Cycling in Lower Teesdale

Barnard Castle

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BARNARD CASTLE
 Information

ON THE ROUTE
Weardale Railway
Hamsterley Forest
Bowes Museum

 REFRESHMENTS
 Hamsterley Forest Cafe
 Penny's Cafe Barnard Castle
Cafe Bowes


Pubs at
Frosterley
Wolsingham
Barnard Castle
Middleton in Teesdale

PUBLIC TOILETS
Wolsingham
Barnard Castle
Middleton in Teesdale

CYCLE SHOPS
Corbridge
Newton Aycliffe
Richmond
Darlington

 ACCOMMODATION

For further information contact
Dales Centre 01388 527650

Ask for a North Pennines Discovery Guide 01388 528801

Request a County Durham Holiday Guide 0191 3833354

 

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES

Barnard Castle
01833 690909

Stanhope
01388 527650

Middleton in Teesdale
01833 641001

Alston
 01434 382244



 CYCLING IN LOWER TEESDALE

Butter Market     Bowes Museum     
Barnard Castle Butter Market & Bowes Museum

This cycling route follows the main dale road to Wolsingham over the climb of Wear Bank and on to Bedburn at the entrance to Hamsterley Forest, popular with mountain bikers and walkers. Leaving Bedburn the route skirts Hamsterley Forest on it way to Barnard Castle. The historic town of Barnard Castle is the home of the Bowes Museum the first purpose built museum in England. Built by John Bowes in a chateau-like style for his French wife as a home for their vast antiques and art collection collected from all over the world. From Barnard Castle the route returns through the picturesque villages of Lartington, Cotherstone and Romaldkirk in lower Teesdale to the market town of Middleton in Teesdale before returning over Bollihope common to Stanhope.

BARNARD CASTLE

From: Stanhope To: Stanhope
Cycling Distance: 47 miles

at 10.0 mph 5 hrs 0.90 mins.
at 13.0 mph 3 hrs 51.46 mins.
at 16.0 mph 3 hrs 8.06 mins.
at 19.0 mph 2 hrs 38.37 mins.
at 22.0 mph 2 hrs 16.77 mins.
 

 

Cycle Route 9

9:1 Leaving the Dales Centre turn LEFT on the A689
9:2 Continue on A689 for 6 miles to Wolsingham (2)
9:3 In Wolsingham take RIGHT turn towards Barnard Castle & Egglestone, after summit of (Wear Bank) stay on main road descending Shull Bank (4) into Bedburn (5)
9:4 At Bedburn turn RIGHT to Woodlands and continue along local roads for approx 0.6 miles turn RIGHT (7) onto Windy Hill Road
9:5 After 3.1 miles turn RIGHT towards Egglestone (Black Hill) (8)
9:6 After 1 mile bear RIGHT onto B6282
9:7 Continue for 4 miles to Folley Top turn LEFT at Junction onto B6278
9:8 Stay on B6278 (11) to Barnard Castle
9:9 At junction with A67 turn RIGHT into Barnard Castle
9:10 Stay on A67 through the town and cross the bridge
9:11 at B6277 take the road to Middleton in Teesdale(14)
9:12 Stay on B6277 till Middleton in Teesdale (17) turn left at junction into town centre
9:13 In town centre take RIGHT turn to Stanhope (18) after 0.5 miles turn RIGHT and stay on local roads
9:14 After 4 miles (19) bear LEFT onto B6278 and climb to the summit of the (Bollihope)
9:15 Continue on B6278 climbing (Bridget Hill) and descending Softly Bank into Stanhope (23)

To view this route in Google Maps click button

Elevation profile: Barnard Castle Route total gain 5233 ft

The Hills

Wear Bank
Height approx 931ft
Length 0.75 miles
Steepest section 1 in 5
Starting from the town of Wolsingham Wear Bank climbs steeply from crossing the steel bridge at the bottom and continues through the trees to its summit

Black Hill
Height approx 1120ft
Length approx 3 miles
Steepest section 1 in 10
A long drawn out drag not steep but trying in windy conditions

Bollihope Common
Height: 1636 ft
Length: 2.5 miles
Steepest section: 1 in 10
This side of the Bollihope is easier than the Weardale side, a long drawn out climb


Bridget Hill
Height approx 1300ft
Length 0.75 miles
Steepest section 1 in 8
A testing last climb before the descent of Softly Bank into Stanhope

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