E-BIKE HIRE AVAILABLE

This tour is well-suited to both regular bikes and pedal assist e-bikes, and you can choose to hire either when you book your tour with us. Confident cyclists will enjoy the boost from a battery for those cheeky climbs, and with less effort required on the bike, you’ll have more energy at the end of the day for off-the-bike activities. You may choose to hire an e-bike on a group or supported tour but bear in mind that the pace will be set to riders without an e-bike.

United Kingdom

Northumberland - Alnmouth

Guided Leisure Cycling Holiday

Grade

Duration

5 days

Prices from

£1,195 P.P.

E-BIKE HIRE AVAILABLE

United Kingdom

Northumberland - Alnmouth

Guided Leisure Cycling Holiday

Grade

Duration

5 days

Prices from

£1,195 P.P.

Summary Itinerary Gallery The Cycling Dates & Prices The Essentials FAQs

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Nicknamed "the Secret Kingdom" due to its sparse population and hidden wonders, Northumberland is a county of untamed open landscapes and rugged seascapes, dotted with castles and home to an abundance of wildlife. This fantastic cycling holiday will be based out of Nether Grange, HF’s Country House located in the wonderful seaside location of Alnmouth; remote enough to retain its quaint, picturesque character, but also with good transport links.

Over the course of the rides, we'll follow sections of the Coast and Castles cycle route that runs from Edinburgh to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, using quiet country roads, purpose-built cycleways and a number of off-road tracks. Warkworth, Alnwick, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh Castles are all on our routes, along with the fishing village of Craster, famous for its kippers. Tides and weather permitting, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne may also be a port of call, where you can visit the castle, priory and contemplate the setting which saw the penning of the Lindisfarne Gospels.

You will also have the opportunity to enjoy the solitude of the 7 mile long sweep of beach at Druridge Bay. So join us for this wonderful tour of the Northumbrian coastline and countryside, all set in a friendly and social environment and led by at least two of our experienced guides.

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Holiday Highlights

Stay at Nether Grange, Alnmouth – a comfortable HF Country House a stone’s throw from the beach
Ride along the beautiful Northumberland coast to Craster harbour
Explore the peaceful country roads of Northumberland and the market town of Alnwick
Visit the priory on Holy Island (depending on tides) and take in the majesty of Warkworth Castle
Admire the mighty fortifications of Alnwick, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh castles
Explore part of the Coast and Castles route that runs from Newcastle to Edinburgh

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival Alnmouth

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Meals: Dinner

Today is set aside to allow you to arrive into Alnmouth at your convenience. You will meet your leader and the rest of the group, and enjoy a leisurely evening meal at Nether Grange.

Day 2 Alnwick and Craster

29 Miles / 47 Kms Approx.

Ascent: 400 Metres Approx.

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Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Ascent: 400 Metres Approx.

After an energising breakfast, we’ll be hopping into the saddle and pedalling north from Alnmouth. We’ll initially head up the coast through Boulmer, inland past Longhoughton then onward to the quaint fishing village of Craster (famed for its kippers). From here we’ll head further north, past Dunstanburgh Castle, built in the 14th century by the powerful Thomas of Lancaster, reputedly second in influence only to the King of England himself.

We soon head inland to the village of Embleton, where we’ll enjoy further views of the castle. Next we ride south to the attractive market town of Alnwick, dominated by its famous Norman castle and gardens, home to one of the country’s largest collections of European plants.

We then continue for a few more miles heading back to our accommodation at the coast, fresh North Sea air and a well deserved cuppa or pint as you like! The direction of this ride may depend on the prevailing winds.

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Day 3 Holy Island and Bamburgh

23 Miles / 37 Kms Approx.

Ascent: 335 Metres Approx.

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Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Ascent: 335 Metres Approx.

Our second ride takes us further north to Holy Island. We’ll transfer you and your bike to Lindisfarne, an important early centre of Christianity in England and home to Northumberland’s patron, Saint Cuthbert.

After a visit to the priory, we head back along the causeway and wind our way along quiet country lanes towards Bamburgh, with its impressive castle perched high above the surrounding area, and bordered by the sea. From here we continue south to Seahouses where our transport awaits to bring us back to Alnmouth.

