There aren't many. I've found five:
Newbiggin: http://bit.ly/1NACoS
Mickleton: http://bit.ly/2rl7CT
The Stang: http://bit.ly/1W0caD
Westgate: http://bit.ly/2cvAZ1
Lintzgarth: http://bit.ly/aGjMV
Any more? They need to show a double chevron on an OS map, and be in County Durham.
There's only three within 2 miles of my house, but there's plenty of single arrow ones too 🙂
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=400807&Y=443484&A=Y&Z=120
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=402894&Y=440799&A=Y&Z=120
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=401431&Y=446114&A=Y&Z=120
(not in co. durham though)
shocked to find that Peth Bank wasn't a double. Probably just felt it, doing Uni hill climbs with bastard hangover.
I'm not near a map to check, but is Crawleyside in Stanhope not a double chevron?
EDIT - It isn't, but the climb up to Bollihope Common on the other side of the A689 from Crawleyside is.
new ride coming soon-
"The County Durham Double Chevron Century Challenge"
It isn't, but the climb up to Bollihope Common on the other side of the A689 from Crawleyside is
This one? http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=399005&Y=538880&A=Y&Z=120 I'd seen that but thought it was two single chevrons close together.
Very tenuously on the subject... In Vin Denson's autobiography (The Full Cycle) there is talk of a race over a circuit featuring the Bollihope Burn which is (I think) called the Vaux Grand Prix (Brewery presumably rather than place). There is a photo of it [url= http://www.hartlepool-cycleclub.org/Arhur%20Metcalfe%20feature%20.htm ]here[/url] in the 1967 edition said to be at Hill End.
Anyone know anything of this? The Bollihope Brun is reached out of Frosterley, and that gives you the (brutal but not double chevron!) Hill End climb, but whether it turned right for Stanhope at the B6278 for a short Frosterley/stanhope lap or left for a more extended lap possibly involving a return via Woodland, Hamsterley and Wolsingham I don't know. A very, very good Northern circuit in that case. 🙂
I'd seen that but thought it was two single chevrons close together.
Maybe it is then. I can't say for certain what it is, I'd just noticed it when I was looking at Crawleyside.
If you're looking for good climbs in Co Durham, I can show you a few 😉 . They might not all be marked as double chevrons on the map, but some feel steeper than those that are (especially on the back roads). Weardale is your friend... it's not difficult to put 2500-3500m of climbing into a shortish loop using some of those climbs, plenty of them over the 600m mark on the snow roads- brutal though.
A very, very good Northern circuit in that case
If you weigh 10 stone after a thorough soaking, yes. Otherwise, jolly hard work.
BD - when your bro is better*, as him to ask H, who probably has a series of stories from that circuit (if the mad old bugger isn't too busy giving me sh*t from a distance).
*flu, if he hasn't told you. He's been alarming several Wheelers.
Anyone know anything of this?
I've emailed a friend who was involved in road racing for years, to see if he knows anything about it.
That loop would be really good: the climb from Woodland over to Stanhope is great. I've not done the climb above, but rode over the [url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=389590&Y=536222&A=Y&Z=120 ]Westgate to Newbiggin road[/url] on [url= http://mactually.co.uk/?p=335 ]a ride earlier this year[/url] ([url= http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=1274758 ]map[/url]).
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3729241934_cd8a38ea96_d.jp g" target="_blank">
[i]IR 12 stone after a thorough soaking[/i]
That's a favourite road of mine too mike, not too steep though. Was a few inches of snow up there a week or so back- ski tows looking good too.
Really like the road form Westgate descent down to Newbiggin now the gates have gone.
That's not the Mickleton one I thought it would be - Bail Hill (next road East) is definately steeper than Botany. Although the later is a nice little descent - normally two lines of tarmac seperated by grass.
Whats a double chevron climb?
Why not search out all the single chevrons and do "The County Durham Double Century Chevron Challenge"?
Whats a double chevron climb?
On maps, roads have a chevron (like a 'V') if they're steep and two of them if they're really steep.
94 miles with 9065ft climbing - first draft of the CDDCCC ride: http://bit.ly/3Z75vb
When?
