distance: a sod of a long way
Up early for breakfast (cumberland sausage) and we were soon climbing out of Alston. We turned off just before Nenthead and struggled up a particularly steep bit before leaving the road and heading along a track to the highest part of the route at the Cumbria/Northumberland Border.
There then followed several miles downhill into Allenheads, an area that once upon a time produced one sixth
of the world's lead, but is now a pleasant little village, though lacking a bit in visible means of support.
The climb out of Allenheads is tough, but short and aided by the promise of the 5 mile drop into Rookhope.
We flew down to Rookhope, too early to enjoy a pint at the Rookhope Inn , which thanks to a change of management, now boasts a sign proclaiming "Cyclists and walkers very welcome".
The route leaves the road and climbs up the Rookhope incline, once a railway line up which trucks full of ore were
winched to the top of the hill before being hitched to a steam engine.
Unfortunately the track was shut to facilitate the gentry blasting hell out of the grouse, so we retraced our steps
a bit and took a slightly longer route by road over the tops.
As the revised route passed JM's front door we popped in for a cup of tea and a word with the livestock and then it was time for
the final couple of climbs of the route (though we had lied to Steve a few times about various hills being the last or steepest
of the trip).
And then we were at Waskerley, where the route joins the course of an old railway line and
heads for the coast in an almost uninterrupted slight downhill slope.
"Whoosh" we went.
Through Consett and then onto the outskirts of Newcastle, where hunger had set in to such an extent that we did the unthinkable.
Having finished our KFC we crossed the Tyne, cycled along the Quayside and then out through Wallsend, North Shields
and finally Tynemouth.
whoosh!
And all of a sudden there was the finish.
Having taken the photos and congratulated each other, we discussed what to do next. A substantial body of opinion (JM) was
in favour of finding the nearest pub, but the majority voted for trying to get back to Hexham first.
We didn't see any signs at the Tynemouth metro that actually banned bikes from the trains, so it was metro to Manors, a short cycle to
Newcastle Station then train to Hexham, where we loaded up the car, bought an Indian take-away and headed home.