- Location
- London
not exactly a blue sky though colin is it? looks like the fog has just lifted or is about to descend again 
Ilkley-Edinburgh mini-tour
- Thread starter robjh
- Start date
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
TBH, we were close to that area the day after Rob went through and we had lovely sunshine on some of the earlier hills but horrid gloomy conditions and horizontal rain on the last one of the day!not exactly a blue sky though colin is it? looks like the fog has just lifted or is about to descend again
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
I've had my caravan in Wensleydale for coming up nine years.
Subjectively, my conclusion is it rains a lot in that part of the Dales.
Subjectively, my conclusion is it rains a lot in that part of the Dales.
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robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
This was my final route.
After Tan Hill I took the unsurfaced Sleightholme Moor road down to Bowes, and this was one of the highlights of the trip, rolling across the open moor away from all tarmac and traffic. There was however a constant stream of cyclists on this fine Saturday afternoon.
I was out of the Yorkshire Dales now, and rode on to Middleton in Teesdale (and a tea stop), then crossed to Weardale on a long steep road from Newbiggin.
Continuing north on the B6295 to Allendale I now had the wind behind me and made good progress. There was a steep climb out of the Tyne valley at Haydon Bridge, and rain arrived as I got to Hadrian's Wall 4 miles later. I found a sheltered spot for wild camping behind a stone wall (not Hadrian's) here, but right beside the impressive earthworks of the Roman rampart.
After Tan Hill I took the unsurfaced Sleightholme Moor road down to Bowes, and this was one of the highlights of the trip, rolling across the open moor away from all tarmac and traffic. There was however a constant stream of cyclists on this fine Saturday afternoon.
I was out of the Yorkshire Dales now, and rode on to Middleton in Teesdale (and a tea stop), then crossed to Weardale on a long steep road from Newbiggin.
Continuing north on the B6295 to Allendale I now had the wind behind me and made good progress. There was a steep climb out of the Tyne valley at Haydon Bridge, and rain arrived as I got to Hadrian's Wall 4 miles later. I found a sheltered spot for wild camping behind a stone wall (not Hadrian's) here, but right beside the impressive earthworks of the Roman rampart.
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robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
On Sunday I rode for a bit longer along the Roman wall, then turned north to Bellingham and past Kielder Water. I saw very few road cyclist but lots of MTBers flitting through the trees on the Kielder Forest trails.
Hadrian's Wall ; Kielder Water
I then crossed into Scotland, it began raining heavily, and I reached Newcastleton about 5.30. A music festival had just finished here, but there were many people still camped along the river bank and I decided this was as good a place as I was going to find tonight for my bivi, so stopped here.
Newcastleton bivi next morning; there are several tents + camper vans behind me there
Monday's weather was warmer and drier, and was a fine day for cycling. I climbed first over the moors to Langholm, then joined the B709 to Eskdalemuir, in countryside that reminded me of parts of central Norway or Sweden - you travel for miles on small roads through forest and low hills, and reach villages that are no more than a few scattered farms and lone houses. A curiosity at Eskdalemuir was the Samyé Ling Tibetan Buddhist monastery, now a big tourist draw.
The B709 was a lovely road, and runs almost to Edinburgh. I camped for the night by the Leithen Water, just outside Innerleithen, and almost got a small fire going.
while still setting up camp
The rain started again at 4am, and didn't stop all day. The B709 climbed through one last pass, through the Moorfoot Hills
For a while I tried to follow NCN1 into Edinburgh, but returned to rationality after Bonnyrig when I found the NCN signs showing 12 miles for what was only a 6 mile distance. Soon I was riding past Arthur's Seat and into the city centre, and I whiled away 4 hours till my train with a mix of café stops and exploring some of the delightful districts that surround the centre (I've done the Royal Mile before). Six hours later I was home.
Dean Village, Edinburgh
Hadrian's Wall ; Kielder Water
I then crossed into Scotland, it began raining heavily, and I reached Newcastleton about 5.30. A music festival had just finished here, but there were many people still camped along the river bank and I decided this was as good a place as I was going to find tonight for my bivi, so stopped here.
