When the weather is good (yes - this is North East England so it’s cold, wet and dark for too long each year), there is nothing better than cycling in the beautiful Northumberland countryside. It has great mountain bike trails (Kielder in particular) and excellent gravel riding too, but this post is all about the road bike rides. This also mentions Cumbria, Newcastle and North Tyneside, as some of these routes cross into neighbouring regions. 

Northumberland has a great network of quiet lanes, with undulating scenery and some challenging hills. It also has stunning views, cute villages, and some great cafe stops dotting the region. It’s a fabulous place to cycle, and we’re lucky to call it home.

Here are 10 random things about cycling in Northumberland that will help you plan your rides/visit

1. Our absolute favourite roads are west of Morpeth between the A1 and A696. There is a huge network of quiet country lanes, a variety of hills and scenery, and very few cars. It’s heaven to ride there! We drive to and park either on Green Lane, at Kirkley Cycles or near Pigdon, and do some great loops that are a total joy. Just keep this cycling secret to yourself! Check out my Strava for a selection of loops. 

2. Equally beautiful is the ride up to Stonehaugh in the Northumberland National Park near Kielder. On a summer’s evening the light up on the hills is just magical. We do a loop from Humshaugh either up through Barrasford and Wark and back down Ward Lane (a fun descent), or the other way around. Ward Lane is the perfect place for getting good at hills, and we sometimes just do this road up and down if we’re trying to get fit for an event. 

3. The Stanegate. Northumberland is home to Hadrian’s Wall; a Roman Wall that was built 2000 years ago. Parts of the wall still exist as well as various fortifications, and it’s a popular place for walkers. The Military Road follows the old Roman Road and is close to much of this history; it’s also popular with cyclists. But it’s fairly busy. There are roads that run parallel to this that are quieter such as The Stanegate. This heads up from Forestones (near Hexham) and is a great climb. We often head West because the prevailing wind is Westerly; in theory if the wind is up then it’s in our faces on the way out and helping us on the way back in. So we might head up the Stanegate then back on the Military Road, or turn left down to Barden Mill and back via Langley and Haydon Bridge. 

4. While we’re talking about hills it’s worth mentioning The Ryals. These are 2 short but steep hills north of Corbridge. They have a bit of a fearsome reputation and they are tough, but they’re mercifully short. They’re on a great bit of quiet road so don’t let them put you off if you’re not a strong rider. If you have to get off, so be it; the views are lovely and the road is much quieter than the Military Road that it runs parallel to. 

5. If you’re looking for challenging hills, around Rothbury is where you need to go. The views to Simonside and Cheviot are beautiful and there are lots of options for routes. You’ll pass castles, see the sea, and cycle through quaint villages. There are also fords to navigate which mean you’ve got a steep ascent from a nearly standing start, but hey, it’ll make you great on hills! 

6. There are some great places to stop for coffee and cake, or something more substantial. Kirkley Cafe can’t not be mentioned in this blog. It’s a mecca for cyclists and has great bacon sarnies, scones and cakes, you can park there to start your ride, and in the summer the outdoor seating makes it a lovely place to sit and chat. We also love the scones at the cafe at the Northumberland Cheese Company in Blagdon, beer and crisps outside the Beresford Arms in Whalton and the coffees from the corner shop in Wark. A special mention also needs to go to Bird in Bush at Elsdon for the most epic hot beef baguettes. We stopped there one Sunday and said we couldn’t eat a full Sunday lunch and asked what they could give us; the baguettes that came out were simply stunning. OK, so we may have struggled to get back on the bike afterwards, but we’ve remembered that meal for ages so that tells us it was great. They were super friendly too; the best of Northumberland right there! There are a few places like the Impromptu Cafe (also in Elsdon) that are meant to be great but only take cash; I’d put an emergency tenner in your pocket if you don’t already. 

7. Controversial Point of View - The Coast To Coast. Ok - so it’s an amazing feat and some of the sections are just the best. For those of you who don’t know this route, It goes from Cumbria (Whitehaven) and across the Pennines to Tynemouth. You can do it in one day, two days, three days or more. We did a modified version last year and had an absolute blast; we’d recommend it to anyone. But we know our roads and we did modify it (quite a lot). The bit we get least is the Hadrian Cycleway - ok so it may be a Roman route but jeez, it’s ugly! It’s the worst of Industrial Newcastle and the cycle way is marred by tree roots making it bumpy. It’s also got lots of walkers on it. Why would you when there are so many better routes? We followed the Sustrans National Cycle Network Routes and came in north of Newcastle swapping heavy industry for country lanes. Make a route that works for you, and go and have fun!

8. We love the coast and there are some gorgeous towns and beaches on this coastline. Bamburgh, Newton By The Sea, and  Alnmouth are all lovely and excellent stop offs, but avoid the ‘coastal route’ roads. They’re busy and at weekends are full of drivers with little consideration for cyclists. It’s not bad, but there are just much better roads that are totally quiet and just as scenic. We always try to stay west of the A1 for the best of Northumberland riding. 

9. If you want to complete a cycling century (aka 100 miles), the route the locals do is Tynemouth to Bamburgh and back. It’s a fairly flat route, passes some beautiful places (Bamburgh Castle will take your breath away) and a fun day out. Fish and chips for lunch in Seahouses is a good call. And finishing in Whitley Bay or Tynemouth on a summer’s evening with a beer or glass of wine in the sun is a perfect end to a perfect day! Just avoid the main coastal road as per point 7. 

10. If you want a challenge, how about trying the Northumberland 250 or one of the great organised events in the region. The Cyclone, Haydon Hundred or The Great North Bike Ride are all great events, just to name a few.

Get in touch if you’ve got tips to add or routes you love to ride.