Getting to Newcastle is easy. If you are planning to arrive by air, there is an airport at Newcastle with direct services to Newcastle Central train station. For those arriving by car, you will be able to leave your vehicle at your accommodation (supplement payable), or if the train is your preferred transport mode, you can either take a taxi from the station to your accommodation or it is just a short 10-15 minute walk away.

After meeting up in the early evening, you’ll have the chance to get to know the rest of the group and chat with the Skedaddle guide about the next few days of riding. The meal tonight will be taken at one of the many friendly restaurants on the nearby quayside. With the Millennium Bridge lit up at night, it makes a great backdrop to this bustling part of Newcastle.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 650 Metres Approx.

After a hearty breakfast at our accommodation in Newcastle, we transfer the group to Bowness-on-Solway to begin our journey. The village sits on the stunning Solway Firth AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and the views of Scotland from here are simply breathtaking. The area is also a haven for wildlife, so keep an eye out for wildfowl during this first part of the trip. Our first day’s riding is a gentle introduction to the trip with a flat ride by the banks of the Solway Firth before skirting Carlisle. This thriving regional city is well worth a visit if time allows; showcasing some of the area’s historic treasures in the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, and boasting Carlisle Castle; still welcoming visitors since Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobites.

The route gently undulates towards Warwick Bridge and this section along the river is very picturesque – so cameras at the ready! A short roller coaster of a ride then takes us into Lanercost, with its impressive priory. We then continue on to a nice uphill section towards Banks with its superb viewpoint before heading downhill to Gilsland. Just before Birdoswald Roman Fort, there is a superb section of the wall, right next to your cycling route, which leads all the way to Birdoswald. Thirwall Castle (14th Century and built of stone plundered from the wall) and the remains of the Roman river crossing at Willowford are also nearby and worth a viewing if time permits.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 650 Metres Approx.

After yet another hearty breakfast, we set off on our second day’s cycling. Crossing the Pennine watershed and climbing steeply out of Greenhead before a welcome descent through the South Tyne Valley into Haltwhistle.

At Bardon Mill we head back up the South Tyne Valley to a summit at Smith’s Shield before a speedy section to Vindolanda. This Roman frontier military and civilian site is a must for those in search of Roman history and culture and a suitable mid-point place for lunch. Dating back to just before the Wall was constructed, the 2,000 writing tablets (discovered just 30 years ago) form the earliest archive of written material in British history and are matched by similar tablets from the Eastern Frontier; it’s a sort of 360-degree view of empire life. A slight detour towards Housesteads provides outstanding views over Vindolanda and classic Hadrian’s Wall scenery. A cheeky climb takes us to Crindledykes, our highest point of the route (263 metres above sea level). We then drop towards Fourstones before passing through the market town of Hexham and entering the Tyne Valley, towards the garrison town of Corbridge and our accommodation for the night…don’t worry you’ll be more comfortable than the Roman soldiers were!

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 450 Metres Approx.

With all the major climbs behind us we begin to follow the valley floor towards Prudhoe. We cycle through the pretty villages of Ovingham and Wylam, passing Robert Stevenson’s Cottage, and then crossing the River Tyne twice, and along an old wagonway towards Newcastle following the banks of the Tyne. We pass through Newcastle taking in views of the famous bridges including the “blinking eye” Millennium Bridge, with the imposing Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts dominating the skyline. Not far to go now as we head into the heart of the ship building area of the Tyne. On passing Wallsend – literally the Wall’s end, keep an eye out for Segedunum Roman Fort Museum here – if you fancy a little more Roman history to end your Hadrian’s Wall experience.

Continuing along close to the river we soon reach the North Shields Fish Quay, where you’ll find a bustling little harbour. You are now at the very mouth of the Tyne and a few more pedal turns lead to your final destination, Tynemouth. Time to celebrate your achievement before the Skedaddle support vehicle whisks you back to Newcastle.