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, 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.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 500m

After a hearty breakfast, you will be met by our Skedaddle representative at your accommodation in Newcastle who will provide you with your hire bikes (if hiring), an Information Pack including route notes, maps and additional information for your trip. They will then transfer you to the start of your cycle ride at Banks, with its stunning views. Your cycling today takes you onto your first uphill section of the ride and goes directly past Birdoswald Roman Fort which stands high above a bend in the River Irthing, in one of the most picturesque settings on Hadrian’s Wall. A Roman fort, turret and milecastle can all be seen on this excellent stretch of the Wall. With probably the best preserved defences of any Wall fort, this was an important base for some 1,000 Roman soldiers, succeeding an earlier fort of turf and timber. Passing the ruins of the 14th century Thirwall Castle, (built out of stone plundered from the wall), you will cross the Pennine watershed and gradually climb out of Greenhead before a welcome descent begins into the South Tyne Valley down into Haltwhistle. At Bardon Mill you head back up the South Tyne Valley to a summit at Smith’s Shield, before arriving at your accomodation at Twice Brewed.

If time permits, Vindolanda is only a short ride away from your accommodation. Vindolanda was a Roman frontier military and civilian site and a must for those in search of Roman history and culture. Dating back to just before the Wall was constructed, the 2,000 writing tablets (discovered just a mere 30 years ago) form the earliest archive of written material in British history and are matched by similar tablets from the Eastern Frontier and can be seen in the museum.

Why not add a rest day so that you can explore this wonderful part of Hadrian’s Wall at your leisure? The Roman Army Museum, Steel Rigg, Sycamore Gap, Housesteads and Vindolanda are all within easy reach of your accommodation and well worth a visit.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 300m

A day of quite a few ups and downs and so make sure you all have a hearty breakfast! You start your day with an exhilarating descent to Vindolanda followed by a cheeky climb that takes you to Crindledykes, the highest point of the route (263 metres above sea level). You then drop towards Fourstones before passing through the market town of Hexham, towards the garrison town of Corbridge.

Corbridge has a rich Roman heritage – the invaders regarded the town as strategically important since it served as a garrison town for the central section of Hadrian’s Wall and was also a River Tyne crossing place. On the outskirts of the village, you can see the remains of the Roman version of Corbridge, which they called Corstopitum. The extensively excavated remains include a fountain house with an aqueduct, a pair of granaries, and walled military compounds containing barracks, temples, houses and a headquarters building with a below ground strongroom.

In the thirteenth century Corbridge was second only to Newcastle in wealth and its citizens were heavily taxed to help pay for Edward I’s Scottish wars and its medieval street plan is much the same today. As far back as 1827 Corbridge was a place renowned for its small shops and several of the decorated fronts still survive. Today Corbridge is still known for its quaintness and unique boutique shops and is an ideal base to explore the beauty of Northumberland.

You will then be met by our representative and transferred back to your car in Newcastle or Newcastle train station as appropriate. If you would like to add an extra night in Corbridge, no problem! Just let us know at time of booking.