50p A GREAT BASE FOR CYCLING! CYCLE RIDES makes a great base for a cycling break in . As well as the routes on this leaflet, the village AROUND HAYDON BRIDGE is close to Sustrans routes 72 and 68, which open up access to Hadrian’s Wall and Northumberland National Park, the Tyne Valley The Bridge , Hadrian and and the North Pennines. With good rail and road connections to the Tyne Valley both East and West coast routes, the village is easily reached and This Community Library, Visitor Information Centre and Internet ideally situated for exploring the area in any direction. Café is on Church Street next to the railway station. As well as Three cycle routes linking Haydon Bridge with Roman The village enjoys a peaceful riverside setting in the South Tyne providing library services and a focal point for the local community, Valley, and all the major attractions of the area are easily it offers visitors friendly advice and a range of leaflets and and historic Hexham, and exploring the accessible. With a good range of shops, welcoming pubs and information on local tourist attractions and facilities. lanes and tracks on both sides of the scenic Tyne Valley. restaurants and a variety of quality accommodation, it is a perfect place to relax after a day in the saddle. Add to this a friendly For more information: Northumberland welcome, and you need look no further when planning your stay. www.haydon-bridge.co.uk www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk THE ROUTES www.sustrans.org.uk These three routes, one of which offers two optional loops, give the www.cycle-routes.org/hadrianscycleway chance to explore the countryside and quieter roads in and around Haydon Bridge and the Tyne Valley. The ascents and descents of the valley sides offer cyclists some fairly challenging exercise which is Getting to Haydon Bridge rewarded by excellent panoramic views of the valley, Hadrian’s Wall By road and beyond. All the routes start at The Bridge Community Library A69 from A1 at Newcastle 28 miles and Visitor Information Point in the centre of Haydon Bridge, where A69 from M6 at Carlisle 31 miles cyclists can obtain further information prior to the ride. The routes By rail Newcastle – Carlisle service www.northernrail.org are chiefly on quiet country roads with some smooth off-road sections. For those with pure road bikes there are obvious By bus 685 service Newcastle – Carlisle www.arrivabus.co.uk alternatives on all routes. By air from Newcastle Airport www.newcastleairport.com Historic Hexham (20 miles) This route explores both the South A1 and North Tyne valleys, climbing from the start before descending Northumberland to a riverside approach to Hexham and a chance to see the town’s A68 National Park mediaeval Abbey and towers. Return is via the hills and woods of the valley’s southern slopes. Ponteland Hadrian’s WallHaydon Newcastle Pennine Panoramas (11.7 miles) Climb through the North to Carlisle Bridge A69 upon Tyne Pennine foothills to enjoy panoramic views from Stublick chimney, & M6 Hexham a relic of the area’s industrial past, and return via woodland trails. Allendale Allen Banks and Roman Vindolanda (17.5 miles or 12.2 North Pennines A1(M) miles without Vindolanda loop) Travelling west, this route Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

A68 skirts the National Trust woodland of Allen Banks before climbing Alston the northern slopes of the valley. The longer loop takes in the unique Roman fort of Vindolanda with an alternative shorter route via a green lane with superb views to the south. Signposts Some sections of these routes follow existing long distance cycleways, such as Route 72 Hadrian’s GE C RID YC B LE N R O O Cycleway. Where this is the case, the signs to follow D U Y T A E

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are indicated in the map directions. Elsewhere, E A

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U D

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please look for these directional signs at junctions L

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C Leaflet published by Haydon Bridge Development Trust. Funding from Northumberland Uplands Local

I Y D C G to help follow the route. E Action Group and made available through the Rural Development Programme for .

miles Vindolanda roman fort is the most Grindon Hill recent of a series of forts built on the 0 1 TR following signs site from the start of the Roman for Haydon Bridge occupation, when the road 012 The c.12 Haydon Old formed Rome’s northern frontier. It is Church was once the now the site of extensive archaeological km main place of worship. excavations, and the site museum holds Much of it was countless fascinating finds from the At the end of the dismantled in c.18 to earlier occupation layers, including the straight TR, After 3km TR & build the current famous Vindolanda writing tablets. following the descend to a Once church in the village. metalled road Brewed P T-junction. TL At the crossroads TL towards New Alston Vindolanda Shortly after the line Cross the small At the farm bear R of pylons TR onto an bridge & continue & take the level unmetalled lane Thorngrafton straight uphill road to your R Haydon Old Church

TR towards TL to join main Thorngrafton road & descend Vindolanda loop into village HenshawGo uphill following signs At junction by Ridley & continue following R72 for Hall gates TL, signed HAYDON BRIDGE some 9km, past Vindolanda ‘Ridley, Beltingham’ Roman fort until the crossroads From The Bridge TL along at Grindon Hill Church St, cross the old P stone bridge & TR into Cross the footbridge Slippery surface on Shaftoe St and level crossing then Beltingham bridge head uphill & straight Allen At the Haydonian Club across the crossroads Banks TR signposted ‘Landends, Deanraw’

