Excitedly (fronted adverbial alert), we left the car on a random driveway in Gateshead. Allegedly (another), it’s a bit like airbnb for cars. Someone doesn’t need a space so we’ve rented it for a few days… Let’s hope that (a) it’s still there when we get back and (b) that we can remember which housing estate we left it on…
We’re off!
It’s all about the bike! Today mine thought I don’t love it any more. In fairness, the route suggests that an off-road bike is a good idea… My undercarriage may agree. (Too much information?).
It’s great to be back on the road, fully loaded and just pedalling. It is quite different from going out for a day trip… Somewhere to get to.
We found the river. Wrong bridge but it looks pretty official as a starting point…
The route takes you pretty much along the edge of the Tyne. Just keep the water on your right and you can’t go wrong…
After the amazingly beautiful French villages, the North East route may take a little getting used to… We rode through industrial heartlands, but it didn’t really matter. We kept arriving suddenly at marinas or beaches.
The majority was on cycle paths, and mostly really well signposted. Occasionally we tripped along some quiet backroads and we might have missed a turn or two…
The great emperor Hadrian knew a thing about walls. Seems he also did a nice line in cycle paths too.
Unfortunately since he built it there have been a few tree roots breaking through the tarmac… Not helping that comfort!
Once we reached Tynemouth we cycled up the coast. Some of the path was on pavements, some on the prom and some on tracks through the dunes. Love it!
Not too many people around either. Maybe it gets busier later in the year, but there just seem to be middle aged people around… Ah yes, us…
I am loving that sea air and just whizzing along the miles…
They said it was flat. It is. They also said that the prevailing wind will be behind us. Incredibly it really was today. That never happens! Occasionally we changed direction (those irritating river mouths force you to head inland just to find a bridge) and battled the breeze, but for the most part we were helped along. Love it!
Tonight we’re in Newbiggin by the sea. We have a room with a sea view and can see a couple of lighthouses back down the coast that we rode past earlier.
Newbiggin is famous (in these parts) for its artworks. Notably it has a massive structure in the bay called The Couple.
The explanation of what it means is entertaining in itself…
‘It grounds the work to the earth, allowing the figures a moment in time that highlights the coupling of land and sea that is occurring in Newbiggin Bay’.
‘The two figures look out – as we all often do when at the coast – at the ever changing seascape. They mark man’s presence at the edge of land and beyond it.’
They are about three times life size.
There’s also a smaller land-based couple looking out at their doppelgangers. Not sure what they might be thinking.
Newbiggin is a pretty small town. We struggled to find a choice of evening food. We did two laps of the place! We settled on Italian, which was actually really good… Pretty strong Geordie accents though. Might struggle as much with understanding the language as we did in France…
Tomorrow we’re heading up to Berwick upon Tweed. Almost Scotland. Hopefully the winds will be with us…
Plushprostate Adventures 