I like!
me too, can i come mike
Mike, I do some similar routes to that on a regular basis- I'd usually figure 8 at least once to the west ofwestgate for some more interesting climbs and big altitude gains. You also have gone down a track rather than the road in the same area (dunno if that was deliberate mind)- but then you miss the utterly sadistic climb towards Racehead- short but the hardest of them all IMO. Although some of the stuff further west isn't double, they're good, and if you nip into Cumbria and Northumberland you can avoid doubling back, get up to close to 700m and bring in a few more 'double chevrons' for good measure. I like the look of it though.
Sprocdoc found another double chevron NW of Westgate, so I redided it: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/CDDCCCv0-1
103 miles, with 9885ft of climbing.
You also have gone down a track rather than the road in the same area (dunno if that was deliberate mind)
Pave innit? 😉
Although some of the stuff further west isn't double, they're good, and if you nip into Cumbria and Northumberland you can avoid doubling back, get up to close to 700m and bring in a few more 'double chevrons' for good measure.
I want to stick to County Durham climbs and double chevrons. I would like to tweak it a bit to hit 2 miles (10 560 feet) climbing though, so open to suggestions for tweaks - I've ridden some of the roads round there, but not many and don't know them that well.
When? Dunno. Spring?
Profile:
[url= http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4113601656_3eb65268e7_d.jp g" target="_blank">
Tasty 🙂
That makes me feel sick
Chappeau Mike!!!I was going to put someything together last night, but Mike has the local knowledge, me being a Northumberland boy and all...
crouch_potato - I wouldn't mind coming out with you one day to get a new route or two... Possible?
Just realised that I had the route going [i]down[/i] the extra one sprocdoc found to the NW of Westgate, so so more tweaking will be needed.
Rather than redoing the full map, as that takes ages and there will be more changes needed, I'm sure, I've just drawn the diversion. To avoid having a double back or climbing the Westgate climb twice, [url= http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/CDDCCCv0-2tweak ]I've taken it through Allenheads[/url] which adds Cumbria as a third county the route passes through. It also avoids the slight looping around that the older route had (and that 20 miles has 3000' of climbing!)
You're not really sellng this to me now! 🙂
You're not really sellng this to me now!
If you were starting and finishing in Darlington, like I will be, you'd be doing an extra 40 miles and 1500' of climbing. You'll ride to Cumbria and like it! 😉
It's actually quite quick to draw once you get used to the route, so [url= http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/County-Durham-Double-Chevron-Century-Challenge-v0-3 ]here's version 0.3[/url]
[url= http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/4113920507_e77d770b73.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/CDDCCC-Darlington-start ]Anyone fancy starting in Darlington[/url]?
I'm in Sunderland, but definitely up for it! Often thought theres scope for a big ride round them there hills!
looks excellent!! DO we have to wait until spring? I guess we'd need the longer daylight hours!
I think we might need a bit more than the current 9 hours 🙂
may i suggst a road bike peleton and a MTB peleton?
[ducks for cover]
may i suggst a road bike peleton and a MTB peleton?
Depends how many do it, I suppose. My most suitable bike is a singlespeed, so I'll be slow anyway.
it should be no problem to get at least 50/60
it should be no problem to get at least 50/60
Blimey!
It's quite rude of us to bypass the cafe at parkhead station
It's quite rude of us to bypass the cafe at parkhead station
Next round of tweakage will be finding watering holes and making the route pass them.
I also don't like having the short stretch of the A66 to get from B'd Castle to The Stang; wonder if there's a better way?
I dont think we would bypass it - not with their homemade soup!
Mmmmmmm......park head home made soup. Would be rude not to say hello to Terry and the girls as well. When you planning this for? I'm currently out of action with a prolapsed disc but would be keen to do this ride if it's planned for next year sometime.
A couple of revisions you may consider
A66 avoidance route from Barney - head East to Whorlton, cross Tees by the suspension brige, then back road it to Thorpe Farm on the A66, underpass and bridleway to Greta Bridge, then Barningham and back road it via Scargill.
Newbiggin - you've missed the double chervon and stuck on the B6277, although not double chevron the Hude is steep enough to be worth inclusion and descent down Milly Lane (the double chevron) worth doing. Good views if you can take your eyes off the road.
Cotherston to Middleton - Turn off to Hunderthwaite (Mile 46 in Darlington Start), go over Bail Hill into Mickleton. Then as Darlington Route to Middleton. You could also turn up to Briscoe from from Cotherston, cross over infront of the Reservoir to Hury. Over past Botany (reverse miles 52 to 49 in Darlington Start), up Bail Hill, left at the mast and down in Romaldkirk, over to Eggleston, B6282 to Middleton.
