DESTINATION
Halfway between Newcastle and Edinburgh lies the red-roofed Elizabethan town of Berwickupon-Tweed. This is England, but only just. Scotland starts a scant three miles away, so the town is a useful base from which to explore the borderland’s rich mix of coast, castles, uplands and market towns.
To Berwick’s north are the low-slung hills of the Lammermuirs. To the south, the Cheviots. Both offer numerous climbs with double-digit gradients, but the scenery in the Cheviots is more varied and rewarding. Make for the quaint market town Wooler, then head on up the Harthope Valley or east, towards Chatton and Chillingham. All routes offer majestic vistas. Gravel riders can reach Wooler via the northern section of the Sandstone Way, a 190-mile off-road route linking Berwick and Hexham, way down south on the River Tyne.
Bisecting the two hill chains is the more forgiving terrain of the Merse, a broad rolling vale of rich arable land either side of the lower river Tweed. Here, the roads are wide, straight and pleasingly low on traffic. So long as the heavy through-roads of the A1 and A697 are avoided, there are miles of car-scarce roaming to be had.
For the best views of the coast and castles these borders are known for, head north to the tucked-away fishing village of Saint Abbs nestling at the foot of dramatic cliffs, or south on Sustrans’ National Route 1. A bike with wider tyres to handle unmetalled stretches is advisable, but you’ll be rewarded with up-close views of the castles of Lindisfarne (if you time the tides right) and Bamburgh — the rose-coloured castle that sells Northumberland to the rest of the world.
Don’t miss
The 200-year-old Union Bridge spanning the River Tweed at Horncliffe is the oldest fully operational suspension bridge of its kind, and it’s just been re-opened after a major restoration. It lies on Sustrans Route 1. Stop at the nearby Chain Bridge Honey Farm’s bus cafe for coffee and cake.
Big dates
The allure of Northumberland’s wide sandy beaches is hardly a secret these days, so expect more traffic along the North Sea fringe in the high summer. Having said that, low traffic can be enjoyed most of the year round for those who head to the hills. For organised cycling fun, Wild Deer Events put on a couple of sportives in the area. Its Bamburgh Castle Cycle – 50km, 100km and 100-mile distances – will run on 14 April 2024; further south, in August though dates are still to be confirmed, it runs the 70km Rothb
