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United Kingdom

Northumberland - Alnmouth

Guided Leisure Bike Tour

Grade

1
2
3
4
5

Duration

5 days

Prices from

$1,285 P.P.

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 holiday 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 Bike Tour

Grade

1
2
3
4
5

Duration

5 days

Prices from

$1,285 P.P.

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 holiday 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.

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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 easily accessible by transport.
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 and Dunstanburgh Castles are 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 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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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 at Alnwick and Dunstanburgh castles
  • Explore part of the Coast and Castles route that runs from Newcastle to Edinburgh

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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.

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Day 2
Alnwick and Craster
29 Miles / 47 Kms 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.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Ascent: 250 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
33 Miles / 53 Kms Approx
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Ascent: 300 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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The Cycling

Terrain

Mixture of generally flat and undulating terrain on paved river and seaside promenades, minor urban roads, quiet lanes and purpose built Cycleways.

There are a few off-road sections, with tracks across grassy fields or farm roads. Being a National Cycle Network route, there are no “technical” off-road sections. Hybrid bikes are most suitable.

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

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Leisure Cycling Grade

1
2
3
4
5
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 vacation? If you’re looking for an opportunity to try some quiet roads, cycle paths or some accessible, cycle friendly routes these trips 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 trip 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.

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Dates & Prices

Secure Your Holiday With A Deposit

Book now with a $125 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
Start Date
End Date
Duration
Price p.p.
Start Date
16/09/2024
Guaranteed
Return Date
20/09/2024
Duration
5 days
Price
$1,285.00
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Start Date
19/05/2025
Return Date
23/05/2025
Duration
5 days
Price
$1,415.00
Close Select
Start Date
07/07/2025
Return Date
11/07/2025
Duration
5 days
Price
$1,415.00
Close Select

Whats Included Tick

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 available on request

F) Secure bike storage and bike wash facilities

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

H) Financial Protection through ABTOT

What's not Included Cross

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

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Private Departures

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.

The Essentials

Travel Options

Your destination is Nether Grange in Alnmouth.

The closest international airports are Newcastle or Edinburgh.

Newcastle is slightly closer to the route however may be slightly more difficult to reach as transatlantic options are limited and most routes will come via London, so it’s worth looking at options into both. You can then catch a train to the start point from both airports.

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 10.30.

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 not If you make alternative travel arrangements, which fall outside of the planned train station transfers, there may be an additional charge for individual transfers.

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 adjacent to the bar. After your ride or activities it’s a good place to relax. There is also a ballroom on the lower floor, which can be used for dancing, evening talks or as a light and airy painting studio.

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 – a single room is only available on the August departure (subject to availability). 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 both hybrid and electric bikes available.

The hybrid bikes are generally Giant Roam (male frame) or Liv Rove (female frame) with a wide gear range suitable for the route and terrain, semi-slick tyres, hydraulic disc brakes and a relaxed riding position.

Our electric bikes are generally Giant E+ pedal assist bikes with batteries suitable for the daily distances on this holiday and hydraulic disc brakes. E-bikes come with step through frames as standard but some cross bar frames may be available if preferred. Please let us know if you have a preference.

A rack and two panniers, and one bottle cage are provided with all our rental bikes, along with an emergency repair kit in a seat-post bag containing a puncture repair kit, a multi-tool, a spare innertube and a bike pump.

We are also able to provide helmets, if you’d like one to be provided, please request this at the time of booking.

You are welcome to bring along your own saddles, or own pedals if renting a hybrid bike, but please let us know if advance if you plan to do so.

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

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News, Reviews & Stories

8 reasons to cycle Northumberland

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Reviews

8

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