To celebrate the Tour of Britain’s arrival in the region in September, we hop on our bike and pay a visit to some of our favourite places to grab a cuppa and rest our legs
The best of the Coast – 9 Miles
Cullercoats to Souter Point is a stunning coastal ride and mostly traffic-free. Fuel up at The Snug Cycle Café at Cullercoats Bike & Kayak, before following the coast south to Tynemouth to the Priory and Castle. Join the Hadrian Cycleway from Tynemouth taking in the mouth of the Tyne and North Shields Fish Quay until you reach the Shields Ferry. The Ferry can take up to 16 bikes and it doesn’t cost extra to take it on. Once you reach South Shields you can hug the coastal path, along the new promenade at Littlehaven. Attractions at Ocean Beach and South Marine Park are great stop off points for kids. Then it’s along the cliff tops to Souter Point.
Banks of the Tyne – 20 Miles
Starting at The Boathouse, Wylam, the Keelman’s Way route takes in some of the best views of the Tyne, as well as passing some of our favourite cafés along the way.
Head east from The Boathouse on the Wylam Wagonway past Stephenson’s cottage to Newburn. Continue on the banks of the river to Blaydon. Head past Dunston Staithes and along the Quayside, past the The Cycle Hub, which is a perfect place for a pit stop, before crossing the Tyne at the Millennium Bridge. Follow the river’s south bank back to Wylam, crossing Wylam Bridge and returning to The Boathouse.
Activ Cycles, Corbridge
The friendly café in the centre of Corbrdige is a haven for cyclists with bike parking, a cycling shop, and a worskhsop for running repairs. The food at Activ Cycles is homemade and the soups and sandwiches, which change daily, make for a perfect lunch when you’re on the move. The specials board changes daily too, and is filled with fresh, light bites.
Activ Cycles, Gresham House, Corbridge, NE45 5AH, tel 01434 632 950, activ-cycles.co.uk
Bardon Mill Tea Room
Perfectly placed when you’re cycling along the Tyne Valley, the Bardon Mill Tea Room offers homemade lunches and sweet treats perfect for a mid-route refuel. It’s also a good spot to start and end your ride with miles of stunning countryside in every direction.
Bardon Mill Village Store & Tea Room, Bardon Mill, Hexham, tel 07756 790 108
Blenkinsopp
The tearoom at the Blenkinsopp Castle Country Inn and Restaurant is close to the Penine Way and Hadrian’s Wall and a great place to stop when you’re on a long ride out. The scones and cakes are homemade and the welcome is warm – all you need after a hard morning’s ride.
Blenkinsopp Castle Country Inn & Restaurant, Blenkinsopp Castle Home Park, Greenhead, Brampton, CA8 7JS, tel 01697 747 757, www.blenkinsoppcastleinn.co.uk
Cullercoats Bike & Kayak
The Snug Café at Cullercoats Bike & Kayak is a fitting stop for cyclists of all ages with its coastal route location, relaxed atmosphere and café menu featuring breakfasts, sandwiches, soups and treats. There’s a new fleet of hire bikes available too, as well as secure bike parking and a workshop with qualified mechanics and a while you wait service.
Cullercoats Bike & Kayak, Norma Crescent, Whitley Bay, NE26 2PD, tel 0191 251 9412, www.cullercoatsbikekayak.co.uk
The Cycle Hub
The Cycle Hub is everything you want from a pit-stop café. It’s huge, there is loads of space to park your bike, the menu is fresh and packed with lunches and light bites, and there’s a great view right on the banks of the Tyne. There’s also a full workshop for running repairs and bigger jobs and a calendar of events throughout the year – see the website for details.
The Cycle Hub, Quayside, Newcastle, NE6 1BU, tel 0191 276 7250, www.thecyclehub.org
The Drift Cafe
The Drift Café in Creswell has become a favourite among Northumberland’s coastal cyclists with its picture-perfect location and simple, homecooked menu of wraps, sandwiches and quiches plus Minchella’s award-winning ice cream.
The Drift Café, Cresswell Morpeth, tel 01670 861 599, www.thedriftcafe.co.uk
Fausto Coffee
Wearside’s cyclists flock to Fausto Coffee for to its excellent coastal location and quality food. With coffee from the excellent Newcastle-based Ouseburn Coffee Co. and a big selection of teas, it’s a great place to start your ride. The café menu is exactly what you need after a day on your bike with favourites including beans on toast, crumpets and muffins and tray bakes all on offer.
Fausto Coffee, St George’s Terrace, Roker, Sunderland, SR6 9LX, tel 07447 425 158, www.fausto.coffee
The Hearth Café
A firm favourite of the appetite team, the Hearth Café has long been popular with Tyne Valley cyclists thanks to its location in Horsley near the A69 and its fab food, which ranges from breakfasts and light lunches to an ever-changing specials board featuring everything from burgers and wraps to homemade pies and quiches. The all-day breakfast is historic!
The Hearth Café, Main Road, Horsley, NE15 0NT, tel 01661 853 563, www.hearth.co.uk
Kirkley Cycles
Everything you need when you’re on two wheels, Kirkley Cycles is home to a fab café, cycling shop and workshop. The café offers fresh-ground coffee as well as home-baked cakes in a cosy atmosphere. There are few better places to rest your legs.
Kirkley Cycles, Thorneyford Farm, Kirkley, Ponteland, NE20 0AJ tel 01661 871 094, www.kirkleycycles.com
Misterwoods
A ride to, from or through Tynemouth isn’t complete without a stop at Misterwoods on Front Street. This light, open café is ideal for groups of cyclists or families and the food offering will keep everyone happy wioth paninis, sandwiches and a huge selection of homemade cakes. There’s also plenty of seats outside for a break in the sunshine.
Misterwoods, Front St, Tynemouth, NE30 4BT, tel 0191 257 5556, www.misterwoods.co.uk
WIN WITH THE CYCLE HUB
Who won the 2015 Tour De France?
The Cycle Hub, Newcastle is offering appetite readers the chance to win cycle hire for two, plus cake or coffee. Helmets and bike locks included.
To enter, email your answer to editor@appetitemag.co.uk with your name, postal address and contact telephone number before September 15, 2015.
Terms & Conditions
DEPOSIT
Payment card details will be retained until the cycle is returned in good condition to Saddle Skedaddle. Any damage sustained while the cycle is in the care of the hirer may result in a further payment being taken to cover the cost of repair / replacement.
In the event that cycles are not returned at the time and date specified Saddle Skedaddle will make a further minimum charge of £250 per cycle hired – any additional recovery costs incurred may also be added.
DAMAGE OR LOSS
Should the cycles be returned damaged due to misuse by the hirer Saddle Skedaddle will make a further charge to cover the cost of any repairs. A lock and helmet per bike are also included in the deal.
