Cycling in the North Pennines

CYCLE HIRE Dale Bike Hire Mobile hire in Weardale, Teesdale & Allendale Tel: 01388 527737 Cycling The Rookhope Inn IN THE Tel: 01388 517215 NORTH PENNINES TRANSPORT The Bike Bus The North Pennines is one of Stanley Mini Coaches, Cycle collection & delivery service England’s most special places - a Tel: 01207 237424 routes peaceful, unspoilt landscape with PUBLIC TRANSPORT INFORMATION a rich history and vibrant natural Traveline Tel: 0870 608 2 608 Web: www.traveline.org.uk for beauty. It was designated as an (Graeme Peacock) 4 TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty EXPERIENCED CYCLISTS Stanhope - The Dales Centre Tel: 01388 527650 on roads in in 1988. The AONB is also a The four routes are designed as a series of loops and one figure- upper Wear dale UNESCO Global Geopark. of-eight off-road trail radiating from Alston. They link to the FURTHER INFORMATION Sea to Sea (C2C) Cycle Route. They provide interesting detours For more information about the North Pennines from stanhope An excellent way of exploring the area is down into Weardale from Allenheads and Rookhope. They can contact the AONB Staff Unit Tel: 01388 528801 Email: [email protected] by bike. This leaflet describes four routes also be explored from Stanhope. The routes also connect to the Web: www.northpennines.org.uk of various lengths that can be started from National Byway. the Dales Centre in Stanhope. The terrain in the North Pennines means that it is impossible to avoid some climbs. There are steep hills on some and moderate g❂❂d cycling code . . . ❖ You’ll find parking, toilets and uphill sections on all of the routes. The routes are designed for Please follow this simple code to ensure enjoyable riding refreshments available at the Dales Centre reasonably fit people who are used to cycling. They are generally and the safety of others. not suitable for children. The gradients are easier if the routes Obey the rules of the road ❂ Follow the Countryside Code. Three other leaflets in this series highlight ❂ Follow the Highway Code Respect. Protect. Enjoy. Visit are followed anticlockwise. www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk routes starting from Alston, Allendale Be courteous Town and Middleton-in-Teesdale. ❂ Give way to pedestrians and Look after yourself horse riders. Don’t assume they ❂ Take care at junctions, when can see or hear you cycling downhill and on loose ❂ Don’t expect to travel quickly or wet surfaces The award-winning C2C Cycle Route is part of the National on shared use cycle paths ❂ Carry food, repair kit, map, A69 Cycle Network and is recognised as being the most popular long- ❂ Ring a bell or call out to warn spare clothing and waterproofs ❂ Tell someone where you’re A68 distance cycle route in the UK. The C2C links Whitehaven or of your approach. Acknowledge going and when you’ll get back A692 Workington on the west coast of Cumbria with Sunderland or people who give way A686 ❂ Respect the life and work of the ❂ Keep your bike well-maintained A689 A167 Tynemouth on the east coast. More information from countryside ❂ Consider wearing a helmet and A691 bright clothing www.sustrans.co.uk or call 0845 1130065. Care for the environment A6 ❂ Can you cycle the whole of Thank you for cycling! A686 A689 A690 your journey or reach the start M6 by public transport? A68 The National Byway has been designed as Britain’s heritage Produced by With the support of cycling route. It is a signed route on quiet country lanes linking A688 A66 places of interest. More information from A67 www.thenationalbyway.org or call 01636 636818.

A66 and the area’s nine A1(M) local authorities

An industrial legacy (Philip Nixon) During the 18th and 19th centuries the North Pennines was the most important lead mining area in Britain. At its peak Killhope – the North of England Lead six thousand miners were Mining Museum dependent on the industry. Upper Weardale Mining and farming developed REFRESHMENTS together, with the miners often Award winning museum exploring the life of North living in ‘mineshops’ adjacent to Pennine lead mining families. Tel: 01388 537505 Stanhope offers a selection of shops, cafes and pubs. the mine during the week and There is a pub at Rookhope, a cafe and inn at Allenheads and pubs at Cowshill, Westgate, Eastgate returning to their smallholdings Weardale/Cyclist (Philip Nixon) Weardale Museum, Ireshopeburn on Sundays. Watch out for small and St John’s Chapel. There is a pub and restaurant at Mineshop (Beamish, The North of England Open Air Museum) Boltsburn mine was the most important mine Folk museum in the Minister’s House adjacent to an 18th farms dotted around the hillsides in the valley. Ireshopeburn. surrounded by small dry stone-walled enclosures. The Century Methodist chapel where John mining/farming dual-economy was important to the miners The Rookhope Arch is now all that remains of a series of six Wesley preached. Tel: 01388 537417 TOILETS arches that carried flues over the river from Rookhope Smelt who relied on the produce from their smallholdings to You’ll find public toilets Mill. These flues (horizontal chimneys) were used to take supplement the unreliable income from mining. at: fumes away from the mills and the surrounding settlements. Heritage Centre, Allenheads Industralisation has had an enduring effect on the Displays and restored hydraulic engine. ❖ Allenheads landscape. Look out for signs of ‘hushing’ - a method of Allenheads - the headquarters of WB Lead - was built to Tel: 01434 685395 ❖ The Dales Centre extracting ore by creating a dam on the hillside then provide housing for mine workers. Notice also the old school ❖ St John’s Chapel* releasing the water thus stripping away the soil and perched on the hillside above the village. The lead mining exposing the lead veins on the surface which could then be companies in the North Pennines provided education for the Rookhope Nurseries ❖ Wearhead - opp. Post Office* worked. These V-shaped landscape features are still easily miners’ children. The industrial buildings in the middle of One of the highest plant nurseries and spotted. Allenheads are the remains of 20th century activities when the *Open Easter - Oct mine was re-opened for fluorspar. You’re bound to spot gardens in Britain. Tel: 01388 517272 Quarries, from which limestone and sandstone were reservoirs around Allenheads - these were used to provide extracted for building stone, roads and agricultural power for a variety of lead mining processes. Durham Dales Centre (Philip Nixon) improvement, are dotted throughout the area. Dales Centre, Stanhope ACCOMMODATION Cowshill developed as a mining and quarrying centre during Purpose built Visitor Centre with A wide range of accommodation The importance of religion the 19th and early 20th century. Its church needed to be Tourist Information, crafts, gifts is available in the North Pennines. moved down the valley from Heatherycleugh when the Methodism was very strong within the communities and and refreshments. For further information: gravestones started toppling over when they were undermined many former Methodist chapels can still be seen in the area. Tel: 01388 527650 Most communities had several chapels to choose from and by quarrying. ❖ Contact the Dales Centre on 01388 527650. they were often built through subscriptions from miners ❖ Call 01388 528801 and request a North Pennines who felt distanced from the mainstream church. Wildlife hotspots Discovery Guide (inc. accomm. listing). Upper Weardale (Routes 1 and 2) and the routes across the moors are fantastic for viewing wildlife. ❖ Ask for a County Durham Holiday Guide - Settlements along the way Black grouse inhabit the moorland edge. Breeding waders are common during the spring on blanket Tel: 0191 3833354. Rookhope Village grew up as a direct result of lead mining. bogs and wet grassland. Hay meadow flowers are at their best from May to July. It was once the richest lead mining area in Britain and the

