Day Four – Sunday 20th May – Alston to Durham

Although we were going to climb to 2000 feet today and travel 50 miles we had every reason to be optimistic because we were finally going to turn west and have the wind behind our backs. Although the wind had dropped from its gale levels of the previous two days any kind of a push up a hill is a welcome advantage. I could finally see the reason in heading west first. Although we had been doing some climbing the bigger longer climbs were at the end so it made sense to be doing these with the wind behind us.

Teri and Stephen opted for a ride back up the pretty River Tyne South valley to Haltwhistle where they were going to get a train to Newcastle and from there either cycle to or ride  on the train to Durham.

So Niki, Ray, Anthony and I started our climb to highest point of the ride. We took the A689 to Nenthead before turning off and heading up Black Hill to 1995 feet. This climb is fairly easy, although you end up at almost 2000 feet you start at 1000 feet and the ascent is gradual nothing particularly steep and of course we had the wind behind us. Over Coalcleugh Moor there’s a little descent and ascent and then a gradual descent into Allenheads. Tea and cake in Allenheads and then we’re climbing again. Another 400 feet of climbing takes us to Rookhope Head and then there is a truly wonderful 4 mile descent through the valley cut by Rookhope Burn.

At Rookhope there are two alternative routes and we'd decided to take the off road way over Stanhope Common. Alternatively we could have taken a longer entirely by road route via Stanhope.

So from Rookhope we were climbing again, up another 600 feet and this time up a stony track that Anthony thought was probably an old wagon trail. We walked up the steeper bumpier section. At the top of this climb were wonderful views and it was great to be off road in this wild high place. We’d brought some food with us and ate it whilst sheltering from the wind in one of the holes cut into the hill side.

We’d done about 3500 feet of climbing in 18 miles but the wonder full thing was that we were going to descend 1000 feet more than we climbed today and it was now going to be all downhill for almost 30 miles.

We stopped again at a tea shop that had opened in a disused station. This was in the middle of nowhere at the confluence of several roads and about a mile from Waskerley Reservoir however it was packed with cyclists. Our route into Durham was now entirely off road along a fabulous disused railway, NCN7, with a good surface and all downhill. We whizzed past Castleside, Consett and Lanchester before finally rolling into Durham.

Our overnight resting place was to be in Durham Castle and we met up with Teri and Stephen again at the castle gates. Accommodation at the castle costs less than the average B&B, about £20 a night so it’s well worth booking ahead to secure a night in this exclusive and historic place.

47 miles
3500ft of climbing
4600ft of descending