The direction of this ride may be dependent on tide-times. If the tide does not allow us to cross to Holy Island, you will never the less have the chance to cycle North up through Seahouses and Bamburgh, and admire the views across to Lindisfarne Castle, high on an outcrop of the Northumbrian Whin Sill and ready to fend off Scottish or Viking invaders!

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Day 4 Warkworth and Druridge Bay

34 Miles / 55 Kms Approx

Ascent: 365 Metres Approx.

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Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Ascent: 365 Metres Approx.

Today we’ll experience another side of Northumberland. We’ll still get to enjoy some of the rich medieval history, but the landscape on today’s ride is also shaped by more recent activity – coal mining.

Our final ride takes us south on Sustrans Route 1, where we ride through Warkworth (admiring yet another mighty castle!), Amble and along the spectacular and peaceful Druridge Bay. Druridge is a seven mile stretch of beach and sand dunes, and is today part of the national heritage coast. This area consists of land reclaimed from a large opencast mine which once dominated the countryside and the lives of local people. Our route then takes us inland through the villages of Widdrington, Stobswood, Acklington and Guyzance before looping round back to Alnmouth, where we’ll have a final celebratory evening meal together.

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Day 5 Departure Alnmouth

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Meals: Breakfast

Today we’ll have a leisurely breakfast together, and with plenty of miles in our legs and memories made, you’ll set off on your onward journeys home.

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Register your interest and we'll keep you up-to-date on departures, availability, accommodation and all the amazing experiences we have in store on this trip.

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The Cycling

Terrain

The terrain is mostly flat and undulating, with the majority of the route consisting of quiet rural roads, as well as some seaside promenades, minor urban roads, and purpose-built cycleways. However, there are also a few short off-road sections with tracks across grassy fields, on farm tracks, or on compact gravel surfaces, meaning the ride is most suitable for Hybrid bikes.

It is possible to use an e-bike on this holiday. Although there are no significant climbs or long passes on the route, an e-bike could be beneficial to get you up some of the short, steep climbs if you are after a bit of a boost. Please note, e-bikes are generally heavier than standard bikes, so it is worth considering when handling the bike over the rough / uneven terrain.

Please note, if opting for an e-bike, the pace of riding will be set by the hybrid riders.

For more information about riding an electric bike on our holidays please click here

Guided group cycling tour in Northumberland

Leisure Cycling Grade

Grade 2: Gentle

Distances generally between 15-30 miles / 24-48 kms per day

For those looking for an easy-going route

Mainly on the flat

Some undulations and the odd cheeky challenge

Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!

For more information about our grading system click here.

Is this suitable for you?

Maybe you have recently got into cycling and would like to do more over consecutive days, or maybe you‘re looking for a more energetic alternative to your usual holiday? If you‘re looking for an opportunity to try some quiet roads, cycle paths or some accessible, cycle friendly routes these holidays might be for you. You’ll come across some gently undulating terrain and the odd cheeky challenge, so we’d generally expect those on a Grade 2 holiday to ride their bikes relatively frequently at home, perhaps commuting to work or heading out for some leisurely rides at the weekend.

For more information about the grading of this holiday in particular, please check out the terrain section which will give you some specifics of what to expect on this tour.

Dates & Prices

Secure Your Holiday With A Deposit

Book now with a £300 deposit and nothing more to pay until 30 days before departure. Choose a date to start your booking and see all prices, including bike hire and single room supplements.

Select a date to view prices and book

To see the prices for any optional extras, including bike hire, select your date below.

The Essentials

Travel Options

Your destination is Nether Grange in Alnmouth. If you intend to drive we will provide directions. Free on-street parking is available near to the accommodation where vehicles can be left at the owners risk.

If you prefer to travel by train your destination is Alnmouth. Group train station transfers are included in the holiday price and there will be a Skedaddle transfer from Alnmouth train station at 16.15 on day 1 of the tour and a transfer to Alnmouth train station at 09.30 on the Friday morning. Please do not book any return trains from Alnmouth prior to 10.00.

Please check with us before making any travel arrangements to make sure we have reached the minimum number required to guarantee your holiday and to ensure your arrangements fit with our scheduled transfers and logistics.

