I have a weeks holiday with family next week and will be taking the bikes. The obvious place to ride is Kielder but this is a fair drive from our base on the coast at Seahouses so not ideal for a late afternoon/evening thrash. Wondering if there was anything worthwhile a bit closer to our base?

Yup loads, Ingram Valley and Alwinton are the main places. There's 3 routes in the next issue of ST which should be out this week.

Also Rothbury into Simonside is a nice easy ride.

Google maps says it is as quick (Two hours) to get to Peebles and Innerleithen as Kielder! I would say some riding around Wooler and the Cheviots would be best from Seahouses though the costal route is really nice though not gnar, just really nice riding your bike along beautiful coast sort of thing.

Yeah I'd go with GEDA if you want to ride a trails centre then be easier to get Glentress and Inners better too.

Hi Drac, went to do the Pink Panther and the one next to it and was not suitably dressed or biked. Luckily I pushed up before hand and then chickened out on the way down :). If you understand what I mean.

Mind out for mad Geordies. When we were there last week we weren't meant to go out of the house.

Know where you mean, good aren't they.

Yeah I was meant to be meeting a friend that week too but was pointless as riding was some what hampered by Raoul.

The bike never turned a wheel, Lee 🙁

Reduced to driving to walk! Then we went to Elsdon Cafe – only to find the whole area overrun by armed Police and satellite Vans!

One thing we did learn – when you're actually there, the press spout total bollix!

The only time we made the Carriage Drive we were called down by Tim to take cover!!

The amount of rubbish they come out with is incredible Rob, just utter crap.

Oh well next time your up.

Yup loads, Ingram Valley and Alwinton are the main places. There's 3 routes in the next issue of ST which should be out this week.

I knew there had to be something, any chance of a few Grid Refs for start locations so I can have a look at a map before the mag comes out. Cheers.

Drac – Member
Also Rothbury into Simonside is a nice easy ride.

Seconded

Up over Bewick Moor from Eglingham is ok

Yetholm on to the Chieviot Ridge and then the Old Drove Road back.

I knew there had to be something, any chance of a few Grid Refs for start locations so I can have a look at a map before the mag comes out. Cheers.

Ay I'll post them up later.

Alwinton

Rothbury

Ingram

Coquet Valley, lovely long rides, beautiful scenery.

Have a few gpx files if they're any good to you? Did a super route from Wooler into a pretty valley then to Broadstruther. Also Bewick Moor is good. Ingram Valley is also pretty.

Mainly used routes from Derek Purdy's 'Northumberland Mountain Bike Guide', published by The Ernest Press.

Good book that and Wooler route you described is a good route too.

Don't think I'm free much next week so can't show you anything.

The route cinnamon describes, if you head from Wooler to Broadstruther then head to the valley you might stumble upon this descent :-

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/138320/

Go to Glentress, nothing to see in Northumberland. no excellent caffs at Barrowburn, Elsdon etc. I don't expect to see anybody out in the upper Coquet valley so I can ride all day withut seeing another bike like usual!

Can you post those .gpx files or email them to me (username *@* mail2web.com) please?

I'm going up to Newcastle at the weekend for a wedding, but I've only been invited to the evening thing, so want to go for a ride. Was going to go to Hamsterly, but natural looks more fun.

Thanks

There's Thrunton but we can't talk about it!

There's a lovely ride up to a cairn

high res

and a cracking descent from Coe Crag

high res

Was going to go to Hamsterly, but natural looks more fun.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Since they've built section 13 and the other new bits, Hamsterley is a blast and defo worth a trip.

Just make sure you ride it before winter!

if you head from Wooler to Broadstruther then head to the valley you might stumble upon this descent

That looks really good. I've found Broadstruther on the map but can't quite decide which way that track goes. Is it generally East finishing on the road near Carey Burn Bridge or South then south east to finish on the road near a spot height mark of 216m?

To everyone else, thanks for the suggestions I feel a bout of OS map and exploring coming on.

Rothbury into Simonside is a nice easy ride.

Suitable for newbie rider?

Pic of Coe Crag (apparently) from slightly different angle. Boring area, really not worth it 8)

Jamie, you will be in trouble now!

sssh, don't use my real name 😉

You haven't seen me!

btw did you ride last night?

nah – was pi$$ing down so went to gym. Maybe tomorrow.

Bullroar its south towards Langleeford, there is a fire road just off the top of Hawsen Burn that takes you right,to the start of the singletrack (singletrack is the FP that joins the bridleway on the map)

You can see broadstruther on this vid (its on the left at about 3.10) but you would be approaching from a diff direction.

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/141637/

You seem to like it up there Stranga 🙂

Thanks for that I'm pretty sure I've got it on the map now.

Rocketdog Simonside is ideal for a beginner as is the Carriage Drive on the opposite side.

One other thing, any recommendations for local bike shops for those essential spares and repairs?

Stranga – I enjoyed your video and thought I recognised the bridleway where the singletrack joined it. However, upon looking at my Explorer map, am getting confused. 😳

Can't work out where the start is, feel free to e-mail me (details in profile). Thanks.

paulrockliffe – ygm.

RoCkEtDoG – you must do the descent from Whitefield Hill on the Simonside Hills. It's brilliant. 8)

Thrunton Woods – I drove past there several times and, to be honest, I was terrified of riding there. It looked huge and dense and was concerned I would not be able to find my way out!

The keeper has just resurfaced the Hepple Whitefield track so it is not as rough as it sometimes is. Not as many puddles though. Don't worry though as they resurface it all the time but it is steep enough to wash out quite quickly. So good I got up at 5 the day I flew back to Sweden just to ride it.

bullroar – breeze bikes in amble will sort you out or the cyclife store in Alnwick.

Well, it was different (3 weeks ago) to a few years ago so was concerned that 'trail sanitisation' had reached Northumberland! Was very dry and, dare I say it, quite sandy in places. But nevertheless it did not disappoint, even though I was on a hardtail this time. Just ragged it down there. 8)

Actually it's one of my top 3 UK descents. 😀

carbon, cheers

cinnamon
Follow bway south from Broadstruther, passed spot height 356 at the Ford you tend south east. At spot height 377 head west towards Broadhope Hill, track turns 90 degrees to head south after 250m or so is the track (I think).

Yeah they started earlier in the year but as you say GEDA it gets done every now and then and a good winter sorts it out.

Haugh Head Garage near Wooler will sort you out too and point you in the direction of some good routes.

Thank you bullroar. 🙂