Holiday Cycling Adventures

Introduction

On friday 30 June 1995 we left our homes in Oegstgeest for a trip trough the country of the northern part of Great Britain. First we cycled (53.04 km.) north to IJmuiden where we took the ferry to Newcastle.

Route map

Newcastle - Kielder: 101.96 km.

Along Hadrians Wall. A very beautiful route through Kielder Forest.

Kielder

Kielder - Tushielan Inn: 75.36 km.

In the morning we find that there are a lot of midgets at our campsite.

Along the way

Tushielan Inn - Carstairs: 86.88 km.

Very beautiful mountainous area.

Some big hills/mountains

Carstairs - Blairlogie: 78.91 km.

We camp at the foot of big mountains in Schotland.

Nice campsite

Blairlogie - Tummel Bridge: 95.45 km.

Fred found an alternative route which started at Amultree and led us towards Garrow (highest point on this route was ±1800 feet).

Cycling in the rain

Tummel Bridge - Aviemore: 79.46 km.

Brilliant beautiful surroundings. Especially between Alnacardoch and Drumguish (Qaick Pass).

Aviemore - Fort Augustus: 111.05 km.

Along Loch Ness (we didn't see Nessy).

Fort Augustus - Stronaba: 36.63 km.

Short trip. At the camping we have a view on Ben Nevis.

Along the Caledonian Channel

Stronaba - Keppanach: 38.43 km.

Another short trip along Ben Nevis.

Locks within the Caledonian Channel

Keppanach - Taynuilt: 77.56 km.

Taynuilt - Succoth: 76.19 km.

A number of steep hills on our route.

Succoth - Renton: 40.77 km.

Renton - Cunninghamhead: 66.29 km.

We've left the highlands now.

Cunninghamhead - Sanquhar: 65.18 km.

First some nice country roads. Then we followed the A76. At the camping we are between high hills again.

Through big hills

Sanquhar - Cleughbrae: 55.11 km.

Though the village Hol(l)ywood.

Cleughbrae - Cummersdale: 54.91 km.

We're back in England again.

Cummersdale - Buttermere: 57.13 km.

Beautiful surroundings, especially the pass just before Buttermere (Newlands) and Buttermere itself (25% climbs).

Buttermere - Outgate: 59.85 km.

The Honister Pass was dreamlike beautiful. The surrounding are beautiful and the villages very touristic. At one descent we clocked a maximum speed of 75.3 km/h, Wow!

Outgate - Sedbergh: 46.37 km.

We took the ferry to cross Windermere. From the "Lake Dristrict" we went to the "Yorkshire Dales" National Park. A lot of steep hills.

Sedbergh - Keld: 38.18 km.

Beautiful downhill just before Thwaite.

Keld - Middleton-in-Teesdale: 64.88 km.

In the morning a lot of midgets again. Beutiful surroundings with a lot of climbs. We visited "High Force" (waterfalls).

Middleton-in-Teesdale - Beamish: 64.60 km.

Rolling hills, but every road goes over top of every hill (with some heavy climbs and super descents). Beautiful "Forest Drive" through Hamsterley Forest.

Beamish - Newcastle: 28.93 km.

Big part of the trip today was trhough the big city of Newcastle.

Our bikes

Epilogue

From NewCastle we took the ferry back to IJmuiden and home again. The trip from IJmuiden to Oegstgeest (home) through the dunes was 50.75 km. long. In total we cycled 1604.0 km in 21 vacation days. It was a very nice and enjoyable trip again.