Freewheel - Newcastle to Edinburgh - Coast & Castles

Newcastle to Edinburgh - Coast & Castles

United Kingdom

From £995 P/P

You will set out from the banks of the Tyne, in the very heart of the vibrant city of Newcastle. Heading North, into the magnificent county of Northumberland, you will be blown away by the beauty this region has to offer. This tour will be marked with stunning rugged beaches, historic castles, and a warm welcome from the locals. There is so much to enjoy on this tour, including the charming Dunstaburgh and Bamburgh, as well as the historic Holy Island. Berwick upon Tweed marks the border into Scotland with two days of beautiful cycling to reach, quite possibly the highlight of the trip, the cultural and iconic city of Edinburgh.

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Itinerary
Itinerary

DAY 1 Arrival in Newcastle

Make your way to Newcastle. The nearest airport is Newcastle International Airport, and there are great public transport links across the city. This evening you can discover some of the landmarks of this iconic northern city such as the Gateshead Millenium Bridge or Newcastle Castle, the imposing 12th century fortress, from which you can enjoy wonderful view over the old part of the city, and the river.

DAY 2 Newcastle – Warkworth approx. 75 km

This morning there will be a welcome briefing.

Your first ride will head out along the Newcastle quayside and past the Millennium Bridge, as you head eastwards, along the River Tyne, and towards the coast. Soon you will find yourself passing through the former ship building area of the Tyne and at Wallsend, then you will reach the end of Hadrian’s Wall, where you should keep an eye out for Segedunum Roman Fort Museum. As you continue to ride close to the river, you will soon reach the Fish Quays of North Shields, where you will find a bustling little harbour. You are now at the very mouth of the Tyne and a few more pedal turns will take you along the quayside, pass Lord Collingwood and you will reach Tynemouth. This is a great place to stop for a late morning coffee, early lunch, or simply to stock up on snacks for the miles ahead.

From here, you will ride along the seafront, past the Victorian resort of Whitley Bay and on to the seaport of Blyth. You will soon leave the city behind, as you pass into much more open countryside, with quiet country lanes. Now you will come upon the stunning Druridge Bay. Where seven miles of beautiful sandy beach, mark a nature reserve and some of Northumberland’s biggest sand dunes. It is a real treat. Next comes Warkworth where you will find an impressive 12th century castle, and where you will be spending this evening.

DAY 3 Warkworth – Bamburgh approx. 50 km

The first stop on today's ride is the prety village of Alnmouth. After a quick tea break, you will find yourself en route towards the impressive medieval castles of Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh, and the attractive coastal village of Craster. At Bamburgh, you will see the infamous castle, in its dramatic setting, on a dark rocky outcrop. There, you will also find the Grace Darling museum, a famous heroine of the lifeboats.

DAY 4 Bamburgh – Berwick upon Tweed approx. 40 / 50 km

Not far up the coast from Bamburgh you will find Lindisfarne, otherwise known as Holy Island. It was an important site for early British Christianity, and the place where the Lindisfarne Gospels were created in the 8th century. If tide and time allow, it’s well worth a visit, which can be done by crossing the tidal causeway. From Holy Island, you will continue to the Elizabethan border town of Berwick upon Tweed, with its complex defences built up over the years of border wars. This is where you will find your stopping place for the night.

DAY 5 Berwick upon Tweed – Kelso approx. 55 km

From Berwick, you head inland, along the Tweed valley to Melrose. As you ride you’ll cross the border, and find yourself in Scotland, before passing back into England over the famous Union Suspension Bridge, that spans the River Tweed between Horncliffe in Northumberland and Fishwick in the Scottish Borders. At the Chainbridge Honey Farm, you can stop for a cup of tea and indulge in some well earnt cakes. You can enjoy them on an old London red double decker bus! As the name implies, you can buy lots of honey there too. After a few miles more, you will pass back into Scotland at Norham Castle, and then continue on to Kelso, with the impressive Floors Castle. Here, you will spend your first night spent over the border!

DAY 6 Kelso – Innerleithen approx. 55km

This morning you head to Melrose, famed for its impressive Gothic-style abbey, which, legend has it is the burial place of the heart of Robert the Bruce! Leaving Melrose, you will continue along the Tweed Valley, surrounded by increasingly deep, forested hills. You wil follow the course of this famous Salmon river to Innerleithen, passing, as you ride, Traquair House, said to be the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland. The busy little town of Innerleithen is well known for its mountain biking scene, so no doubt, you will see armoured and helmeted riders all around the town.

DAY 7 Innerleithen – Edinburgh approx. 60 km, transfer back and departure or extra nights

Heading north out of Innerleithen the route climbs up an over the Moorfoot Hills. On a clear day, from here, you can expect views of Edinburgh in the distance. Dropping down from the hills and heading through Dalkeith and Musselburgh you'll enter Edinburgh through the Innocent Tunnel and past Arthur’s Seat. You will reach the finish point of the tour at The Mound. Here, you will be met by our guide / representative for your journey back to Newcastle arriving there around 7 p.m. The finish point has been chosen for its close proximity to Edinburgh’s main train station Waverley, in case you will be departing by train.

Time permitting, discover more of the historic and artistic city of Edinburgh; enjoy shopping on the Royal Mile, or a hike up to Arthur's Seat.
Route Overview

Route Overview

Total Distance: 330km Approx.