Please note If you make alternative travel arrangements, which fall outside of the planned train station transfers, there may be an additional charge for individual transfers.

If you are travelling to the UK from overseas and are not a British or Irish national, you will need to apply for either an ETA or a visa depending on your nationality. Please check the relevant state department or foreign office guidance for your country or you can find more information here

Accommodation

On this holiday, you will be based at an HF Country House. HF Holidays run a number of Country Houses around the UK, which are all within National Parks or National Landscapes, and which offer the perfect comfortable environment to return to after a day out on two wheels.

Nether Grange occupies a wonderful seaside location in the village of Alnmouth. With both historic character and modern facilities, it is a wonderful base for a relaxing holiday. It makes good use of its excellent seaside location, with a large lounge and attractive dining room sporting views overlooking the sea, and a conservatory and ballroom adjacent to the bar. After your day’s ride, it’s a great place to relax and unwind.

Nether Grange also has an attractive elevated terrace and croquet lawn which enjoys superb views over the golf links to the sea.

Please chat to the sales team if you‘re interested in upgrading your room.

Please note – there are only limited single rooms available on this holiday. You are however welcome to share a room on either date, with another solo traveller if you’re joining the tour alone.

Bike Hire

If you would like to rent a bike we have hybrid and electric bikes available.

The hybrid bikes are generally Giant Roam (male frame) or Liv Rove (female frame) with flat bars and semi-slick tyres. They are set up with a rear rack, two panniers and at least one bottle cage.

The electric bikes are generally Giant E+ pedal assist bikes with flat bars, step through frames, semi-slick tyres, and batteries suitable for the daily distance on this holiday. They are set up with a rear rack and two panniers and they will either have a bottle cage or you will be able to store a water bottle in the pannier bag.

All of our hire bikes have a wide range of gears, hydraulic disc brakes and offer a comfortable riding position. All bikes have inner tubes and come equipped with a small seat-post bag containing a puncture repair kit, a multitool and a spare tube, as well as a bike pump. Please note, given the variety of shapes and sizes of on-bike luggage and the fact the mechanisms for fitting them vary, we aren’t able to safely accommodate customers’ own frame bags or on-bike luggage on our hire bikes.

We are also able to provide helmets. If you’d like one, please request this at the time of booking. You are welcome to bring along your own saddle and / or own pedals if renting a hybrid bike, but please let us know in advance if you plan to do so. Please note, all our hire bikes come with flat pedals as standard.

If you are planning to bring your own bike, please let us know the make and model and we can check its suitability.

What's Included

A) Shared twin (or double) room (single room may be available on request, for a supplement)

B) Full tour service including guides and a back-up vehicle carrying spares, snacks and extra equipment not needed on your bike

C) At least one leader qualified in First Aid

D) Full-board including picnic lunch and en route refreshments

E) GPX files

F) Secure bike storage and bike wash facilities

G) Group train station collections / drop-offs on scheduled arrival and departure days

H) Financial Protection through ABTOT

What's not Included

A) Bike and helmet rental (available if required)

B) Travel or flight costs or charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)

C) Meals not stated in the itinerary

D) Single room (available if required)

E) Travel insurance

F) Personal clothing and equipment

G) Personal expenditure (souvenirs, bar bills, hotel facilities etc)

H) Entrance fees to cultural or historical sites and visitor centres

I) Other optional activities

J) Tips for guides, drivers, support staff

Private Departures

Are you keen to only travel with your family or friends? Struggling to find the right date? Well, we can organise a private departure for this tour and tailor aspects to suit your group's specific needs. Contact our friendly team and we'll help you turn your dream into reality.

Northumberland - Alnmouth FAQs

Can I hire a bike?

Yes, we have a range of high-quality hire bikes available on all of our tours that you can select at the time of booking (you can see more details about our hire bikes in the dedicated section above.) Or, if you prefer the flexibility to bring your own bike, this is also an option.

Do I need to wear a cycle helmet?

Yes. We take very seriously the duty of care we have towards our customers, and we will always ask that you wear a helmet. If you don’t own a helmet, then let us know and we’ll ensure there is one available for you. More about our helmet policy.

Can I ride an e-bike?

