Coast and Castles - Newcastle to Edinburgh

[Lookrider]

cheers, that loks like a good nugget of local knowledge. Will be on CX / gravel bikes so wet mud not ideal.

Amble/Alnmouth
Berwick
Galashiels

I've also had the map out scouting potential snack and lunch stops, which are most important!

I'm also from north east area and ridden around them coastal paths many times
Theres plenty of snacks places all along the coast upto newbiging then it starts to get a bit more quieter ( by our standards,,,as our region is quiet anyways ) amble is a nice small seaside town with cafes chippy and pubs but just up the rd is warkworth which is dominated by the castle that was home to harry Hotspur of the percy family he was by all reports an extremely brave knight who went into battle as a very young teen ...I would recommend an overnight stay there and visit the castle and the cave where a former knight of sir percy became a hermit
Alnmouth further up is very pretty and has just won some award in a country magazine
Its then coastal rds upto seahouses and the ferry to the farnes if you wish
Bamburg castle is another must visit along with grace darling house
Bamburgh beach has many unconfirmed rumours that the great 60s film el CID was shot there
If you wanted to slight deviate to the west of belford there is an interesting cave where st cuthbert body was hid by his monks from the vikings who were hot on there tail
The farnes are great but you will have to plan that very accurately due to tides and you may find it take up more time than you plan and may be a better overnight than berwick which was as far north ad I have been on that route
Good luck and hope it goes well

 

[Lookrider]

I'm also from north east area and ridden around them coastal paths many times
Theres plenty of snacks places all along the coast upto newbiging then it starts to get a bit more quieter ( by our standards,,,as our region is quiet anyways ) amble is a nice small seaside town with cafes chippy and pubs but just up the rd is warkworth which is dominated by the castle that was home to harry Hotspur of the percy family he was by all reports an extremely brave knight who went into battle as a very young teen ...I would recommend an overnight stay there and visit the castle and the cave where a former knight of sir percy became a hermit
Alnmouth further up is very pretty and has just won some award in a country magazine
Its then coastal rds upto seahouses and the ferry to the farnes if you wish
Bamburg castle is another must visit along with grace darling house
Bamburgh beach has many unconfirmed rumours that the great 60s film el CID was shot there
If you wanted to slight deviate to the west of belford there is an interesting cave where st cuthbert body was hid by his monks from the vikings who were hot on there tail
The farnes are great but you will have to plan that very accurately due to tides and you may find it take up more time than you plan and may be a better overnight than berwick which was as far north ad I have been on that route
Good luck and hope it goes well

I have written that in accurately and said tbe farnes are great but you will need to plan accurately
That should refer to HOLY ISLAND as that is where you are dependant on the tides .. it is a decent 2o min ride from the mainland at Beal into holy island..coupled with some sight seeing and meandering there you could easily miss the tide...so it may be worth planning an overnight stop there instead of berwick
Tbe farnes at seahouses are a nice day out as well
Sorry for the misinformation

 

[Tail End Charlie]

It's a lovely route, jam packed with history. I loved the stretch from Berwick through Melrose, Kelso etc. And Lindisfarne is a must.

 

[T4tomo]

Only two years later this is happening at end of May! I think Nicola wasn't letting Sassenachs over the border in 21.

They reopened the Union Chain bridge yesterday especially for us

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-65274771

 

[T4tomo]

2 more sleeps and one more day at the desk until we're heading up to Newcastle to start this!

weather looks favourable, all very exciting.

 

[T4tomo]

Very smooth journey up on the train yesterday, both Azuma trains with the twin bike hanging spaces, which are a snug fit but fine for drop bar bikes with narrow handlebars, not sure how well they do with wider flat bars, I imagine top to tailing is required. One change at Newark, same platform. Seat allocated within view of the bikes too.

A couple of beers overlooking the Tyne, then pizza and beer and an early-ish night. Defo recommend Pizza Punks.

About to hit the Hilton breakfast and then retrieve the bikes and head off.

 

[annedonnelly]

Give me a wave as you pass.
Puffin festival in Amble this weekend. Watch out for a giant Puffin as you pass through.

