Route Description
This route follows some of the quieter backroads through Northumberland, riding across open farmland, moorland and a circuit through Wark forest. There are no petrol stations along the route. For a shorter route, take the A696 from Belsay directly to Capheaton.
Great North Road Exit Seaton Burn Services on Great North Road towards Morpeth. After 1.1 mile, turn left on Berwick Hill Road to Ponteland.
Ponteland At the T-junction, turn right on North Road and continue for 6.5 miles.
T-junction Turn left onto B6524 to Whalton and Belsay.
Belsay Right turn on A696 towards Rothbury then after 0.7 miles bear left on the B6309. After 1 mile turn left to stay on the B6309 to Stamfordham.
Stamfordham Right turn on West View and to Matfen.
Matfen Turn right and continue 6.3 miles to the T-junction (B6342).
B6342 Right turn to Little Bavington.
Look out! Shortly after Little Bavington and on a sharp bend, take the junction straight ahead towards Capheaton. Follow the signs to Capheaton.
Capheaton Continuing through the village, past the Capheaton Village Tearoom, and turn left at the junction with the A696 towards Otterburn.
Look out! After 2 miles turn left onto a single-track road across open farmland. After 2.6 miles bear left to stay on the same track towards the A68.
A68 Turn left and then immediate right. After about 1 mile, bear left to continue on the road to the T-junction at Chipchase Castle. Follow the road across the bridge over the river North Tyne and into Wark.
Wark Turn left on the B6320 towards Chollerford. Continue for 2.3 miles to Nunwick.
Look out! At Nunwick, take the first right turn signposted for the Bird of Prey Centre and Stonehaugh. Follow the well-surfaced, single-track road for 13.5 miles through the forest via Whygate Bridge to complete the loop back to Wark.
Wark Turn right on the B6320 to Chollerford.
Chollerford Continue straight across the roundabout, across the bridge, to join the B6318 (Military Road). Continue on the B6318 for 9.5 miles.
B6309 Turn left onto the B6309 at Whittle Dene Watercourse towards Stamfordham. Continue straight ahead at Stamfordham to Dalton. At the T-junction turn left and first right (Limestone Lane) to return to the A696.
A696 Turn right back to Ponteland. The ride finishes at the car park off Meadowfield.
Coffee Stop Options
- Capheaton Village Tearoom , open weekends only.
- Simonburn Tea Rooms
- The Riverside Kitchen , south-west of the Chollerford Bridge.
- Errington Coffee House , Stagshaw Bank near Corbridge.
Look Out For
Humshaugh
The village of Humshaugh is cited as the location of the first official Scout Camp from 22nd August to 4th September 1908. The precise location of the camp, marked by a cairn, is actually a few miles to the west at Carr Edge. Thirty-six boys arrived at Fourstones station to be marched the mile to the campsite for a week in the rain.
In the eighteenth century the local paper mill produced counterfeit French money. This was to be used to destabilise the French economy during the Revolutionary Wars.