Coasts and castles

I have not done that route, but I would not expect to be able to follow
a sustrans route by signs alone.
You've only to miss one sign or turn or carry on when everyone else
thinks the path obviously goes the other way and you are off blazing
your own trail without a map.
The maps of the long distance routes published by sustarns are very
good and easy to follow.The one thing I get confused about sometimes is
that being stripmaps they are not orientated with north at the top of
the page.Rubber band it to your stem and consider getting a basic
compass.
Also consider finding a country route around big towns unless you want
to go there, because as you get to urban areas the trails seek out
housing estates and other areas ,of interest to the locals but not
necessarily a treat for you.The route takes on its other role of
promoting serious use of cycles.
This is based on experience elsewhere
TerryJ
TerryJ

Quoted message said:

Has anyone experience of cycling this route. I am thinking of doing it
north to south, Berwick (possibly Edinburgh) to Newcastle. I am [censored]
with maps and wondered what the signposting is like. Would I be able to
do it with a map for back up only, as in relying on signposting.

You've got [censored] the wrong way round. Use the map for navigation and the road
signs as back up. Having done parts of the Three Rivers Route, the C2C and
W2W, the signage is variable ranging from excellent to totally absent. The
maps are not too difficult to follow though it is important that, as posted
elsewhere, North isn't always where you expect it to be on the panels.

Chris Armstrong said:

Hi,
Has anyone experience of cycling this route. I am thinking of doing it
north to south, Berwick (possibly Edinburgh) to Newcastle. I am [censored]
with maps and wondered what the signposting is like.

I've only done bits of the route - there are lots of little cycle-route
signposts but you'd want a map for backup. There is a map of the route -
published by sustrans IIRC.

Quoted message said:

Would I be able to do it with a map for back up only, as in relying on
signposting.

Probably - if you find yourself too far from the sea you'll know you've
gone wrong.

Enjoy the ride,

Kit

Cheers for any advice. chris

Quoted message said:

--
Chris Armstrong

"Chris Armstrong" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,
Has anyone experience of cycling this route. I am thinking of doing it
north to south, Berwick (possibly Edinburgh) to Newcastle. I am [censored]
with maps and wondered what the signposting is like. Would I be able to
do it with a map for back up only, as in relying on signposting.
Cheers for any advice.
chris

--
Chris Armstrong

As others have said you should not rely on signposting, we did the route
this July, South to North and found the signposting to be variable depending
on the local authority. Moreover the small stickers used were often faded or
hidden by vegetation. The section between Dalkeith and Edinburgh however,
was very well signposted, just as well given the number of new housing
developments.

The route up the Northumberland coast was excellent with fantastic views of
the Farne
Islands and Bamburgh Castle. We where blessed with good weather for the 3
days it took us.
Hexham to Holy Island via Morpeth and Cresswell, Holy Island to Galashields,
and finally Galashields to Edinburgh with the only climbs of any consequence
on the route. We returned home from Edinburgh via Gifford to Wooler YHA,
then back to Hexham the next day utilising NCN68.

ReySerf

Quoted message said:

I have not done that route, but I would not expect to be able to follow
a sustrans route by signs alone.

A few weeks back I did Exmouth to Seaton, after setting out I
discovered the route I planned was actually almost Identical to
National Route 2 between the two places, it would've been dead simple
to just follow the signs I think, but I agree if you miss one, you
could easily get lost - knowing the names of the villages/towns you
pass through is likely enough to get you back on track though

http://jibbering.com/mapping/exmouth-seaton.1 for the route btw.

Jim.

vernon said:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone experience of cycling this route. I am thinking of doing it
north to south, Berwick (possibly Edinburgh) to Newcastle. I am [censored]
with maps and wondered what the signposting is like. Would I be able to
do it with a map for back up only, as in relying on signposting.

You've got [censored] the wrong way round. Use the map for navigation and the road
signs as back up. Having done parts of the Three Rivers Route, the C2C and
W2W, the signage is variable ranging from excellent to totally absent. The
maps are not too difficult to follow though it is important that, as posted
elsewhere, North isn't always where you expect it to be on the panels.

Top advice. I always[1] go over the Sustrans route with a 1:50K map
and, irrespective of the quality of the signposting follow the
orienteering maxim of keeping myself unlost. Then again I have always
liked maps and find navigation with them mostly easy[2] and fun.

...d

[1] OK, not always. I did jump on a cycle route in Consett once and
then spent ages tring to work out where I was when I had come out of
the other end.

[2] In thick fog on the mountains is not easy. Even with the best of
maps.

I don't know that section, but the signposting on the Sustrans East
Coast route in my area (Redcar - Scarborough) is very poor. One sign
directs riders over a ploughed field, another into a car park with no
other exit and a third down a narrow alley with a bridge too low for a
tall person to walk upright and which in any case is private property.
When I asked what they were playing at, I was told there are plans to
install cycle facilities at these spots in the indeterminate future and
the signposts were put up in advance!
Definitly use a map as well.

Jon