| Commencing in the attractive
town of Ponteland, the route will
quickly take you into the heart of Reiver Country. The majority
of the terrain is tarmac on very quiet country roads but there
are many options to increase the amount of off-road action.
Northumberland is noted for its remoteness and beauty - this
section typifies that. You will soon feel a long way from
civilisation.
Bellingham - gateway to the Northumberland
National Park
The route takes you past several small reservoirs
en route along with the very pretty, unspoilt villages of
Stamfordham and Matfen.
Beyond Matfen, the hills are steeper and the scenery changes
to remote moorland before you drop down to the mighty River
North Tyne and Bellingham, the
gateway to the Northumberland
National Park. This is a much harder
ride physically than the section preceding it - the exposed
moorland can often mean you are cycling into a strong headwind.
Route Details
Beautiful villages
Leaving Ponteland, the first 2-3
miles are almost immediately off-road along tracks. These
leafy, canopied tracks take you through the expensive residential
area of Darras Hall. From there it is a case of following
the country roads to the small village of Heugh then on to
the fine village of Stamfordham.
Stamfordham, nestling on the River Pont,
has all the ingredients for the perfect estate village: a
village green focal point, a pond, a village cross and a plethora
of ordered 18th century houses. The village has two fine pubs:
the Bay Horse and the Swinburne Arms.
Blackett origins
Another three miles on the road and you will enter the beautiful
village of Matfen: another estate
village established by the Blackett family. With a stream,
village green and attractive stone dwellings, Matfen remains
unspoilt. The Black Bull Inn serves real ale and food.
The roads from Matfen will take you through
the small settlements of Ryal, Hallington and Throckington
past Hallington and Colt Crag reservoirs on your left. You
will need to cross the A68 at this point. Take extreme care
as this is a busy road with very fast-moving traffic.
Gateway to the Northumberland National
Park
From the A68, the roads will take you to the small village
of Birtley. This has limited facilities but there is a village
pub for refreshments. From Birtley the roads become very minor
and in a short space of time you will encounter the charm
of gated roads. The route then descends steeply into Redesmouth
as you cross the River Rede then follow the route of the River
North Tyne into Bellingham, an
ancient, small market town based around a long, main street.
Bellingham has much to interest the visitor.
However, to avoid giving yourself away as a tourist to the
locals, make sure you pronounce the place correctly: say "Bellin-jum"
a few times and it will stick in your mind. Seek out the Heritage
Centre, St Cuthbert's Church and the Town Hall if you have
time. The Church has much Border
Reiver history to tell: it was burnt to the ground twice
over by the marauding Scots Reivers. There is also a Tourist
Information Centre and banking facilities. |
Facts &
Figures
| |
| Mileage |
32 miles |
| Highest point |
761 ft |
| Lowest Point |
193 ft |
| Off-road |
10 - 30% |
| Ascending |
2,043 ft |
Places en route
The table below summarises the main locations along this
section of route. Hyperlinked place names link to pages containing
additional information about the location including accommodation.
Route Options
Off-road choices
There are a number of off-road options - taking all of them
will increase the proportion to around 30%. There are alternatives
in the region of Fenwick, Ryal, Hallington and Redesmouth.
Many of these are rough tracks so be warned if you have a
rigid bike or if there has been a lot of wet weather.
Keep your eyes peeled as some of the off-road routes are
very poorly marked and easily missed.
Visiting Wark
You can depart from the route around a mile from Birtley to
visit the village of Wark. Wark is
only some three miles off the route on the Haltwhistle Link
Route. As a large-ish village, it offers a range of services
such as a pub, shop and post office. It is a popular overnight
stop-over for Reivers cyclists as accommodation is relatively
plentiful. |
