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Ralph Cox•Follow
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September 18, 2022

Corner to Corner, Day 49: Berwick-upon-Tweed to Stakeford

https://www.cycling4charity.org.uk After only 27 miles in 1st 5 hours, straightened remaining route as much as poss, removing 5 miles, to increase our chances of getting in by 20.00. At mile 54, found route reached dead-end, and elected to finish via A road, arriving just before 20.00. Review the whole day. 1st use of winter gloves and 2 thermal layers under jersey, though only for a short stint in morning.
Distance
67.4 mi
Elev Gain
2,897 ft
Time
6h 18m
Berwick-upon-Tweed with the scaffolded Kings Arms Hotel on the right of Hide Hill.
Berwick Old Bridge, built between 1611 and 1634, 15 arches spanning 1165ft/355m. Bits of Royal Tweed Bridge and Royal Border Bridge are in view behind. https://www.northumberlandarchives.com/tag/berwick-old-bridge/
Royal Tweed Bridge, built between 1925-28. Historic England describe it as having been "at the cutting edge of concrete bridge construction and when built it possessed the longest reinforced concrete arch in Britain and was also the country's longest highway viaduct. " https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1393563?section=official-list-entry
Berwick upon Tweed and its town hall - from Berwick Old Bridge, our route south. Historic England e-book: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/berwick-upon-tweed/berwick-upon-tweed/
Port of Berwick, operational since 1876, with the town and its town hall in the background. https://portofberwick.co.uk/history/
I took this photo for the dramatic "will it, won't it" cloud over the mouth of the River Tweed. The John Rennie the Elder-designed half mile (880m) pier was built between 1808 and 1825, and the Joseph Nelson lighthouse in 1826. The chimney is the sole survivor from Spittal Chemical and Fertiliser Works, run by Fison. The spire belongs to Berwick United Reformed Church in Spittal, which we cycled past. It opened in 1878 and closed in Dec 2020. After this, we climbed, passing Elm Bank Coastal (caravan) Park, away from the coast till Bamburgh.at Mile 24. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1041698?section=official-list-entry & https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6611976 & http://spittalisgreat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/November-2020.pdf
Don't remember why I recorded this. Google Maps' Streetview shows the A1167 as quite a narrow fairly busy road we are on for 0.4 mile.
Audio recording sent to Round Britain support group made at 10.59 on B6525 between Oxford and Ancroft hamlets - included in Google Photos album. From the un-named road between Ancroft Mill and Lickar Dean. Looking east towards Holy Island and Lindisfarne and Guile Point to the right.
Lorraine was teaching me about farm buildings.
I was confirming their purpose at Kentstone Farm.
0:12
From between West Kyloe and Kyloe House, looking slightly north of east, with Holy Island and Lindisfarne Castle on its tip and Guile Point, the right/southerly spit, and way in the distance, on the left edge of the hill, Bamburgh Castle.
Middleton Lodge (southern) entrance to 1871 Middleton Hall estate on North Bank (road). https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1233967?section=official-list-entry & https://www.exploremiddletonhall.co.uk
View east south east just south of Middleton Lodge - Bamburgh Castle is the tiny bump on the horizon, above the left group of foreground trees. We would be cycling down through that landscape to about 200m from the castle.
Banburgh Castle
Outchester Docket on NCN Route 1. I am unclear why Route 1 adds a V to the route, climbing a hill to reach this point before dropping down again, rather than continue on a shoreline route to Bamburgh.
0:22
Undulating farmland looking south west opposite Outchester Ducket
We approached Bamburgh on Locker Road B1341, having come down from the windmill. I wonder why Route 1 diverted south with a climb and the windmill, a longer route than continuing along the shoreline which requires little or no climb? Quieter?
Bamburgh Castle and windmill to left of the castle. 12th century ruin with extensive rebuilding, 1894-1904. Already past 14.00 so a need to continue after food. Lots of tourists or locals pubbing for lunch. After lengthy queuing, we got foods snd drink at the Wyndenwell cafe and ate outside with views of the castle and the green, having taken it in turns to queue or watch the bikes. There was one other local cyclist. And a visitor from India sitting quietly, reading a book, and with a lovely smile I told her. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1280155?section=official-list-entry \u0026 https://www.bamburghcastle.com \u0026 https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1370967
View of the east side of the castle from Ingram Lane between Bamburgh and Springhill.
0:18
Recording the NCN Route 1 route section which is unsuitable for road bicycles: the road from the blue dot down to the river, stops then restarts on the diagonal blue straight, the blue south then the blue south west from the yellow road are shown on Google Maps as unpaved. Again, check anything off-road on Google Maps to see if the route is marked as a continual (paved) or dotted (unpaved) green. From where the south west blue line joins the A1068, there was an off-road tarmac cycle path with a view for 2.5 miles.
2004 Lesbury New Bridge taking the A1068 over the River Aln and road traffic away from the 15th century Lesbury Old Bridge. https://www.bridgesonthetyne.co.uk/lesbrynew.html & https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1371197
Alnmouth - visiting adds three sides to a rectangle. http://www.yournorthumberland.co.uk/area-guides/alnmouth
Surprise came into view approaching Warkworth
Seaward side of the River Coquet from the A1068 bridge into Warkworth
3 kudos
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