Coast and Castles Cycle Ride 2010

foxy mars · #1 (**permalink**) 07-10-2009, 01:12 AM

Well, since I did a walk in Northumberland the other week-end, I've fell in love with it's beautiful coastline and it's castles. I've discovered there is a cycle route that runs from Newcastle upon Tyne to Edinburgh called "The Coast and Castles Cycle Route" and this would be idea for my 2010 holiday. But I would like to take 2 weeks cycling, a tall order compared to walking. So a draft route would look like this,

Newcastle upon Tyne - Berwick upon Tweed - Dunbar - Edinburgh - Melrose - Wooler - Haltwistle - Carlisle - Barrow in Furness - Blackpool - Slaidburn - Hawes - Tan Hill - Barnard Castle - Osmotherley - Whitby.

A tall order you may think, but with cycling, you have the edge over walking and can push that bit more. Anyway, the map is ordered and will be sorting the route out in due time. Looks like the Pennine Way is out of the window.

foxy mars · #2 (**permalink**) 08-10-2009, 02:00 AM

Got the map this morning and have started to plan the trip for next year, one thing I've noticed, that no replys to my thread. Mmm guess it must a prejudice to cycling, more to walking I reckon. Sorry but the walking is out for next year. I need to think out a 800 mile cycling tour, any ideas, could head to Inverness and down the the West coast of Scotland.

davecatt · #3 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 12:54 AM

Hi
My plans for next year include a 2 week cycle trip to the Outer Hebrides. I've done a lot of walking in north west Scotland, but never the outer isles. So I thought doing it by bike would enable me to cover more distance.

My original plan was to get a rover ticket for the train and ferries (bikes go free on both), spend aweek or so on the islands then down the west coast. the rover ticket would give some flexibility to the trip.

Your mention of the coast and castle route has got me thinking maybe I could spend the first part of the trip on that route then get the train from Edinburgh to Oban, do the islands, return via Skye and train from Malaig.

what do you think? Thanks for the inspiration.
Dave

daubechie · #4 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 08:10 PM

A question that could have been written for me!
We set off to do Coast and Castles on our first touring holiday 3 years ago - it was fantastic! the route is absolutely stunning, the views beautiful and so peaceful. And we arrived at the right tide-time to cycle over to Lindisfarne.
By the time we got to Berwick on Tweed we weren't looking forward to the big push over the hills to Edinburgh - so we jumped on the train at Edinburgh, booked into a hotel and then cycled along the canal from there to Glasgow via the Falkirk wheel - a fantastic ride...
We stayed one night with a Mrs. Dodds in Newbiggin - such a warm welcome!

Then last year we cycled with a tent round the outer hebrides - Caledonian sleeper to Oban, ferry to Barra then wild camping, hostels and campsites for a week as we cycled up through the Hebrides - Barra, South and North Uist, Berneray and Harris - then back to cycle through Skye, a night in Mallaig and home - wow! It was difficult to plan as the ferres are rare - sometimes early in the morning or every other day or not on sundays etc. You don't need to book with a bicycle as they can always squeeze you on even if it's a 4 car ferry. However if you miss it you could wait 24 or 48 hours for the next one! It really was an amazing holiday. They both were!

daubechie · #5 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 08:23 PM

I should say that we are not fast cyclists... probably about 50 miles a day... but with a lot of weight on the bike and with the trickiness of some of the terrain - and there are lots of nice places to stop - we weren't planning on going faster!

I would say that the Hebrides route was very like a walking holiday as we got into that routine where you are on the same schedule as a whole bunch of other people doing the route - and obviously they have similar interests to yourself, so you get on with them and end up meeting them at stop points and campsites... smashing!

We alternate holidays - this year was Doug's turn to choose and we walked Coast to Coast in September, next year my choice, so cycling - I'm thinking now about my options!

foxy mars · #6 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 12:32 AM

Phew...Thanks for like-minded cyclist's on the forum, I thought the cycling was out of the window. Many thanks to davecatt and daubechie, you sound like two keen cyclists. I was going to include Inverness on my Coast and Castles, but I think it's looking like the Coast and Castles to Edinburgh and then switch back to Dunbar, back to Berwick upon Tweed. Then Wooler, Haltwistle, Carlise, Whitehaven, Barrow in Furness,. Then a train to Arnside and down to Blackpool and and over to Slaidburn, Ripon, York, Hull, Hornsea, Scarborough, Whitby and back home to Teesside.

I've done a draft route on the Memory map and reads out at 750 miles, which is great for a fortnight's cycling doing roughly 50 miles a day. Thankfully I've the Brooks B17 saddle broken in and will be a joy to sit on them lone weary miles. I'm also thinking about getting a Vango Banshee 300 tent so I can stick the bike inside or have the luxury of a 3-man tent for myself.

davecatt · #7 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 12:40 AM

Hi
When you get to the East Yorkshire stretch, York,Hull,Hornsea. Youll be on my patch, (I'm based in Beverley), so don't hesitate to get in touch if you need any local knowledge.

Dave

foxy mars · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davecatt

Hi
When you get to the East Yorkshire stretch, York,Hull,Hornsea. Youll be on my patch, (I'm based in Beverley), so don't hesitate to get in touch if you need any local knowledge.

Dave

Thanks, Dave. Yes, Beverley is a lovely place and I will keep that in mind when I get to planning it after New Year is over

davecatt · #9 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 10:04 AM

Hi Daubechie

Welcome to WAB, hope to see more from you.

Thanks for the reply about the Hebrides trip. I've not finally decided on the actual route yet,but it will definately include Bara,South Uist,Benbecula,North Uist and Skye.

