Our meeting place for the start of the Coast & Castles ride was at the Hilton Gateshead. Iain & Mark set the tone for evening by heading straight to the bar like a pair of homing pigeons descending on a rattling corn tin. Viewing their freshly poured pints, lips salivating in anticipation until it came time to pay. “How much!?” they wailed. Well it is a posh city centre hotel but obviously didn’t hurt too much as they called “Seconds out Round 2”.
A little later we all met to head out in search of a pre-dinner drinking establishment. Without looking too far, we spotted a pub called the Dubliner. “On draught you can have Guinness or Moretti” we were gruffily informed. Shortly after with “whistles suitably wetted” we went in search of our choice of restaurant, which was handily close by, called Uno’s Trattoria. As the wine flowed, the volume increased in what turned out to be a very popular place with all tables occupied. Following a very pleasant meal we all returned to the hotel for a nightcap with one voice crying out “Wish I hadn’t had that second pint earlier” before rushing off to an early bed.
Day 1 Newcastle to Seahouses
The day dawned with the sun shining as bright as the smiles on our faces although it was still a cool 13°c. The first leg of the journey from Gateshead followed the cycle path over the Millennium Bridge then along the “Quayside” towards Tynemouth.
The route consisted of a mixture of cycle paths and quiet roads generally following the course of the River Tyne through Walker and Wallsend where we picked up the Hadrian cycleway to North Shields. As we reached the North Shields Fish Quay, Mark suffered a puncture. While he set about the repair muttering “But that’s a brand new tyre”, the rest of us “entertained” ourselves watching a departing ferry with tug and pilot boat in tow. It was not long before we were on our way once more and our first view of the coast and Tynemouth Priory and Castle.
From Tynemouth we turned North to follow the coast to Cullercoats and Whitley Bay. After passing Spanish City there was some confusion about which cycle path to follow through Whitley Links. Mark kept to the correct path while the rest followed Neil who led us right up the garden path and onto the busy Links Road before rejoining Mark near St Mary’s lighthouse.
On reaching Seaton Sluice the cycle path turned onto the beach. The surface of the “Eve Blackway” was a mixture of loose and solid gravel undulating over the dunes like a errant rollercoaster. It would have been quite an enjoyable section if wasn’t a “shared path” having to constantly avoid people and dogs. A varying type of cycleways led us eventually through to Blyth and along both sides of the River Blyth.
Our first refreshment stop came when we spotted a Starbucks at the Ashington services where we relished sitting in the warm sunshine. Continuing northwards along quiet rural roads to Druridge Bay hugging the coastline leading into the beautiful village of Amble. Shortly after we stopped at the Sun Hotel for lunch in the shadow of Warkworth castle.
Suitably fortified with our lunch, we departed from Warkworth to pick up the cyclepath running alongside the busy A1068 before turning into Alnmouth. Our route then continued on road along the coast to Boulmer then slightly inland to Longhouton eventually finishing in Seahouses having covered a total distance of 76 miles.