Newcastleton bivi next morning; there are several tents + camper vans behind me there
Monday's weather was warmer and drier, and was a fine day for cycling. I climbed first over the moors to Langholm, then joined the B709 to Eskdalemuir, in countryside that reminded me of parts of central Norway or Sweden - you travel for miles on small roads through forest and low hills, and reach villages that are no more than a few scattered farms and lone houses. A curiosity at Eskdalemuir was the Samyé Ling Tibetan Buddhist monastery, now a big tourist draw.
The B709 was a lovely road, and runs almost to Edinburgh. I camped for the night by the Leithen Water, just outside Innerleithen, and almost got a small fire going.
while still setting up camp
The rain started again at 4am, and didn't stop all day. The B709 climbed through one last pass, through the Moorfoot Hills
For a while I tried to follow NCN1 into Edinburgh, but returned to rationality after Bonnyrig when I found the NCN signs showing 12 miles for what was only a 6 mile distance. Soon I was riding past Arthur's Seat and into the city centre, and I whiled away 4 hours till my train with a mix of café stops and exploring some of the delightful districts that surround the centre (I've done the Royal Mile before). Six hours later I was home.
Dean Village, Edinburgh
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robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
[QUOTE 4870291, member: 9609"]a fair bit of climbing on your day from Newcastleton to Innerleithen, esp the bit just west of Newcastleton, I was over there the other day - the midgies were seriously bad[/QUOTE]
After riding through the Yorkshire Dales, the climbs on the Scottish part of my ride seemed quite tame! There were some long climbs, but without the savage little 20%+ bits that I got further south. That one out of Newcastleton was one of the biggies of that day though but I thought it was a great little road, at least in fine weather. I could see Solway Firth and the Lake District hills from the top.
As for midgies, I got a few of them on the grass at Newcastleton but reckon the wind was keeping them down somewhat. Also, I was seeing 'User9609 this' and 'User9609 that' signs around there so guessed it might be your area.
After riding through the Yorkshire Dales, the climbs on the Scottish part of my ride seemed quite tame! There were some long climbs, but without the savage little 20%+ bits that I got further south. That one out of Newcastleton was one of the biggies of that day though but I thought it was a great little road, at least in fine weather. I could see Solway Firth and the Lake District hills from the top.
As for midgies, I got a few of them on the grass at Newcastleton but reckon the wind was keeping them down somewhat. Also, I was seeing 'User9609 this' and 'User9609 that' signs around there so guessed it might be your area.
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
What is this rain and cold you speak of?
We're sweltering in the low countries!
We're sweltering in the low countries!
- Location
- London
Wonderful pics and report.
Clearly an experienced bivvy bod.
Can i ask what the bivy and pole you use is?
Clearly an experienced bivvy bod.
Can i ask what the bivy and pole you use is?
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robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
I'm back now and sweltering too, but it was quite galling to ring home while sheltering from the wet stuff, only for wife and father to tell me how lovely and sunny it was. But hey, if it's just good weather you want then nobody would go to Scotland
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robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
I used two things there:
- a goretex hooped bivi bag that keeps me warm and has a net screen I can close against the midges. It is however no longer as waterproof as 20 years ago, and I need something else, so
- a tarp made from about 1/3 of the outer sheet of an old tent, with one set of the old tent poles and a few pegs. It's a less ideal shape than purpose-made tarps but worked fairly well and kept the rain off.
Sorry, I don't remember the names of either product, but since they were bought in 1997 and 1986 respectively I doubt they would have been much help anyway!
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robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
No, see my reply to User9609 above. At Newcastleton there were some around and after cooking I zipped myself into my bivi bag under the netting, but at Innerleithen there were almost none, maybe because of the very smoky fire I was trying to light, maybe just one of those quirks of the midge season. Even at their worst though they were not a patch on what I experienced in the Highlands last summer.
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robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
[QUOTE 4871632, member: 9609"]I'm quite a bit east of there, even east of hwick, although I do go over that way a fair bit and used to work in the forestry over that way, and as weird as it may seem, the reiver thing is nothing (or just vaguely) to do with why I use that as a forum name[/QUOTE]
There sure is a lot of forestry round there to work in (though I guess it's increasingly automated these days).
There sure is a lot of forestry round there to work in (though I guess it's increasingly automated these days).