 

[Jameshow]

Very smooth journey up on the train yesterday, both Azuma trains with the twin bike hanging spaces, which are a snug fit but fine for drop bar bikes with narrow handlebars, not sure how well they do with wider flat bars, I imagine top to tailing is required. One change at Newark, same platform. Seat allocated within view of the bikes too.

A couple of beers overlooking the Tyne, then pizza and beer and an early-ish night. Defo recommend Pizza Punks.

About to hit the Hilton breakfast and then retrieve the bikes and head off.

Enjoy your tour! just about to head out myself!

 

[T4tomo]

Give me a wave as you pass.
Puffin festival in Amble this weekend. Watch out for a giant Puffin as you pass through.

Awesome, I think we pass thru this pm if it's just south of Warkworth

 

[T4tomo]

Enjoy your tour! just about to head out myself!

Likewise, enjoy!

 

[Pale Rider]

Awesome, I think we pass thru this pm if it's just south of Warkworth

If you are sticking to the coast, you will pass through Amble.

Pretty place, but also run down in parts.

For the locals, it's a good example of the saying: "You can't live off a view."

 

[T4tomo]

Very good day one. The run down the Tyne is not to bad on NCN 72, considering your going down thru docks etc in places, but the path takes in some decent scenery and lovely one you get to Tynemouth. Where we picked up NCN 1, which we basically follow to Edinburgh.
Coffee in Whitley bay and then slight diversion into Newbiggin for lunch.
Beautiful scenery once North of Blyth, just wild rugged coastline.
Had a quick skinny dip at Hadston scaurs just south of Amble and then rolled in to Walkworth for our hotel for the night. Luggage was there waiting for us, quite like this touring malarky.
👍

48 miles on the clock

 

[Pale Rider]

quite like this touring malarky.

You might go off it as you approach Berwick, where the NCN path is just a couple of signposts across farmers' fields.

Or at least it was.

I would be interested to learn if that's improved, or if you have been given any clever workaround.

 

[T4tomo]

Day 2 started with a short sharp rise out of Walkworth and again out of Alnmoith and then settled into a familiarity of Yday pm with coastal scenery, quiet roads and well surfaced cycle paths and the odd segregated shared paths along side a road, oh a slight headwind.

Coffee was taken in the delightful harbour village of Craster, before dropping inland slightly and back out to Seahouses and a run up the coast to the imposing Bamburgh castle and lunch.

The afternoon say us lose the headwind and again cut back inland on quiet lanes, criss cross the Railway line and the A1 before dropping down to Beal with a lovely view of Lindesfarne and an ice-cream.
The last 10 miles was a straight ish run up the coast to Berwick. The first couple of miles was a mix of rough and smooth gravel and sandy track though coastal grass, and stunning views of sands out to the causeway. We then picked up asphalt again at the golf club and followed that for a while before one last over the grass section just before Berwick.
It was gloriously dry and easily done on our gravel bikes, but in the wet could be challenge. There is an on road diversion, but that would miss some stunning wild coastal views on this section, which were worth the slightly slower progress the surface demanded.
55 miles all told and cracking Turkish dinner in Berwick.

 

[Mr Celine]

Day 2 started with a short sharp rise out of Walkworth and again out of Alnmoith and then settled into a familiarity of Yday pm with coastal scenery, quiet roads and well surfaced cycle paths and the odd segregated shared paths along side a road, oh a slight headwind.

Coffee was taken in the delightful harbour village of Craster, before dropping inland slightly and back out to Seahouses and a run up the coast to the imposing Bamburgh castle and lunch.

The afternoon say us lose the headwind and again cut back inland on quiet lanes, criss cross the Railway line and the A1 before dropping down to Beal with a lovely view of Lindesfarne and an ice-cream.
The last 10 miles was a straight ish run up the coast to Berwick. The first couple of miles was a mix of rough and smooth gravel and sandy track though coastal grass, and stunning views of sands out to the causeway. We then picked up asphalt again at the golf club and followed that for a while before one last over the grass section just before Berwick.
It was gloriously dry and easily done on our gravel bikes, but in the wet could be challenge. There is an on road diversion, but that would miss some stunning wild coastal views on this section, which were worth the slightly slower progress the surface demanded.
55 miles all told and cracking Turkish dinner in Berwick.

Just found this thread via the reference on the NTR thread. If you were carrying on westward on NCN1 this afternoon your may have passed me going the other way.