The 2010 Charity Bike Ride

Page updated 07/07/2011

The Newcastle cityriders 2010 charity cycle ride was a great success. We are reverted back to the good old days of NCR to put the fun back in to fundraising, and a challenge back in to your lives

It was held on the weekend of 3rd to 5th July, Saturday till Monday.




I’m pleased to say that we had some recognition from Newcastle City Council, not least in the usual way by providing the logistic transport but, the Lady Lord Mayor, Councillor Brenda Hindmarsh is starting the ride with an Official send-off from Ceremonial Way at the Civic Centre. With that in mind, the early outline of Day 1 was :
Event Location Time

Assembly and Registration Civic Centre 08:00 - 08:50
Meet Mayor 08:50
Ride Official Send-off 09:00

Then; ride through Toon centre, West along Scotswood Road, on to the cycle route and head down to River side N. bank and follow via Wylam, on to Corbridge, and Hexham. On, towards Haydon Bridge, and Haltwhistle; lunch will be at one of these towns depending upon progress. After lunch it’s via Gilsland on country roads to Walton, Irthington, past Carlisle airport and via Houghton to first night’s accommodation at Premier Inn.

The hotel is about 3 miles north of the City centre, but there are food and drink outlets nearby.

Day 2, is the shortest and should allow for some recovery from Day 1’s miles. We cross the busy M6 interchange briefly on A7, towards Harker, and Blackford, turning off into small country lanes heading towards Easton, Scuggate, Nook, Kershopefoot, crossing into Scotland, and arrive into Newcastleton. The Newcastleton Music Festival is on, and we are informed there will be music in all the pubs and the place will be busy but it is planned for an extended Lunch and Beer stop! After lunch we head N. East for a while under the shadow of the Larriston Fells through Saughtree, re-cross the border and via Deadwater, S. Easterly, on into Kielder where accommodation is at the Youth Hostel. Dinner can provided in the Hostel but we have asked at the (only) pub and they can accommodate us. It’s planned to canvas peoples’ preference on Saturday to give some warning to the places.

There is very little in the way of retail facilities on this day apart from start and lunch locations; so it is as well to have some munchies and drink with you.

Leaving Kielder for Day 3, which will be broken into 1/3rds as there is no significant mid-point location, via N. shore on the recent lakeside path towards Falstone near R. North Tyne on via Lanehead and Charlton among the sheep, to Bellingham. From Bellingham on to Redesmouth, we climb up to Knowesgate, briefly on A696, turning toward Cambo but turn again and head for Bolam Lake, Belsay, Ogle and South to Ponteland and the last run in, on the back roads to Toon centre.

The ride finished on Ceremonial Way before heading our own homeward ways.