Killhope Lead Mining Museum (Philip Nixon) key i Visitor centre/information P Parking y Picnic Areas c Refreshments | Public toilets Public telephone A Place / Feature of interest Steep descent (points down hill) Good viewing point National Byway C2C Cycle Route (7) Take care!

land under 350m (approx.1150ft) C2C off-road 350 - 400m (approx.1300ft) route 400 - 450m (approx.1450ft) 450 - 500m (approx.1650ft) 500 - 550m (approx.1800ft) 550 - 600m (approx.2000ft) land over 600m (approx.2000ft)

1.1 TR out of Dales Centre in Stanhope and join the 2.1 As for R1.1 and 1.2 but after shared-use path along the A689 for 1km (just over Rookhope Arch TL over bridge. Begin the 1 ⁄2 mile) past Old Stanhope Hall. On the outskirts steady climb to the top of Scarsike Head. 3.1 1.1 4.1 1.1 of the village, on the brow of the hill, TR up the As for R and As for R and 2.2 SA at the junction downhill, and then 1.2 minor road beside Toll Cottage (SP: Greenfoot but after then at the end of the up a really steep uphill stretch. The road 1 Caravan Park). There is a long uphill section and two 2 Rookhope Arch TL descent into Rookhope

Route then levels out, with views into Weardale. Route gates to pass through but a magnificent view of the dale. over bridge. TL at Tj. Approx. 39km Approx. 30km 2.3 1.2 1.4 Continue steeply downhill and then 3.2 4.2 (24 miles) Follow this Continue on the main A689 (19 miles) Begin the steady 4 SA along the road

TR at the Tj, go downhill over river and 3 Route which gently undulates road downhill road through St. John’s Chapel Route climb to the top of left onto the main road. Approx. 16km and give way at the bottom as and on to Daddry Shield. TR Approx. 25km Scarsike Head, with alongside Rookhope 2.4 SA on to village of St. John’s Chapel and at Daddry (10 miles) you are now joining the main just before the left hand bend in (151/2 miles) views of the valley Burn and continues road into Rookhope (pub). the village. Shield TR before the bend in the road. Watch out for farm opening up. down into Eastgate. TR and go through the village, vehicles and the occasional fast car. 1.5 SA along this road taking 3.3 4.3 TL onto main road. passing Rookhope Nursery and 2.5 1.5 Go over the top, TL at the care in wet weather as the sides Continue along this pleasant lane as in R for 10km Take care over the narrow bridge. Rookhope Arch on left. The junction (SP: Westgate) and descend of the roads become heavily (6 miles), then TL to cross the bridge over River Wear. gently and then steeply down to 1 1 route then takes you out over the 4.4 TR after ⁄2 km ( ⁄4 mile), crossing silted. This section of the route is Then TR to Stanhope on A689. moorland climbing gently as you head Westgate. Beware of oncoming traffic. over River Wear, then TL at Tj used by farm vehicles and the for the County boundary with along a pleasant country lane. occasional car does travel quite fast. 3.4 At Tj, TL onto main road, then Northumberland. Keep well to the left and go round TR over river and TL onto a pleasant Watch out for the occasional vehicle 1.3 After you pass the County corners in single file. Follow this country lane. Watch out for farm vehicles which can be travelling quite fast. boundary there is a steep descent road along the south side of the and the occasional fast car. 4.5 As in R1.5 continue for 4km into Allenheads with some sharp valley for about 10km (6 miles). 1 3.5 As in R1.5 continue for some (2 ⁄2 miles), then TL to cross the bridge bends. At the Tj the route turns Near Stanhope TL across the 8km (5 miles), then TL to cross the over River Wear, then TR back into left and climbs steadily before bridge over River Wear and TR bridge over River Wear, then TR Stanhope on A689. descending effortlessly back into onto A689 back into Stanhope. back into Stanhope on A689. Cowshill in County Durham.

Weardale (Graeme Peacock) R : right L : left TR : turn right TL : turn left SA : straight ahead SP : sign posted NSP : no sign post X rds : crossroads Tj : T junction