Allen Banks loop TR towards Beltingham Vindolanda extension Ridley Hall and Beltingham were originally Road in the ownership of the Ridley family of Unmetalled road/track Willimoteswyke, but eventually passed into Railway the ownership of the Bowes-Lyons, relatives of the Queen Mother. The spectacular Allen TR at T-junction Hazard – take care Banks woodlands are now in the care of the TR beside cottage Level crossing National Trust. It is worth a moment’s halt at (Plankey Ridley Bardon) Beltingham church to visit the ancient yew Steep gradient tree on the north side of the churchyard. Staward Gorge Places to eat

Langley Copyright. All rights reserved. © Crown Licence number 100051631.

livestock during the times of border raids. farmhouses designed to protect both family and containing several “Bastle” houses, fortified Chesterwood A69 continue for 4km. TL onto B6305 and past Carts Bog Inn.

TR onto main road B6318 Bardon) (Plankey Ridley TR at cottage Allen Banks loop here). (Route divides from TL towards TV mast. is an ancient farming community A686 TR at wood over x-roads. follow road uphill & R to Chesterwood & Bear L at junction then Inn Carts Bog TR at T-junction West Rattenraw After 1km TR to uphill for 2km & follow tarmac road (‘Landends, Deanraw’) At Haydonian Club TR continue uphill Turn sharp left &

A686 workings was refined. from the surrounding mine Smelt Mills, where lead to supply water Langley was built by John Smeaton Langley Dam Castle Langley Langley You are now travelling on the Roman road built to police this frontier. building which may have been one of the forts the foot of hill stands on site a building of Hadrian’s Wall. St Peter’s Church at on the left

BRIDGE HAYDON A69 This is farm cottage on the left. plaque on the wall of Haydon Bridge note the On the outskirts of John Martin. artist son, the Victorian village’s most celebrated the birthplace of , the northern frontier , the northern before the unmetalled road TL to follow At end of straight woodland below. half a mile away in the fumes from the smelt mill, some was built to carry away the this industry. most spectacular remnant of Further uphill on the right is East Land Ends street & at T-junction head south along From ‘The Bridge’

B6305 Stanegate bridge & TR into Shaftoe St south along street, cross old From ‘The Bridge’ head Stublick Chimney , Farm Branchend the woods continue through through the gate to At the fork bear R road to foot of hill TR at farm & follow return to Haydon Bridge to next junction & TR TL onto A686 , proceed Elrington Farm TL towards after Branchend At gated track 1km miles 0 01 downhill to TR & follow road

B6319 Allendale railway line the former Elrington station. in 1950. The buildings on the right are The bridge crosses the old the track between farm & cottage bear L & go straight across green to At Elrington cross old railway bridge, km

12 River Pennine Panoramas (11.7 miles) Historic Hexham (20 miles) , which closed Hexham- directions from there) (Follow Langley route This leads to Elrington. TL at the end of wood. Hexham. for 8.5km miles to TL and follow At green chapel 2 South

Tyne R72 Fourstones Elrington’ ‘Haydon Bridge, the L, TR signed As road bends to

Licence number 100051631. © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. B6305

Hexham parks and narrow shopping streets. prison. It is well worth exploring these, and the town’s the Moot Hall and Old Gaol, England’s first purpose-built Abbey, established in AD 674, and two medieval towers, A69 parking facilities. Market Place where there are cycle Gilesgate, to arrive in Hexham and follow road uphill through cross road into Alexander Place Green Rd. At end of Tyne Green Rd area TR following along Tyne At the x-roads in the open grassed is an ancient market town distinguished by its Lowgate 1km to Lowgate. onto the B6305 for lane TL, then TR At the top of Warden to follow TR & continue R72 the R into Leazes Lane. this making a slight dogleg to head to the road junction. Cross At end of Millfield Terrace TL & Terrace. this road into Millfield until a RT with a stream to your left. Follow Glovers Place & into Cockshaw, this, bearing L then R through pub & a stone gable end. Follow Gilesgate & take first L between a retrace your route to the foot of To leave Hexham & continue, . The railway line you follow is the Carlisle line closed in 1956. the North Tyne with the Scottish Borders, but Counties railway, which connected Hexham and the piers of bridge carrying former Border country line completed. Look out on the left for

Wall A6079

, finished in 1838 and the first cross- the level crossing. the railway line at Dipton Mill Take care crossing Acomb HEXHAM Newcastle to

B6318 P P P