Rides from / near Consett?

Hi

Will be in Consett for a day next week, and will have 3-4 hours to get a ride in.

Obvious choice is to take the MTB to Hamsterley, but I’ve been there a couple of times in the last year and might fancy something else.

Fancy a more natural ride.

Any XC/Trail or gravel options? Anyone got any route suggestions or a box they’re happy to share?

Either riding from Consett, or within half an hour’s drive.

Ta.

Chopwell back towards Newcastle has waymarked and non marked trails keep you busy for a bit. You could either roll down derwent walk and cross over befoee Rowlands Gill or very short drive there

Quite a lot of offpiste at Hamsterley if you look on strava heatmap

Pure gravel you could just take the Waskerley way railway path which goes right under Consett. If the wind forecast is more than 5mph then expect gales and normally westerly so outwards it is a bit uphill and head wind but go as far as you want then turn round and head back. Cafe at one point (unsure if open)

Or do this old classic, you can park in Edmundbuyers itself. Pig of a road climb out of Bay Bridge but the descent from Bolts Law is good and should be reasonably dry atm

https://www.komoot.com/discover/Bolt’s_Law/@54.8034580,-2.0794920/tours?sport=mtb&map=true&toursThroughHighlight=440748&focusedTour=27292966

Gravel from our factory out to rookhope and back is a great ride. 50k maybe, about 3 of them on road.

Chopwell does have a few trails, the official ones are very short and although it’s a small wood some of the unofficial ones can be tricky to find if you don’t know the place. If riding there from Consett on the Derwent Walk the viaduct at Hamsterley Mill is currently closed to the public and the marked diversion takes you away from Chopwell woods on the road up to Burnopfield then back down to Rowlands Gill. Personally I’d choose Hamsterley over Chopwell, especially at this time of year

Gravel wise, heading up to Parkhead is really nice – that’s route 7 towards Stanhope and Rookhope.

The NCN route 7 and 14 are all good around that way. The challenge is making a loop that isn’t massive but if you use them as the majority then you just need to connect them up on back roads and paths.  One of my regulars is out from Newcastle to Consett then towards Beamish back in through Lobley Hill. It’s more urban than getting out the other way though.

Bolt’s Law +1

I do it quite often when I want an evening/half day ride that feels like I’m getting out of town without driving for ages. Usually park in Edmundbyers at the end of the bridleway, road through Blanchland, Baybridge and up the road towards Stanhope, do Bolt’s Law as an out and back, then back to Edmundbyers on the bridleway.

You could also add on a ride up onto Blanchland Moor, but you inevitably end up losing a lot of height on tarmac. The path down to Rawgreen (out and back) is nice, as is the Carrier’s Way, but you’d have to be pretty fit to do that and Bolt’s Law/Edmundbyers in 4 hours.