282km Hadrians Cycleway
Hadrian's Wall
Rome’s Greatest Frontier
Ride overview
A Roman Coast to Coast
Packed neatly into three days of coast to coast riding, you have the very essence of English cycle touring; coast, moor, river and city. Whilst there is less wall than you might expect, what does remain, is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also spectacular.
The first day is a spent riding beside the understated Cumbrian Coast with its expansive bays and historic ports. The second day takes you up onto the high moors and to the wall itself, through Carlisle, along the pastorally rich Eden Valley, and onto the Northumberland Moors where the Wall is at its most intact. Day three’s riding is a joyous descent into market town of Hexham before riding beside the River Tyne through the energising city of Newcastle and onwards to the river’s - and the Wall’s - end at South Shields.
Hadrian’s Cycleway is more than just a coast to coast ride; it is a perfect route to hone your ‘slow cycling’, skills. Stick to your riding pace, but pause and explore the many sites along the way for they are numerous and will add significantly to the overall experience; eighteenth century ports, abbeys, cathedrals, castles, the Wall and the various associated museums. To really get the most from the Cycleway, consider devoting five days to it; three for riding, two for walking/exploring. Full details for each day are given below.
The Wall in the summer season is busy. People come from all over the world to see it. Travelling in the winter or in early spring/late autumn gives you wilder weather for sure, but also the possibility of sublime days of chill-blue sky and magic sunsets. Away from peak season, you have the Wall to yourself. That is a really special thing.
Ride Practicalities
Summary:
START/FINISH: Ravenglass DISTANCE: 282km TOTAL ASCENT: 2043m TERRAIN AND SURFACES: Traffic-free cycle lanes, riverside paths, and quiet roads through the garden suburbs. A gravel/touring/hybrid bike with more than 28mm tyres RECOMMENDED CAFÈS/PUBS: Ravenglass: The Inn at Ravenglass, Once Brewed: The Sill, Hexham: Bunters Café Newcastle: Dobson and Parnell, Tynemouth: Riley’s Fish Shack STAY: Ravenglass: The Inn at Ravenglass, Silloth: The Queen’s Hotel, Twice Brewed: Twice Brewed Inn, YHA, Tynemouth: The Grand Hotel, The Castle Inn NEARBY MAINLINE TRAIN SERVICES: Ravenglass, Carlisle, Newcastle PLACES TO VISIT; Ravenglass (Glannaventa): Maryport (Alana): Carlisle: Castle, Cathedral, Tullie, Birdoswald: Birdoswald Fort, Housesteads: Housesteads Fort, Vindolanda: Vindolanda & Roman Army Museum, Sycamore Gap, Chesters Fort, Corbridge: Corbridge Roman Town, Wallsend: Segedunum Fort & Museum, South Shields: Arbeia Roman Fort. LINKS TO OTHER RIDES: The Solway Firth, Coast and Castles, National Cycle Network Route 1, London to Carlisle
Riding the route: The Hadrian’s Cycleway is not an unduly challenging route for the average cycle tourist. However, when the wind blows off the Irish Sea distances between towns can feel long, and poor weather can make the sections across Northumberland’s National Park more challenging. The route can be ridden either from Ravenglass to South Shields/Tynemouth (west to east) or from South Shields/Tynemouth to Ravenglass (east to west). The latter tends to be harder since you ride into the prevailing westerly winds. The route is not difficult for a reasonably fit cycle tourist.
THE FIVE STAGES
1. Travel to Ravenglass and explore the village, the Esk estuary and ride the ‘Ol’ Ratty Steam Railway
2. Cumbrian Coastal ride Ravenglass to Silloth 85km
3. Silloth to Twice Brewed 114km (This can be split into two days with a worthwhile stop in Carlisle to explore the city’s castle, cathedral, Tullie museum)
4. 6 mile walk along the very best section of The Wall
5. Twice Brewed to South Shields/Tynemouth (82km).
Signate and Navigation. The route is well signed (in both directions) as National Cycle Network Route 72. However, my route diverges from the ‘official’ route on a couple of occasions, particularly on day 2. I prefer to stick to the rideable farm tracks beside the Wall, rather than head down on more roads to Haltwhistle.
Surfaces, tyres and bike choice: For touring, I ride comfortably on 28mm tyres, carrying two panniers and a handlebar bag. You may wish to fit wider tyres if riding through the colder (and wetter) months.
Traffic-free
One of the great strengths of Hadrian’s Cycleway is how traffic-free the route feels.
RECOMMENDED CAFÈS/PUBS: There are plenty of towns and villages along the route, all with options for resupply. However, services thin as you ride along the Solway Firth and across the uplands.
Ravenglass: The Inn at Ravenglass, Once Brewed: The Sill, Hexham: Bunters Café Newcastle: Dobson and Parnell, Tynemouth: Riley’s Fish Shack
RECOMMENDED STAYS: Ravenglass: The Inn at Ravenglass, Silloth: The Queen’s Hotel, Twice Brewed: Twice Brewed Inn, YHA, Tynemouth: The Grand Hotel, The Castle Inn
THE FIVE STAGES
1. Travel to Ravenglass and explore the village, the Esk estuary and ride the ‘Ol’ Ratty Steam Railway
2. Cumbrian Coastal ride Ravenglass to Silloth 85km
3. Silloth to Twice Brewed 114km (This can be split with a worthwhile stop in Carlisle to explore the city’s castle, cathedral, Tullie museum)
4. 6 mile walk along the very best section of The Wall
5. Twice Brewed to South Shields/Tynemouth (82km).
Every route on this website has been carefully researched as well as ridden. However situations on the ground can change quickly. If you know of changes to this route, or cafes, pubs and the like which you think other cyclists need to know about, feel free to share your thoughts below.
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Day 1 Travelling and Preparing