My Summer Bike Packing Trip

While I was off work with labyrinthitis – an inner ear infection that affects your balance – I spent a lot of time thinking about my cycling plans for when I felt better. This led to thinking about my annual bike-packing adventure.

Two of my previous routes have been coast-to-coast – the Transpennine Trail and the official Coast to Coast – and I’ve particularly enjoyed them because I love the sea. However, the problem was always getting picked up on the east coast and bringing the bike back. Me, trains and cycles don’t seem to go well together in the UK!

Following some research, I discovered two cross-country routes that also connect: the Reiver’s Cycleway and Hadrian’s Cycleway.

Reiver’s Cycleway is a 170-mile coast-to-coast cycle route from Whitehaven to Tynemouth through the unspoilt Lake District, Kielder Forest and Northumberland. The majority of the route is National Route 10 and National Route 82 into Tynemouth.

Hadrian's Cycleway is a 170-mile exploration into Britain’s past. As well as magnificent coastal views and breathtaking countryside you’ll see the famous wall itself, Roman forts and museums, quaint villages and attractive market towns, all set in a World Heritage Site. Hadrian’s Cycleway doesn’t go much above 250m on the whole route so will be an easier ride back.

Combine them together and you have 4 days on the Reiver’s Cycleway and 3 days back on Hadrian’s Cycleway. I’ve plotted out my planned route as GPX files on Plote-a-Route (https://www.plotaroute.com/routecollection/19064?units=miles). What a great 7 days this looks to be - especially if the weather is good!

I’m planning to bring my sleeping kit—a bivvy and a hammock—but I’m also thinking of staying at a Premier Inn in Carlisle and Newcastle. This should give me a good night’s sleep in those two ‘cities’ I’ll be passing through. For the rest of the route, I’m hoping to wild camp or stay at campsites.

I’m really excited about crossing the country twice in a week at a relaxed pace. While 50-60 miles might seem like a lot to some, having the whole day to cycle gives you plenty of time to explore, rest and enjoy the ride.

My next job is to work out when I can fit this into my schedule.

If you’ve ridden either of the routes above, I’d love to hear about your experiences!