The day started off with some good scenes of the sun rise, viewed from bed in the Bowes Hotel in Bardon Mill.
After an enormous cooked breakfast, the hotel owner wished us luck after delighting in telling us that our route involved climbing a big hill straight out of the village.
He wasn’t wrong! Bottom gears and standing up off the saddle were tactics that eventually saw us up at the high point, and stripped down to short sleeves. It was worth it for the views though of moorlands and several old Roman Camps.
The wind was still behind us as our climb gave way to several long and gradually descending stretches of road that were travelled without the need to peddle much.
The colours of autumn are super vibrant; not just the leaves, but the berries too!
On the way down off the moors as we left ‘The Wall’ and began to head for the River Tyne, we stopped for a break by the rock. Presumably an old Roman one of some significance?
Hexham was our next port of call. A fine town indeed, with an impeccable bowling green in the gardens of the Hall which were open to the public.
Even more impressive was the Abbey in the centre of town.
Well worth a good look around and with plenty of volunteers to show you around and talk you through the history. One of them offered to get the keys so I could look in the crypt. I declined the offer although it is Hallowe’en so maybe I should have?!
Instead we opted for coffee and cake at the adjoining Cafe instead.
Conscious of the earlier sunsets, we didn’t linger too long.
I’m having an issue with me glasses - they have snapped in two! But seem to just about hang on my face.
The last part of the days ride to Wylam was along the Tyne. It’s a big and beautiful river. Plenty of fly fishing going on, but seen no canoes so far. I suspect it could be a great river trip?
We crossed the river a few times. First we crossed on a strange bike bridge.
Which led to a lovely traffic free section…
Before crossing again on an old railway bridge.
Just before four in the afternoon, we arrived in Wylam. It was just getting dusky and a good time to be off the bikes. We found a cafe and had an ice cream before checking into tonight’s guest house.
Dinner in the village pub was superb value and enormous… we were both pleased to have a big feed after travelling 49km with a good amount of uphill thrown in.
A great day - and we stayed dry!
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