Any info on campsite,hostels, places of interest and anything else you think may be helpful would be really apreciated

Dave

daubechie · #10 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 12:55 PM

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I haven't got full details as my old PC is in storage whilst we move - but I did use this site a lot:
Cycle Hebrides - dedicated to cycling in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
and I borrowed the route plan below from an organised holiday website as a skeleton plan (There were probably 8 couples doing the same route - some staying in B&Bs and hostels and 3 of us with tents - 1 couple on a tandem)
The mileages are lower than I remember but we were back home in Hertfordshire in 8 days so we cut out the rest day and did Portree to Armadale - Skye wasn't such nice cycling to my mind as it is a lot busier than the hebrides - with all the extra tourist traffic etc.
We didn't book anything in advance - even buying the ferry rover ticket in Oban.
Day 1. Arrive OBAN - afternoon ferry to Barra
Day 2. EXPLORE BARRA 16ml(25km)
Cycle round this quiet island and its linked small island, Vatersay. Perhaps visit the four Catholic Churches, Kismul Castle,the ancestral home of the Clan MacNeil, the Thatched Cottage Museum at Craigston and the airport on Cockle Strand Beach. Enjoy the peace and tranquillity, the birds and the flowers together with the quiet welcome of its people.
Day 3. CASTLEBAY - BALIVANICH(SOUTH UIST) 41ml(66km)
Take the passenger ferry to Ludag on South Uist and continue northwards to Benbecula. The main road takes a fairly flat, straight path with many links on the west side to the “machir” and the beautiful silver sands which occupy the west coast of South Uist. By the road is the peaty moorland and many lochans, noted for their trout fishing. Traffic jam >>>>
Day 4. BALIVANISH - BERNERAY 32/42ml(51/68km)
Cross the causeway to North Uist and take the road up the west coast on the longer route. If time permits visit the Bird Reserve at Balranald. Alternatively the easier journey is by the east coast to Lochmaddy and continue to the beautiful quiet island of Berneray now linked to the mainland by a causeway.
Day 5. BERNERAY - TARBERT(HARRIS) 23ml(37km)
Take the ferry to Eriskay and cross the causeway to Harris is an interesting trip as the boat navigates the narrow channel between the many small islands. Follow the road on the west side of Harris past many white sandy beaches and fertile grasslands to reach the main town of Tarbert. In contrast to the flat west coast this part of the island is dominated by its mountains-huge chunks of desolate grey rock with little soil or vegetation. Tarbert, Harris >>>>
Day 6. Rest day TARBET
Explore eastwards to the beautiful Island of Scalpay or cycle westwards to visit the beach at Hushnish from where there are scenic views to the island of Scarp. Alternatively take a bus trip around the neighbouring island of Lewis. The Island of Scalpay >>>
Day 7. TARBET - PORTREE(SKYE) 18ml(29km)
An early morning ferry takes you to Uig on the island of Skye. From there climb the hills to cross the plateau and reach the east coast at Staffin and on south to the island’s capital Portree.
Day 8. PORTREE - BROADFORD 26ml(42km)
Make an early start to leave time for a visit to the unspoilt island of Raasay. A short ferry crossing will enable you to explore its history, forest paths and wildlife. Return to continue the short distance to your overnight stop at Broadford.
Day 9. BROADFORD - ARMADALE 26ml(42km)
Across the island to Sleat “the Garden of Skye”. In this soft, green and wooded southern peninsula you can get a real feel of a Highland community at work. Leave the main road at Toravaig and visit the typical crofting community at “Cod Bay” and continue via Tokavaig and Tarskavaig to Armadale. At Armadale there is the Castle and the Clan Donald Visitor Centre.
Day 10. Depart Armadale by ferry to MALLAIG

The ferry arrived in Barra around tea time and we wildcamped by the beach... near a village hall with a toilet, sink and water tap with an honesty box... my kind of wildcamping!
I'll see what else I can round up!

davecatt · #11 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 01:32 PM

Thanks a lot very useful, I'm particularly interested in wild camping and campsites, did you encounter any problems with camping wild from locals or land owners?

Again thanks for your help.

Dave

foxy mars · #12 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davecatt

Hi

Your mention of the coast and castle route has got me thinking maybe I could spend the first part of the trip on that route then get the train from Edinburgh to Oban, do the islands, return via Skye and train from Malaig.

what do you think? Thanks for the inspiration.
Dave

Sounds like a fun thing to do, something I would like to do. What I would love to do is one day, get a train to Inverness and cycle up to John O' Groats then over to Cape Wrath and down the west coast and back to Inverness. Maybe could plan that for 2011.

knotty902 · #13 (**permalink**) 17-11-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxy mars

Well, since I did a walk in Northumberland the other week-end, I've fell in love with it's beautiful coastline and it's castles. I've discovered there is a cycle route that runs from Newcastle upon Tyne to Edinburgh called "The Coast and Castles Cycle Route" and this would be idea for my 2010 holiday. But I would like to take 2 weeks cycling, a tall order compared to walking. So a draft route would look like this,

Newcastle upon Tyne - Berwick upon Tweed - Dunbar - Edinburgh - Melrose - Wooler - Haltwistle - Carlisle - Barrow in Furness - Blackpool - Slaidburn - Hawes - Tan Hill - Barnard Castle - Osmotherley - Whitby.

A tall order you may think, but with cycling, you have the edge over walking and can push that bit more. Anyway, the map is ordered and will be sorting the route out in due time. Looks like the Pennine Way is out of the window.