After the Pisa to Florence ride last year 5 Spinners decided to stay closer to home in 2024 and explore Northumberland. John and Mike drove up with their road bikes (not e-bikes) and Lin, Sue and Roger took their bikes on the train a new experience. The Ladies had a stressful start on a packed train from Tiverton parkway unable to sit down for sometime. It was noted it took longer to get to Alnmouth than to Pisa! The drivers also had a stressful journey with much of the motorway being 50 mph up north. Once again we were using Saddle Skedaddle to provide a route and to transport our luggage. We all took our road bikes but gravel bikes would have been more suitable as there were a few challenging off-road sections. The first 2 days were riding north to Berwick on Tweed along the coast and the second 2 days returning south inland closer to the Cheviots. The final day was a loop mainly south of Warkworth.
Day 1 Warkworth to Seahouses 46 km 320 m climbing
The ride started in Warkworth a charming town with a Castle and the river Coquet. The first day saw us riding to Seahouses in the N. Sea mist. After Craster a fishing port we decided to walk up to Dustanburgh Castle an eerie sight in the clearing mist as its walls are partly damaged from previous battles. Further on the walk we came across a sanctuary for black legged Kittiwakes on the coast. Back on the road we arrived in Seahouses, explored the beach and then enjoyed fish and chips. Roger then proceeded to teach Scrabble to his fellow riders.
Day 2 Seahouses to Berwick on Tweed 70 km 470 m climbing
This turned out to be a much longer ride than planned. First we looped south from Seahouses to visit Beadnell harbour and then stopped at Bamburgh Castle to visit this intact castle where The Last Kingdom series on Netflix was filmed, something recommended by Mike. We then rode on to Lin’s favourite cafe stop which had a wide range of gluten free options not normally available so she had a feast of lunch and desert. The next stop was Holy Island. We had to wait to 14:30 for the tide to allow us to cross the causeway and then it was another 6km to the village to see another castle and ruined monastery. Riding late in the afternoon we then made our way to Berwick along the coast mostly on challenging off-road paths through fields of long grass and coarse gravel. Mike remarked it was worse than the Nello. On arrival in Berwick we stayed in a rather dodgy hotel but enjoyed a great Italian meal with limoncello although we were all a bit knackered.
Day 3 Berwick to Wooler 47 km 460 m climbing
Climbing out of Berwick we entered Scotland for a few kilometres. A quick look at Paxton House an impressive mansion with extensive gardens and then coffee in the charming village of Norham. Then diving down on a path along the river Till to Etal for lunch. After another session of riding through long grass we arrived at Wooler “The gateway to the Cheviots”. Roger, Lin and Sue walked around the area and John managed to find a bookshop in town.
Day 4 Wooler to Warkworth 47 km 610 m climbing
After the start Lin worried she hadn’t packed her toiletries bag so a panicked phone call had to be made but all was well. There were more hills on this leg in the undulating terrain with warmer weather as well so the coffee stop was very welcome in the morning. We then arrived in Alnwick a picturesque town with castle, garden and for John Barters bookshop housed in the former station where we had lunch. John revelled in the shop all afternoon but the rest of us visited the gardens designed by the Duchess of Northumberland with many impressive water features. It was an easy ride back to Warkworth to revisit our original hotel by the castle.
Day 5 Warkworth loop 52 km 337 m climb
The last day was a loop up to Alnmouth and then down south along quiet lanes before returning back up the coast. John left to head south so there were only four riders for this final day. Due to the lack of coffee stops we whizzed around this loop which was flat except for one hill and after lunch at Druridge Bay nature reserve we stopped at the port of Amble. Having discovered we were in time to take a boat out to Coquet Island we decided to take the trip which circumnavigated the Island to see the Puffins. As it turned out we not only saw Puffins but many seals and a pod of dolphins which bobbed up and down close to the boat. This was the highlight of the trip for us.
Overall we were very lucky with the weather with no rain or strong winds and Mike in particular was pleased to make it round not on an e-bike so felt much fitter at the end. It would have been easier with gravel bikes but all our bikes survived intact and no punctures! It was a good way to see the Northumberland countryside.