Over All Difficulty: Challenging

Start Point: Newcastle

The route has some sections of urban riding, on quiet roads or purpose built cycle paths, but most of the route follows quiet country lanes, cycle tracks, and some bridleways. There are one or two sections of gentle off-road, with tracks across grassy fields or farm roads. Being a National Cycle Network route, there are no “technical” off-road sections.

Route Map (For guidance only):

Routes maybe subject to change or alteration. All route notes, maps and day-by-day information will be given to you upon arrival at the first hotel or at the welcome meeting. GPS/GPX Files are available for most our the cycling holidays we offer. Please ask us for details.

This tour is not suitable for persons with reduced mobility.
Getting There
Getting There
Arrival / parking / departure:
- Newcastle train station
- Newcastle airport
- Free parking at the hotel, no reservation possible
Things to note:
- Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price!
- If extra nights are booked Transfer not included, good train connections Edinburgh-Newcastle
- In the United Kingdom you must wear a helmet while cycling!
- Further important information according to the package travel law can be found here!
What’s Included?
What’s Included?
Included:
- Accommodation as already mentioned
- Breakfast
- Personal Tour briefing (English)
- Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel
- Detailed travel documents 1x per room (German, English with route description, maps, sights along the way and important phone numbers)
- Transfer Edinburgh – Newcastle train station
- Service hotline
Bike Hire

Bike Hire

About the Rental Bikes

This cycling holiday uses quality crossbar and unisex hybrid bikes based on KTM frame technology, Selle Royal saddles, Shimano components and puncture-proof tyres to ensure that you have an enjoyable cycle tour. The bikes feature modern V-brakes, aluminium frames with mudguards, comfortable saddles and a rack for a supplied waterproof pannier.

You will also receive a handlebar bag and map holder for easy navigation when riding your daily itinerary. Prices advertised on the website include standard bike hire (unless stated). Colour and specification may vary from the image shown.

Unisex Bike (Colour may vary)

Men's Bike (Colour may vary)

Electric Bike (Colour may vary)

Rental Bike PLUS

For 2020, there is an additional bike rental option available for a supplement. The PLUS hybrid bike now available on most cycling holidays is sportier with higher quality brakes (Magura HS 11) and better specification gears (Shimano Deore XT). The riding position is designed to have a slightly sportier sitting posture and a high quality Suntour suspension fork gives smooth riding on most surfaces. All accessories are compatible with the new PLUS bike rental option.

Accessories

If you would like GPX files for a suitable device, please request them at the time of booking. Devices are not provided and please make sure that you bring along with you any fittings required to attach the Garmin (or similar) to the handlebars. You might want to download maps onto your phone to avoid data charges when roaming.

All bikes are provided with standard flat pedals. You can bring your own cycling pedals, but ensure that you have the correct tools to remove the pedals if the tour does not have a welcome meeting. You may also not be able to travel through airports with the tools if you are carrying hand luggage only.

You can rent a men's bike with a crossbar, unisex/female bike with a sloping tube or an electric bike for a supplement.

Gears

7 speed bikes are equipped with a Shimano Nexus gear hub and 21 speed bikes have a Shimano Alivio derailleur. We request 21 speed bikes for all cycling holidays (when available).

Frame Sizing

When you make a booking with us, we take your height(s) and the appropriate bike size is matched up accordingly. Unisex frame 21-gears with freewheel. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 / 43 cm. Unisex 7-gears-bikes with back pedalling brake. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 cm. Men’s speed bikes 21-gears with free wheel and crossbar. Sizes: 64 / 60 / 56 "sloping" cm. Helmets are not provided and you will need to bring your own to use.

We always recommend wearing a helmet when on your cycling holiday!

Bike Hire Insurance

This cycle tour benefits from bike insurance against rental bike theft and damage in the holiday price. Please make sure you lock up the bike, leave it where told by the hotel and treat your hire bicycle as if the bike was your own. Any negligent treatment of the bike will exempt you from cover. We advise you to ensure that you have adequate travel insurance for your cycling holiday prior to arrival.

Electric Bike Hire

Why not upgrade your cycling experience to an E-Bike (Electric Bike)? Using a power assisted bike is a great way to go on a cycling holiday and will help you smooth out inclines or longer days in the saddle. Each E-Bike features an LCD display, removable batteries for easy charging and assistance up to 25 km/h with a range of around 120 km for each full charge depending on usage.

E-Bike upgrade prices vary per tour, but if you require any more information about bike hire and electric bikes, please get in-touch with us on +44 (0) 800 703 8161.
Hotels

Hotels

For the duration of your tour you will be staying in comfortable guesthouses and hotels of the 3***- and 4****-category

Date & Prices

You can find out more about this cycling holiday by calling 0161 703 8161 to speak to one of the team.

Dates:

Season
Season 1	1 April 2021 - 15 October 2021

Room Prices:

Double	£ 955.00
Single Suplement	£310.00

Extras:

Extra Nights	Room Type	Prices
Newcastle	p.p. dbl/bb (on request)	£170.00
Newcastle	sgl/bb (on request)	£310.00

Bike Hire:

Type
Rental bike 27-gear	£140.00
Electric bike (on request)	£220.00

Date From	Date To
01 April 2021	15 October 2021

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