North to the Borders
The idea was to travel north seeing friends and family along the way and then return to Newcastle for a train back to London.
Leaving Tamworth familiar roads soon gave way to bridal ways and trails following old railway lines, paths not seen when crossing the country by car. We cycled on empty roads and through busy towns to reach the coast. From here the path grew more spectacular and windswept the further north we travelled, passing sandy beaches and ruined castles on our way to the Borders.
Criss-crossing between England and Scotland to Hawick we then travelled a section of the 2027 Tour de France route towards Brampton. A stay with a friend led to a memorable day loop in the Lake District before winding down on the Hadrians Wall cycle trail to Newcastle.
Map
A slow ride from Tamworth exploring northern England and the Borders. Around 1000 km and 10,000 m of height gain over 19 cycling days:
The route
Midlands (Tamworth to Chesterfield)
Through the southern Peak District to Buxton, then heading east.
→ details & GPX
Lincolnshire and the Humber (Chesterfield to Hull)
Out of the busy town of Chesterfield, through Lincolnshire and over the Humber Bridge into Hull.
→ details & GPX
Yorkshire Coast (Hull to Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
NCN1 past RSPB Bempton Cliffs and through the seaside towns of East Yorkshire before diverting to Durham and the Angel of the North on our way to Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
→ details & GPX
Northumberland Coast (Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Berwick-on-Tweed)
Back on NCN1 to follow the wild and windswept Northumberland Coast.
→ details & GPX
The Borders (Berwick-on-Tweed to Brampton)
Through the Borders on the NCN1 to Melrose where we turned off towards Hawick for a section of the 2027 Tour de France Route down to Brampton.
→ details & GPX
Ride around the base of Blencathra
A memorable day loop in the northern Lake District while staying with a friend in Brampton.
→ details & GPX
Hadrian’s Wall (Brampton to Newcastle upon Tyne)
Finishing our trip travelling the Hadrian’s Wall cycle route between Brampton and Newcastle upon Tyne station.
→ details & GPX
Moments
“Are you going to Berwick-upon-Tweed?” he asked, eyeing the panniers. We had barely left Derbyshire.
Cycling head down as gusting headwinds hurled hail at my face. Then, the storm settled leaving a double rainbow over a field.
Leaving Epworth in the early morning with clean laundry and the fog lifting.
A farmer yelling “Come ‘ere yer old bugger!” to the border collie chasing me down the lane.
Wobbling along narrow sheep tracks on the Northumberland Coast with the sky darkening overhead.
More moments
Waves and cheers from motorcyclists coming the other way as I’m puffing up yet another hill in the Kershope Forest.
Newborn lambs wearing tiny plastic coats and verges crammed with daffodils.
Wondering if the Romans felt cold patrolling Hadrian’s Wall.
