A full-day Northumberland epic — sweeping A-roads and packed with technical backroads; coast-to-moorland scenery that will keep experienced riders fully engaged from start to finish.
Route Map
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GPX File
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Route Description
This is a rewarding, full-day Northumberland loop built for experienced riders who enjoy technical variety and long, flowing miles. Expect a mix of narrow, challenging single-track lanes, sweeping A-roads, and fast, open sections that showcase everything from moorland and forest to rugged coastline. With light traffic, big horizons, and plenty of corners to link together, it’s a route that rewards precision, pace, and smooth group riding from start to finish.
This Northumberland loop is best ridden clockwise to keep the sun behind you for a long as possible — perfect for lighting that brings out the best of the landscape (especially in Autumn).
Seaton Burn to Kielder Resevoir (approximately 90 minutes)
Seaton Burn Services Exit on Great North Road. After 1.1 miles, turn left on Berwick Hill Road towards Ponteland.
Look out At Berwick Hill, take the single-track road towards Ogle. At the end of the track, turn right and follow the road to the T-junction. Turn left (B6524) to Walton.
Whalton Turn right immediately after the pub and follow signs to Bolam Lake Country Park. Turn left to pass Bolam Lake car parks and, at the T-junction, turn right towards Scots Gap.
Look out After 2.8 miles, turn left towards Wallington.
Wallington Turn left (B6342 towards Newcastle) at the T-junction, crossing the A696 to follow the B6342 to the junction with the A68.
A68 Turn right and continue along the A68 for 9.1 miles to West Woodburn.
West Woodburn Turn left and follow the road to Bellingham.
Bellingham Turn left (B6320) and follow the signs to Kielder Water and Forest and Tower Knowe Visitor Centre.
Kielder Resevoir to Thropton (approximately 35 minutes)
Kielder Resevoir Re-trace the road back to Lanehead, continuing through Tarset village.
Look out After about 0.7 miles fork right, to re-join the B6320 to Otterburn.
Otterburn Turn right (A696 towards Newcastle) and after 0.7 miles for left, following the B6341 through Elsdon towards Rothbury. Re-fuel, if necessary, at Thropton Shell Garage.
Thropton to Belford (approximately 90 minutes)
Thropton Turn left, and almost immediately left again, to follow the road through Snitter to Netherton.
Netherton Turn right and follow single-track roads through Scrainwood, Alnham and Prendwick to Glanton.
Glanton Turn right on Front Street and follow the road to the junction with the A697. Continue straight ahead to Bolton.
Bolton Shortly after Bolton, turn left towards Titlington. After 3.4 miles, turn right through Beanley to join the B6346 at Eglingham.
Eglingham Turn left to Chatton. For a longer ride, fork left after 3.1 miles and continue along single-track roads through East Lilburn and Lilburn Grange to circle round to Chatton.
Chatton Turn right (B6348) and continue for 1.7 miles before turning left to Belford.
Belford Turn right through the High Street to Sunnyhills.
Belford to Seaton Burn (approximately 90 minutes)
Belford Exit Sunnyhills and turn right (B6349). After 0.4 miles, cross the A1 and follow the B1342 through Warren Mill to Bamburgh.
Bamburgh Follow the marked coastal route through Seahouses, Beadnell, Embleton, Warkworth, Amble and Widdrington Station to Morpeth.
Morpeth Cross over the bridge (Castle Bank) and follow the A192 towards Blyth. At the roundabout (just after Plessey Woods Country Park), follow the A1068 to return to Seaton Burn Services.
Coffee Stop Options
- The Café at Tower Knowe Visitor Centre, Kielder , open daily 10am-5pm.
- Sunnyhills of Belford, Belford , open daily 9am-4pm.
If time allows, take a short detour to Morwick Dairy , near Warkworth — a favourite local stop for ice-cream!
Petrol
GEM Thropton Shell Garage, Main Road, NE65 7LT, Thropton
Look Out For
The landscape tells the story of survival in lawless borderlands. This was one of the most contested borders in Europe. Almost every settlement has fortifications, and the thick-walled churches served as refuges during raids. Many villages have bastle houses - unique fortified farmhouses with living quarters above and livestock below.
Bolam Lake Country Park
Bolam Lake Country Park was created beginning in 1816 by the notable architect John Dobson for Reverend John Beresford (later Lord Decies), the local landowner, as a project to provide work during economic decline. The lake was formed by transforming a swampy area known as Bolam Bog into a picturesque artificial lake with woodlands and islands. The project took three years to complete.
Whalton
The only village in Northumberland to continuously maintain the ancient midsummer “bale fire” since 1903, held every July 4th (Old Midsummer’s Eve according to the pre-1752 calendar).
The word “bale” originated in Northumberland to describe beacon fires lit to warn of Border raiders.
Elsdon
Once the capital of Redesdale and the largest settlement in Northumberland National Park.
In 1584, Border Reivers killed 14 men, took 400 prisoners, and stole 400 horses and 400 cattle in a single, brutal raid.
Elsdon boasts the best preserved motte and bailey castle site in Northumberland, built by Robert de Umfraville after 1066. Elsdon Tower is a rare vicar’s pele (fortified tower) dating from 1400 with 9-foot-thick walls.
Bamburgh
Originally called Din Guarie, Bamburgh may have been the capital of the Celtic kingdom of Bernicia from c.420-547 AD. It is named after Queen Bebba, wife of King Æthelfrith (c.600 AD) - “Bebbanburgh”.
Bamburgh was the first English castle to fall to cannon fire in 1464 during the Wars of the Roses.