It seems a shame to miss out St. John's - Langdon Beck - Garrigill - Nenthead - Cowshill
If this is next spring summer I'm interested
Newbiggin - you've missed the double chervon and stuck on the B6277
Ah, yes that's from using the mapping sites too quickly and without double checking. That's also one point where I can't see any way round reriding a stretch of road, which is a shame.
I'll have a look at the other additions tonight. I'm going to try using Google Maps as that makes rerouting much easier.
I can see this becoming a double century challenge by the end of tonight...
I can see this becoming a double century challenge by the end of tonight...
I do want to do a double century, but not one with 5x double chevron climbs 🙂
Im thinking cross bike with road tyres, nice low gears and light enough for climbing
road bike, the only way. with gator skins for the pave
I have the choice between a 25" MTB on 32:17 or a 'monstercross' bike, with 42c tyres and 34:16fixed/34:18free. Or, a 6-speed 40lb cargo bike 🙂
Warton- by all means I'm up for a ride most of the time, I'm no road pro though, just like big climbs and descents on the moors so you might have to put up with a bit of a wait if you're super fast.
+1... Them's good hills there OAP.It seems a shame to miss out St. John's - Langdon Beck - Garrigill - Nenthead - Cowshill
Also have you tried using bikehike.co.uk Mike? The route will snap to the roads, so it's straightforward to use. Mind you I'm crap at online maps, so maybe bikely is easier to use.
[i]DO we have to wait until spring? I guess we'd need the longer daylight hours! [...]
I think we might need a bit more than the current 9 hours [/i]
You won't need to wait till longer days, even at Christmas there's about 6-7 hours light (on a good day). A ride pretty similar to the one you've marked up at the weekend, but with a few extra hills (mainly to the northwest and in and out of Weardale) added in and the bit to the south of Barney taken out, is almost exactly the same length, a bit more climbing took a little under 6 hours a week or so back. Certainly never felt like a struggle against the light. Main thing at this time of year is to avoid snow or ice if possible, and the wind (though that's pretty rare).
Oh and Mike, I'd go with the monstercross on the freewheel- I couldn't handle the descents fixed.
have you tried using bikehike.co.uk Mike?
Going to give that a go. All the ones I've tried snap to roads, so are quick to use, but making changes afterwards is a pain as you have to delete all the points from the start/end and then replot them all. I've decided to ditch Bikely after it gave me [i]less[/i] climbing on the version with the Darlo start/end!
You won't need to wait till longer days, even at Christmas there's about 6-7 hours light
The last time I did the Hell O' the North (2008) it took me 8 hours 🙂 If we're going for an 'organised' ride with a set date, I'd like to know slower riders could do it without worrying about daylight - I'd hope people would have ridden a century before though, as this isn't really ideal as your first!
I'll probably ride it solo at some point, when I get a free Saturday or during a school holiday, then set a date for a group(s) ride of it.
Oh and Mike, I'd go with the monstercross on the freewheel- I couldn't handle the descents fixed
I've ridden up there on the fixed, but nothing that big. Biggest was a 65 miler: [url= http://mactually.co.uk/?p=259 ]Darlington to Egglestone, then on to Middleton-in-Teesdale, then via Grassholme and Hury reservoirs to Barnard Castle and then home again via (some of) Sustrans route 52[/url]. It would be ace to fixie it though, but not on a group ride.
I just put [url= http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?doflg=ptm&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=105601244174670491782.000478a7ecfcad9589b84&ll=54.65318,-2.092896&spn=0.645123,1.234589&z=10 ]CDDCCC[/url] into Google Maps - hope this works as this will be easiest to change.
Or you could ride up some pit heaps? isn't Co Durham just pit heaps?
Or you could ride up some pit heaps? isn't Co Durham just pit heaps?
Yeah, like the pit heaps in my photo on the front page.
Yep its a post-industrial wasteland up here, I wouldn't bother coming! 🙂
I've got the whippets in training for this ride too 😉
I'll bring the ferrets (we cross into Yorkshire).
You were right esselgruntfuttock, the only riding round there is on slag(s). That's all there is.
crouch potato, I'm no whippet either, just wouldn't mind a few pointers on routes...
warton- no worries, drop me an email if you fancy a ride sometime.