Looking for advice on some routes in Northumberland / Borders

S1000RR FORUM

Help Support S1000RR FORUM:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
soofsayer

soofsayer

Forum Admin
Joined
Aug 6, 2013
Messages
6,790
Reaction score
3
Location
York
Hi All,

I am after some advice on choice of roads in the area.

At the moment I have specific questions about a route I am planning, but this thread may evolve to include other bits:

Bit I am working on is Alston across to the A1 near Alnwick:
- I have taken the A686 from Alston to Haydon Bridge, along the A69, then up the B6320 to Bellingham, then past Kielder heading NW.
- Am I better taking the B6357 south to the B6399 and then north to Hawick, A6088 back down to Bonchester / A68, off to Rothbury...
or the B6357 north through the Wauchope Forest, picking up the A6088 back down.

Are there better routes around there I am not aware of?

Please chime in with advice and guidance...:sneakiness:
 
oldwobbler said:
The B709 from Langholm to St Marys Loch is a good road - but not at this time of year :)
Click to expand...

Thanks wobbler. It's on the list. I'll get up there and give it a go. Would the B711 back to Howick be a good choice to get back round?
 
Yes - very similar. Neither are fast roads, single track in places but open up at points. Both roads suffer in the winter months - parts of the B709 early last year was full of pot holes and gravel :-(
 
If you're up at St Mary's loch. Try heading into Moffat then up the A701, B7016 to Biggar. Then back along the A702 over to Abington onto the B797 up to the lead hills/ Sanquar.

Then try the A76 Sanquar to Dumfries.

Not sure if you wanted to head over that direction, But there is a good mix of roads on that route.
 
davsmit said:
If you're up at St Mary's loch. Try heading into Moffat then up the A701, B7016 to Biggar. Then back along the A702 over to Abington onto the B797 up to the lead hills/ Sanquar.

Then try the A76 Sanquar to Dumfries.

Not sure if you wanted to head over that direction, But there is a good mix of roads on that route.
Click to expand...

thanks :). I have done the A701, superb road, and gone east. I've wanted to go west so this is really helpful. I hope you don't mind me asking how long does it take to ride / good places to stop recommendations? I will be doing that route :).
 
It's only 80 miles Moffat to Dumfries, So not that long time wise. In Moffat try the Rumblin Tum cafe or any of the hotels on the main street. There's lots of cafes in Biggar, after that there's not much more until Dumfries.

If you have plenty of time you could take in Lanark and head over to Ayr.
 
This is one of my routes from Masham returning to Masham


A6108 Leyburn
A6108 Richmond
L/ B6274 Winston
B6274 Across A66
B6274 Across A67
B6274 Staindrop
L/A688 (main rd)
R/B6279 Eggleston
R/B6278 Stanhope
R then L/B6278 Edmundbyers
L/B6306 Blanchland/Corbridge (very good)
R/B6307 Corbridge
L at r/about and over Bridge A68 Halton
A68 (north)
L at r/about B6318
Straight over r/about B6320 Bellingham/Kielder
L/ (just before Bellingham) Stannersburn/KIELDER
Tea stop

R/B6357
R/A6088
R/A68 to Carter Bar (Border)
A68 Corbridge
R/A68 (dont miss this) Corbridge
Through Corbridge and over Bridge
R/B6321
L/ then R/B6307 Blanchland
B6306 Blanchland/Edmundbyers
R/B6278 Stanhope
R then L/B6278 Eggleston
L/B6278
L/B6279 Kinnivie/ Staindrop
L/main rd then R/B6274 Winston/Richmond
Across A67
Across A66 Richmond
B/6274 Richmond
R at r/about A/6108 Leyburn
A6108 Leyburn
L then R /A6108 Masham
 
Thanks Phil,

I know the Leyburn / Richmond route up to Edmundbyers very well, I do that way almost as a weekly pilgrimage in the summer and have lunch at Slaley Hall :). Very lucky with the roads up here.
 
soofsayer said:
Thanks Phil,

I know the Leyburn / Richmond route up to Edmundbyers very well, I do that way almost as a weekly pilgrimage in the summer and have lunch at Slaley Hall :). Very lucky with the roads up here.
Click to expand...
Where is Slaley Hall?
Yep, you are very lucky to have all the good roads, almost uncongested too, I have been leading groups up to and around that area for approx 10 years now.
 
phil said:
Where is Slaley Hall?
Yep, you are very lucky to have all the good roads, almost uncongested too, I have been leading groups up to and around that area for approx 10 years now.
Click to expand...

http://www.qhotels.co.uk/our-locations/slaley-hall/

There is a lovely big terrace outside the bar area overlooking one of the golf courses (one of the pics on the website shows it), and on a good weather day it is really nice to sit and chill with a drink and some food. I always park in the courtyard, it is fairly secure and you can see your bike from the bar area. The fish finger sandwich is rather good, but pricey :) being a decent hotel etc, so anyone on a tight budget should avoid. Worth going during the week because they do a lot of weddings on weekends, and the terrace gets used (having said that last summer I had a nice bit of banter with 3 very eligible bridesmaids over lunch, think they liked my helmet :). ).

You'll have gone almost past it on the 6306 to Hexham.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top