Got a temp job up there over the summer – any good riding/tracks? Mostly into X/C, singletrack, overnighters etc.

Cheers

Hamsterley forest.

Blanchland and edmunbyers for Singletrack

Hamsterley for trails and trail centre xc

Edmundbyers as above

You are also on the w2w that links up with the c2c, you can do a good 50-60 miles mainly off road loop on the lines from Durham

Reeth and North Yorkshire about 45mins drive.

Crem woods for a cheeky dry trail play around.

As above, hamsterley is great. Get up into weardale and seek out the moorland for remote bleakness.
Beamish woods is good fun for a night. Beamish oddsox are the local trail group there.

The sustrans routes out onto the pennines on old railway lines are a great resource

Driving to the Lakes is an option too

Chopwell!!!

As above, Hamsterley forest probably the easiest and best in the area, Guisborough woods is good when it’s dry and Chopwell Woods although quite small has some good stuff, a local guide would be helpful at the latter 2 as best stuff is unofficial. Tweed valley/ borders is around 2 hours drive if roads r quiet so easy day trip potential, same for lake district

Loads of old mineral lines to put the miles in. As said above Hammers is good and I love the Edmundbyres killer loop but will be bleak up there at the minute.
https://strava.app.link/RhHLv8ile4 You start next to the punch bowl pub. I’d be happy to take you when the weather gets a bit better.

@dazzzzbo near the end you should go down the bridleway you rode up initially, not that other one which ends up on the road. You get a mega fast blast doing it this way and stay off road. Wouldn’t want to go up top of Bolt at the moment, that boggy section near the start will probably be 10m deep lol

Other good places already mentioned above. Hamsterley has loads of off piste, look around in Strava. The official loop itself is good, just watch out for ice. Combine red and black and avoid the long slog out on the red loop

Tweed valley and Lakes are easy day trips if you have a car.

Hundreds of miles of old mineral lines around Durham. It is their birthplace after all. See recent ch 5 prog Britain’s lost railways.
A favourite of mine is a loop to Seaham. Or you could do a longer one going to South Shields. Even longer go through the cycle tunnel and turn right for Whitley bay or left to go along Newcastle riverside to Wylam and a nice pint.
Pick up NCN route 1 at Hetton which will take you as far as Hartlepool.
A great overnighter would be from Durham down to barnard castle on a sustran route then through bowes and up to tan hill pub for an overnight stop. It’s on my list to do sometime.
Gravel bike or XC rig will be well suited.
Dalby forest is a great xc loop if ridden at a good pace.
North York moors also excellent.
PM me if you want any Strava routes.

Awesome thanks people – I will be relying on peddle power and public transport only, but seems to be plenty of good options!

Chopwell!!!

This. Choppers is ace.

Also, if you just want a gentle mince/potter about, there’s a nice little cafe at Thorpe Thewles and The Albion at Ryhope does good food and beer. They’re both on NCR 1, about 20 miles apart.

@dlr I am sure I have done it that way as well I just always get lost lol. I went up there one night instead of going to chopwell and got lost on the top. Was starting to panic when it was getting dark lol