Hi all – family holiday coming up in Northumbria, we’re staying in Beadnell on the coast. Any good local trails out that way? Presumably some good stuff in the Cheviots? Looking for great singletrack, tough climbs, techy descents, woodland meandering.

We might pop across to Kielder (I’ve never been – is it worth going to? How does it compare with trail centres such as CyB, Penmachno, Gisburnm, Dalbeattie, Mabie etc?) … but primarily looking for local stuff.

Thanks

Wicked, you are travelling back to an medieval Anglian kingdom for your holiday? Not sure if they were really in to their trail building around 1100 years ago.

That is so cool. We just had to make do with boring modern Northumberland. It was very lovely though.

Takes about the same driving time to get to inners/glentress as it does kielder and way more worth it

Lots of riding in the Rothbury area – pick up an OS map to scout out the bridleways

Kielder’s not the best trail centre, not by a long way. The Deadwater red is OK, but don’t bother with the other 2 reds (IMHO, of course). However, a gentle family spin around the lake is nice.

Cheers for the replies guys 🙂

So, Kielder not really worth it … which is fine by me. Hadn’t thought of the South-east Scottish centres, but good call!

Still would welcome some local stuff – gpx routes etc. I know Rothbury a bit so will give the maps a look, but they only tell part of the story … what I want is local knowledge of sections of trail that are worth doing and linking up into a 2-4 hour ride.

Bit of a bike but up near alwinton near Rothbury is some classic riding up clennell street.

Beautiful part of the country. I used to ride there as a kid 20years ago

Bit of a hike, not bike! Damn predictive text

The bridleways around Rothbury are pretty mediocre, imho of course, great scenery though. The walkers paths up the ante a little, with a little technical riding, park up at Simonside and go explore.

Thrunton woods is popular, if you can find them, there are some nice technical bits.

seanodav knows some pretty good stuff 🙂

Head for Thrunton, just slightly north of Rothbury…

Hexhamshire Common and Blanchland in the south of the county are also very good is you like moorland riding. For something quick Chopwell has some nice sections you can put together but requires a bit of local knowledge to find the best bits.

I thought the best known bits close to Beadnell would be out from Alwinton, taking in Coquet Valley and the cafe up there, which is excellent. Its rolling type countryside – big XC day out.
I have also ridden around Wooler, through to College Valley. Always needed a few techy cheeky bits inserting to make the best of it IMO, but I have not ridden the area extensively.
Never been to Thrunton but I always had the idea that it needed some local knowledge (could be completely wrong).
Kielder is a hike and you would probably be better spending your time closer to home. If you need a trail centre fix then I’d go to Glentress.

Try Thrunton Woods, you can spend all day there and not ride every trail

@ paulwebster 😀

To be fair kielder is ok, but only if you are closer than the tweed valley to it

Head for Thrunton, just slightly north of Rothbury…

East.

Few here.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/77165738

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34212910

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/32144267

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/76466587

Drac has suggested some excellent rides, highly recommend the last loop. It’s my favourite quick thrash ride…..love Whitefield DH segment.

Just for balance, beware the Whitefield loop is 100% on fire road, what ever floats your boat!.

This has some good rides in.

The Whitefield DH is a bit of a rock fest and not your normal fire road.

Yeah Whitefield loop is pretty much fireroad but it’s easy to follow one of the few routes I ever bothered recording.

Not extreme or technical but just cycling along the coast is nice.

With the bonus of many an excellent pub.

Fingers crossed for good weather the last week of this month when we are visiting the parents in Harbottle. If anyone’s about…

I’m off but not ridden very much at all in the last 12 months. Trying to put that right these coming weeks but I’m embarrassingly unfit.

I am in the valley feom about the 24th. I will be doing my fav ride through kidland up to the border ridge, trows, barrowburn, fairhaugh, shillmoor, pathpeth and back. Check put strava heat map but quantity does not mean quality!

Fitness or otherwise need not be an issue as I am not especially fit and live where hills be smaller. I’ll mail you both.

Excellent – cheers for that guys!

Now … a tech question (not about techy riding, ‘cos of course I’m brilliant at that! :wink:), but about uploading rides, eg those shared by Drac.

I’ve a Garmin running watch, which doesn’t plot / map rides, just records the activity. I’ve got a smartphone – can I upload my files to that (eg to strava) and use that (or any other better apps?) for mapping? TBH, I’m probably inclined to do it old skool and print out the maps and use them / plot them onto an OS map of the area, unless someone can convince me (and explain how to do it!) to do it the modern way!

Cheers

A map is well worth getting. It’s a big county to be lost in, after all.