommendations, suggestions, advice etc welcome.

TIA

Thanks to all for replies - it sounds very encouraging and we are
thinking of doing southwards from Edinburgh to somewhere just before
Newcastle.

I've had a look at some relief maps and it looks like the only hilly bit
is the journey between Edinburgh and Berwick.

How hard is this bit? Does anyone know?

TIA

passing tyke said:

Thanks to all for replies - it sounds very encouraging and we are
thinking of doing southwards from Edinburgh to somewhere just before
Newcastle.

I've had a look at some relief maps and it looks like the only hilly bit
is the journey between Edinburgh and Berwick.

How hard is this bit? Does anyone know?

Not hard at all. If you follow the coast then you'll miss the
Lammermuir hills (which aren't really too bad anyway). Follow the east
coast main line and you should be fine.

...d

David Martin said:

passing tyke said:

Thanks to all for replies - it sounds very encouraging and we are
thinking of doing southwards from Edinburgh to somewhere just before
Newcastle.

I've had a look at some relief maps and it looks like the only hilly bit
is the journey between Edinburgh and Berwick.

How hard is this bit? Does anyone know?

Not hard at all. If you follow the coast then you'll miss the
Lammermuir hills (which aren't really too bad anyway). Follow the east
coast main line and you should be fine.

..d

Sounds ok then. To be honest, I quite fancy going over the hills if
it's doable, as I think the scenery will be nice. I just don't fancy
taking off more than we can chew given that we are not 'proper' cyclists :-)