Winter Training Day 3 - Armathwaite to Hexham

Armathwaite-Castle Carrock-Brampton-Greenhead-Once Brewed-Wall-Hexham. 46 miles.

Click here for a map of the route.

The forecast had been for a clear day, and it was fantastic to be cycling in dry weather after the previous two days. We headed out of Armathwaite towards Castle Carrock and Brampton, enjoying the gently rolling roads and happy to be able see the scenery for a change. The buildings were different again from the Lakes, often a lovely rose-coloured limestone, and all the more attractive for being bathed in sunlight. Well, a bit of sunlight - after two days of rain we were ridiculously happy to be casting any kind of shadow. At Brampton we had a little trouble finding the road out towards Lanercost Priory, but a very helpful local man out with his dog walked with us though an alleyway which led directly to the road. The road to the Priory was quiet and pretty undemanding, and we made good time up to the first sighting of the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall. The road runs right alongside the Wall until Birdoswald, then you see the Wall continue ahead, dead straight of course, whilst you peel off left on the road.

After a long descent into Greenhead, greeting the cyclists coming up the other way, it was our turn to climb, a 14% section out of Greenhead and then a steady climb up on the Roman road. We headed for the pub at Once Brewed, with the Wall up on the ridge to our left, and a surprising number of walkers visible on the skyline. As you would expect, the Roman road is completely straight, so of course you can see exactly what pleasure or pain is coming your way. After lunch at the pub (the Twice Brewed, where lots of walkers stop on the Pennine Way), we were back on the road, and after only two bends in about fifteen miles we coasted down into Walwick and over the Tyne into Chollerford. We had planned to head up Brunton Bank to avoid the A-road, but when we got there it seemed silly to climb again when the A-road through Wall was quiet and flat. The (presumably SusTrans) cycle path alongside the A69 took us into Hexham, and the tourist information centre sorted out a room for us at Queensgate House. The owner told us she had been a tandem rider for forty years with her late husband, wearing out three tandems over the years! Pizza at the Quattro Mori restaurant rounded off a good day - no rain, and no need for the cycle lights today.