Planning biggest single day ride to date

[G-Zero]

Durham to Seahouses, Northumberland.

During the Whit week holiday, we're booked on to a caravan site in Seahouses and jokingly Mrs G-Zero suggested that I should ride up there and she will drive the motorhome up with the kids.

I've just had a preliminary look at a couple of routes on Memorymap, that include both on and off road sections, including a ferry crossing from South Shields to North Shields and it's just short of 90 miles.

I would probably pick up NCN7 (C2C) just north of Durham and follow it to Sunderland, before heading north and getting the ferry across the Tyne.
My plan after that would be to stick to the coast as much as possible, but I'm in virgin territory north of the Tyne and would happily accept any route advice.

I'm very tempted and seriously considering building the miles up to give it a go, especially considering the site has full sauna, steam room and jacuzzi facilities, so I'll be able to repair the aged body while there.

My original plan had been to take the bike up on the back of the MH and get a couple of decent rides across the border into Scotland.

Decision time.

 

[Broadside]

It sounds to me like you have already made your mind up! I would definitely say do it, especially if your wife has already suggested it. Get that route planned and build up the miles!

 

[jay clock]

assuming you can do 20-30 miles already, (or even 10 miles) this should be a doddle, and a good target.

Do lots of steady rides, on varying terrain, just steadily build up the distance. Maybe 75 miles a couple of weeks before. Then taper down for the last couple of weeks, load up with snacks and drinks and go for it

 

[G-Zero]

Cheers both.

I did 56 miles on trails at the weekend and felt good for a few more miles than that, so it shouldn't take too much more effort to build up to 90.

Only problem so far is the fact that I'll be commuting all week and finishing my last shift at 3am on the day of the ride, but that's purely psychological and easy overcome.

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

I think in going from Durham to Sunderland and over via Shields, you're probably adding uneccessary miles onto your route. If you're after the miles, then all well and good, but otherwise I'd possibly amend it a bit.

I don't know whereabouts in Durham you are, but I'd head towards Chester-le-Street via Sacriston, Grange Villa & Pelton (a bit hilly, but nowt awful). From there, take the A167 through Birtley, under the A1 and past the Angel into Gateshead. The A167 is quite busy, but it has a cycle lane along most of it and unless it's changed significantly in the last couple of years, the drivers always used to be well behaved.

From there, make your best way through the city centre (off the top of my head, I'd go Manors, Shieldfield, Jesmond), then from there do Longbenton - Shiremoor - Whitley Bay. Once you're out at the coast, I'd just follow the same route as the Great North Bike Ride takes.

 

[G-Zero]

I think in going from Durham to Sunderland and over via Shields, you're probably adding uneccessary miles onto your route. If you're after the miles, then all well and good, but otherwise I'd possibly amend it a bit.

I don't know whereabouts in Durham you are, but I'd head towards Chester-le-Street via Sacriston, Grange Villa & Pelton (a bit hilly, but nowt awful). From there, take the A167 through Birtley, under the A1 and past the Angel into Gateshead. The A167 is quite busy, but it has a cycle lane along most of it and unless it's changed significantly in the last couple of years, the drivers always used to be well behaved.

From there, make your best way through the city centre (off the top of my head, I'd go Manors, Shieldfield, Jesmond), then from there do Longbenton - Shiremoor - Whitley Bay. Once you're out at the coast, I'd just follow the same route as the Great North Bike Ride takes.

Cheers TSM,

I live close to the A167 and regularly commute along it, as well as using it to get directly to Birtley (without going through Sacriston), but the thought of riding through Gateshead and Newcastle on a Saturday, or any day but a Sunday, genuinely inspires me to add even more miles just to avoid them

I am interested in the Great North Bike Ride route though and will have a proper look at it tonight when I get more time and see where I can pick it up, either from the pedestrian tunnel or Shields ferry.