You may hire or bring an e-bike on this tour but please keep in mind that the pace will be set to those not riding an e-bike. Check out our e-bike page for more FAQs about e-bikes.

Can I bring my own e-bike?

Yes, you may bring your own e-bike on this tour but it’s best to chat to our team so we can make sure the bike is legally compliant and that help determine if your bike will have enough power to last each day. We recommend riding with the bike in eco mode, or lower level of pedal assist most of the time, along with other tips to conserve battery life. Remember, if you are flying to your destination, you won’t be able to take a battery on the plane. Check out our e-bike page for more FAQs about e-bikes.

What bike spares should I bring?

If you’re bringing your own bike, it’s a good idea to pack basic tools (tyre levers, pump, chain tool) and a puncture repair kit with a spare inner tube in a saddle bag or day bag. If you’re hiring a bike with us, then we’ll provide you with tools and spares. If you run into problems with your bike or have a mechanical, we’ll always be available to assist.

How many guides will there be and what kind of support do they offer?

Each tour has a minimum of two guides, depending on the group size, with one guide riding and one guide in the support vehicle. Our guides are qualified, experienced and always ready to offer support when needed. Whether fixing a bike mechanical, administering first aid, preparing delicious picnics or simply offering advice and motivation for your ride, they want to make sure every pedal stroke of your trip runs like clockwork.

Is there a support vehicle?

Yes. Each tour has a support vehicle which will typically be there for coffee stops and picnic lunches. The vehicle may not always be with the group for the duration of the riding day, but it’s never too far away and within easy reach, if needed. You’re welcome to leave a day bag in the vehicle with spare clothing and snacks.

Can I use the support vehicle if I need a lift?

Our team are always happy to discuss grades and training so hopefully you’ll be able to complete your tour comfortably. Of course, there may be times when something happens and you’re not able to ride. Our support vehicle is there to help should you feel unwell or unable to ride and we always have further back-up transfers and taxis available should an issue arise.

What are the group sizes?

We deliberately keep our group sizes smaller than you might find with other companies. We typically guarantee group trips to run on a minimum number of five to six riders, and some popular tours can reach 14 or 15 riders.

Can you organise private group tours?

Yes, we can organise private group tours. We usually recommend a minimum group size of 8 to 10 riders for our tailor-made itineraries. Chat to our team to find out more.

Can I join as a solo traveller?

Absolutely! We welcome many solo travellers on our group holidays. It’s a great way to meet like-minded cyclists. Our rooms are allocated on a twin share basis, but you can select a single supplement when you book if you would prefer to have your own room. These are subject to availability.

Do you cater for different dietary needs?

Vegetarians and people with specific dietary requirements will be catered for – please let us know at the time of booking if you have any dietary requirements. Snacks will always be available, but you are also more than welcome to bring any specific foods or energy gels that you prefer. Download the Trip Notes for more information about the local cuisine you can expect on this holiday.

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E-BIKE HIRE AVAILABLE

Northumberland - Alnmouth

Guided Leisure Cycling Holiday

Grade

Duration

Prices from

E-BIKE HIRE AVAILABLE

Northumberland - Alnmouth

Guided Leisure Cycling Holiday

Grade

Duration

Prices from

Holiday Highlights

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival Alnmouth

Day 2 Alnwick and Craster

Day 3 Holy Island and Bamburgh

Day 4 Warkworth and Druridge Bay

Day 5 Departure Alnmouth

Understanding Profiles

Still Thinking It Over?

Gallery

The Cycling

Terrain

Leisure Cycling Grade

Is this suitable for you?

Dates & Prices

Secure Your Holiday With A Deposit

The Essentials

Travel Options

Accommodation

Bike Hire

What's Included

What's not Included

Private Departures

Northumberland - Alnmouth FAQs

Can I hire a bike?

Do I need to wear a cycle helmet?

Can I ride an e-bike?

Can I bring my own e-bike?

What bike spares should I bring?

How many guides will there be and what kind of support do they offer?

Is there a support vehicle?

Can I use the support vehicle if I need a lift?

What are the group sizes?

Can you organise private group tours?

Can I join as a solo traveller?

Do you cater for different dietary needs?

News, Reviews & Stories

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