In November 2013 Seaton Sluice Backpedalers decided that their next cycle challenge would be Hadrian's Cycleway, a 180 mile route starting at Ravenglass and ending at the Delaval Arms, Seaton Sluice. Seventeen riders signed up and a three strong support team was recruited. This is their story.
Day 1 - Ravenglass to Silloth
The day began early. WATBus had been hired to transport bikes and their riders from the Delaval Arms to Ravenglass leaving at 6 am, so on a grey and miserable Saturday morning, bikes, riders and their luggage were loaded onto the minibus and its trailer.
In under three hours the team had arrived in Ravenglass. To everyone's surprise and delight, the sky was blue and the temperature warm, so bikes were unpacked and prepared for the first leg of the route.
At 9.44 am the team saddled up and set off.
Once the rather tricky bridge over the River Mite had been negotiated the cycle path was easy riding in ideal conditions.
Good time was made along a track which was well signed and despite the first puncture of the trip......
....... the team reached Whitehaven just before midday. Once in the town, one member of the team decided that staying rubber side down was for wimps and promptly fell off his bike. Coffee was needed.
The next landmark was Workington and again the path was easy to follow and easy to ride.
The path beyond Workington was equally straightforward and Maryport was soon reached. There is a newly opened section of the route just outside Maryport which runs alongside the B5300 and is traffic free but cyclists still need to be aware of potential hazards!
The next stop was Allonby where refreshments were available at the friendly local cafe.
By now it was late afternoon and the sky was grey with a hint of rain. The ride into Silloth saw the weather deteriorate and the rain arrive but not enough to dampen spirits or even require waterproof jackets. The team arrived in Silloth just after 5 pm.
Prior to the trip, Silloth Golf Club had been contacted and an evening meal booked. This proved to be an excellent choice particularly since Silloth does not have a wide choice of restaurants.
53 miles completed and everyone was in fine fettle.
It seemed like a good idea to plan a 60 mile round trip taking in some of the more demanding sections of the Reivers Route on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year so far - and to some people's surprise, that's exactly how it turned out.
Thirteen Backpedalers turned up for the twelfth training ride and set off towards Backworth and Killingworth to join the Reivers Route heading towards Ponteland. The now obligatory visit to the summit in Weetslade Country Park was included in the itinerary.
The route to Ponteland was familiar to most of the riders but beyond that was unknown territory. It passes through Darras Hall along the line of an old railway which ran to Belsay Colliery and then emerges on the west side of Ponteland. A short (but interesting) section then leads to a country lane which heads towards Stamfordham.
It was here that the group arrived at what turned out to be the highlight of the day - a new coffee stop.
Raggy Heirlooms is right next to the Reivers Route and caters for cyclists in need of a coffee and bacon sandwich.
In stark contrast to Sunday's outing, Tuesday was bright, sunny and warm as six Backpedalers set off to Ponteland along the Reivers Route.
The path through Holywell Dene still showed signs of the recent heavy rain but once through Wellfield, Earsdon and Backworth and onto the Reivers Route, the journey became a pleasant ride along quiet country tracks. A short uphill diversion in Weetslade Country Park gave the group an opportunity to admire the surrounding countryside.
From there, on to Ponteland and the obligatory stop at Jan's Kitchen for refreshments. Along the way we managed to recruit another member for our cycling group.