 

[Nebulous]

I'm a Monday to Friday worker - and last year we bought an old minibus and converted it into a camper van. Several times during school holidays my wife went away with the children and I cycled to join them on the Friday after I finished. Never as far as you - more like 40-50 miles. There was something novel and exciting about it. Most of my rides are circular from my house, so going point to point was different. I had one gloriously fast run, where after clearing the town my legs were on fire. My wife took me down to earth with a thump by insisting I had a tailwind, but it felt pretty good at the time anyway!

I was always excited about it all day at work, knocked off reasonably sharp for a change, went home to get changed and set off. So I'd certainly recommend it.

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

Cheers TSM,

I live close to the A167 and regularly commute along it, as well as using it to get directly to Birtley (without going through Sacriston), but the thought of riding through Gateshead and Newcastle on a Saturday, or any day but a Sunday, genuinely inspires me to add even more miles just to avoid them

I am interested in the Great North Bike Ride route though and will have a proper look at it tonight when I get more time and see where I can pick it up, either from the pedestrian tunnel or Shields ferry.

Well then, with that in mind I have a possible alternative:

Same start as before pretty much (or which ever route you're happiest with), but make your way to Chester-le-Street again. This time, head up the A1284 past Lumley Castle towards Houghton. Go right, left, left, right to bring you out in Shiney Row...

If the traffic doesn't bother you, then just take Chester Rd towards Sunderland, but it is quite busy and dual carriageway in places. Otherwise cross the roundabout with the Washington Highway at Shiney and then drop down towards the river, and follow Coxgreen Road/Offerton Road into Hylton - it's hillier, but quieter. From there you can go Pallion - Sunderland and over the Wearmouth bridge (Wearmouth rather than QA, because it's wider, has a cycle lane and doesn't spit you out onto horribly busy and aggro roads). From Wearmouth, head out to Roker and follow the coast road Seaburn - Whitburn - Souter - South Shields. Then it's just a matter of taking the ferry and picking up the GNBR route on the other side of the river.

 

[Ruary]

I'm one for sticking to cycle routes, have ridden from Alnwick to Whitley Bay and just stuck to Cycle Route 1 (Coast and Castles) pretty much the same route the Great North Bike Ride Follows.
So for me it would be C2C from Sunderland, probably under the Tyne Tunnel rather than the ferry (coz it's free and I'm tight) then joing the Coast and Castles.
Great North Bike Ride Route Here
http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Great_North_Bike_Ride_2008-Cycle-Route-636.html

 

[400bhp]

Sounds great-I like rides like this.

Sorry, i can't offer any advice about the route in that neck of the woods.

 

[G-Zero]

Same start as before pretty much (or which ever route you're happiest with), but make your way to Chester-le-Street again. This time, head up the A1284 past Lumley Castle towards Houghton.

You've been spying

I regularly work from Houghton and use this route past Lumley Castle, then right into Great Lumley and across to Black Boy Road. I find it a bit safer than using the back roads across Cocken Lodge.

 

[G-Zero]

I'm one for sticking to cycle routes, have ridden from Alnwick to Whitley Bay and just stuck to Cycle Route 1 (Coast and Castles) pretty much the same route the Great North Bike Ride Follows.
So for me it would be C2C from Sunderland, probably under the Tyne Tunnel rather than the ferry (coz it's free and I'm tight) then joing the Coast and Castles.
Great North Bike Ride Route Here
http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Great_North_Bike_Ride_2008-Cycle-Route-636.html

Thanks for the link, that's the route I was struggling to find. Just got to suss how to print it in detail now.

 

[G-Zero]

I'm a Monday to Friday worker - and last year we bought an old minibus and converted it into a camper van. Several times during school holidays my wife went away with the children and I cycled to join them on the Friday after I finished. Never as far as you - more like 40-50 miles. There was something novel and exciting about it. Most of my rides are circular from my house, so going point to point was different. I had one gloriously fast run, where after clearing the town my legs were on fire. My wife took me down to earth with a thump by insisting I had a tailwind, but it felt pretty good at the time anyway!

I was always excited about it all day at work, knocked off reasonably sharp for a change, went home to get changed and set off. So I'd certainly recommend it.

That sounds like a bit of a plan and I might do a few more, as long as we're not too far away on our trips.