Interactive

Tynemouth / Whitehaven

174 miles (278 km)

19th March to 15th October

Holiday highlights

Enjoying the remoteness of Reivers Route, from grass and heather moorland to the glacial rocks and views across to the Cheviot Hills.

Riding through the dense evergreen forest of Kielder on sweeping roads alongside the reservoir, or sampling the route's optional off-road section between the trees.

Rolling along the coast on the ride into Whitehaven, with a dedicated cyclepath along the beach.

What's included?

• 4 nights' accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail.
• Breakfast each day.
• Door to door luggage transfer.
• Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
• An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
• Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

This National Cycle Route spans the breadth of the UK, taking in a wide variety of sights and scenery. As the landscape changes along the trail, so do the various towns and villages encountered along the way. With so many different locations to explore, a few extra nights might be just what you need to ensure you don't miss a thing on your adventure.

Tynemouth is a great choice for an extra night, and would make a wonderful location in which to prepare for the start of your epic journey. Not only is there a great range of bars, restaurants and cafes to enjoy, but there is also a local physiotherapist and acupuncturist if you have some aches and strains in need of attention. For those looking for some gentle warm up exercise, there are plenty of options, from taking a dip in the local swimming pool, going for a gentle jog along the beautiful sandy beach, testing your skills at the golf course or simply enjoying a leisurely walk around the local area for a spot of sightseeing, making sure to visit the historical Tynemouth Priory and Collingwood Monument.

Many people like to have an extra night's stay in Carlisle, the largest city in England, with a thriving community and fascinating history. Visit the award winning Tullie House Museum, the 12th century cathedral, the half-timbered guildhall that houses a local history museum and the vast medieval castle, with its ancient chambers, stairways and the dungeons that contain the infamous 'licking stones'. As well as these and all of the usual amenities, Carlisle is a fantastic destination for shopping, dining and getting pampered at a health centre in preparation for the remainder of your cycling holiday.

Dubbed the Georgian Gem of the North, Whitehaven is well worth an extra night to give you plenty of time to explore, and the perfect location in which to celebrate the completion of your cycling holiday. Not only is there a variety of eateries, health food shops, swimming pools and sports centres to ensure you are fully recovered from your adventure, but those interested in the local history will want to check out the various museums, as well as St Nicholas' Church, Whitehaven Castle and the old harbour, all found around the local area.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Elevation & Terrain

Route profile

From the start of Reivers Route at the River Tyne, an initially challenging incline soon flattens to an easy gradient as the route winds through Tyneside and out through Ponteland into Northumberland. A mild climb up to Stamfordham leads to rolling hills through to Hallington, descending down to Bellingham.

The route splits into two around Kielder Water, with both options posing a mild challenge before coming together to encounter short but steep ascents on the way to Newcastleton, the highest point on the route included. An overall downhill gradient with some hills continues on until the route becomes predominately flat, with just one last noteworthy climb before Hesket Newmarket.

Terrain

• Limited road sections
• Low-traffic country lanes
• Dedicated cycle paths
• Green lanes
• Forest tracks 

While the majority of Reivers Route features tarmac surfaces, these are exceptionally pitted and degraded in the most isolated parts of rural Northumberland. This, combined with an optional off-road section through the Kielder woodland, makes durable tyres a must.

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air – The most convenient major city and international airports are Newcastle, Manchester, and Leeds Bradford.

By Rail – The closest railway station to the start of the route (Tynemouth) is Newcastle. From there, it is best to take a taxi/transfer company to Tynemouth, as the Metro is very restricted for bicycles - see below for more information. There is a railway station at the end of the route (Whitehaven).

From London – Trains run from London Kings Cross station to Newcastle.

Return to the Start – Return to the Start – The easiest way to return to the start of the route is by taking the train from Whitehaven to Newcastle Central station. It is then best to take a local taxi/transfer company from Newcastle to Tynemouth . Please get in touch via our 'Contact Us' page if you require further information.
There is also the Metro, but there are a number of restrictions, and you cannot get from Newcastle Central with a non folding bicycle. Please check website for full cycle information: https://www.nexus.org.uk/metro/useful-information/bikes-scooters-metro

Please note:

Most train lines will allow for bikes to be taken on board. We advise that you check on https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/cyclists.aspx as you may need to book a space for your bike or there may be a limit as to how many bikes the train can store.

Most buses in the UK are unable to store bikes on board, so we would recommend avoiding this form of transport.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

• MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
• Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
• Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.