Northumberland Coast & Countryside

START: Blue Bell Hotel or Co-Op car park, Belford
DISTANCE: 31 miles/50 km
(shorter routes available)
HEIGHT LOST & GAINED: Moderate
OS EXPLORER MAP: 340

DESCRIPTION

A loop taking in some of the best of Northumberland's coast and countryside,
offering some excellent opportunities to enjoy great pub food and a welcoming
pint, and also to pick up superb local produce.

Two of the real highlights of this ride are the views that you get at the top of
the long climbs. The first, starting from Belford itself, takes you to a point
just over halfway to Chatton where there are splendid views of the Cheviot
Hills set out in a panorama to the south west. Chatton is an attractive
stone-built village with a pub and a village shop. Chillingham is famous for
its wild cattle and also for its majestic castle, poised on the hill above the
rare herd's grazing grounds.

Next comes a tough climb up to Ros Castle, which is rewarded with some of the
finest views in Northumberland. The road has a real 'roof-of-the-world' feel to it
and the occasional gate means that traffic is absolutely minimal. The route
then heads for the coast, coming close to the popular town of Seahouses before
turning north up to Bamburgh and the imposing sight of the castle.

RECOMMENDED ROUTE

Take the B6349 west out of Belford and then take the first left after 1 mile signed 'Chatton 5, Wooler 9'.

Continue for 3 miles to a T-junction, turn right signed 'Chatton, Wooler'. Follow this road into Chatton, passing over a small bridge.

Take the 3rd left after the bridge signed 'Chillingham'. Follow this road for 1.9 miles then turn left signed 'Hepburn', climb for 0.5 miles then left again also
signed 'Hepburn’.

Follow this road as it bends left then right through a small group of buildings. The road climbs steeply, over a cattle grid and onto Hepburn Moor.

Follow this wonderful unfenced road for 7 miles. At the bottom of the final descent, immediately before the A1, turn left onto a lane parallel with the main road then bear right downhill after 20 metres, cross under the A1 via the
subway at the end of which turn left.

At the crossroads turn right signed 'Ellingham', then bear left after 0.5 miles (also signed 'Ellingham').

At the T-junction turn left and then right almost immediately, passing a phone box and inn on your left. Continue out of Ellingham village and turn right after 0.5 miles.

At the T-junction turn left and then right after 100 metres. Continue along this farm access road for 1.1 miles passing through 2 gates.

At the crossroads turn right signed 'Seahouses' (unless you want to take the slightly shorter route indicated on the map which misses the coast but takes in the village of Lucker).

The road crosses the East Coast Rail line, keep following signs for Seahouses.

On the outskirts of Seahouses you will pick up blue 'National Cycle Network' (NCN) route signs with a red number patch '1' (The Coast & Castles Cycle Route). Turn left in the direction of Bamburgh (unless you want to stop off in Seahouses).

You can now follow the NCN1 signs into Bamburgh. To your right you will see Bamburgh Castle.

At the T-junction in Bamburgh turn hard left onto the B1341, continue for 1.5 miles then turn right, signed NCN1, then left after 0.5 miles.

Continue following NCN1 straight ahead.

Turn right at the T-junction then left straight away, the shorter route option rejoins the main route here.

Turn left and follow NCN1 signs up to the A1 junction.
CROSS THE A1 WITH CARE.

At the T-junction NCN1 continues north (right) but you
need to turn left to return to your start point in Belford.