Coast & Castles bike tour Newcastle - Edinburgh

Tour description

Cycle Coast and Castles – Newcastle to Edinburgh via the Borders  

An eight centre self-guided bike tour from Newcastle in England to Edinburgh in Scotland. 8 nights bed and breakfast in ensuite guesthouse/hotel accommodation, and 7 days cycling with hire of a 21 speed all-terrain bike delivered to the start and collected at the end of the tour. Also includes luggage transfers, emergency back-up*, and route navigation. * may incur an additional cost

On this bike ride you will soon see why they call it the Coast and Castles route. The Northumberland coast is the best way to discover the history of the border wars between England and Scotland. Starting in Newcastle half the route is along the beautiful Northumberland coastline of northern England. Set at a nice easy pace, you will have plenty of time to view the many castles as you go. After Berwick the route follows the River Tweed inland through the borders of Scotland, passing many abbeys and more castles. A hilly section takes you over a particularly bonnie section of the route with fantastic views over the magnificent city of Edinburgh, the final destination of the tour.

Sample schedule

ARRIVAL DAY: Newcastle. Your 1st night’s accommodation is in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Spend the remainder of the day exploring this vibrant city. Overnight: Newcastle, England.

DAY ONE: Cycle from Newcastle to Ashington. Distance approx. 27 miles (41 km). After breakfast your bikes will be delivered to your hotel and help will be given with adjustments. The start of the ride is traffic-free along the river Tyne quayside, passing a mixture of old and modern architecture. At Tynemouth there are the ruins of a priory and castle (the first of many) before the route heads north along the Northumberland coast. There are plenty of opportunities to buy refreshments or lunch from seaside towns such as Whitley Bay. This very enjoyable ride takes you along the seafront until you head a few miles inland to your next overnight stop, Ashington. Overnight: Ashington, Northumberland, England.

DAY TWO: Cycle from Ashington to Alnwick. Distance approx. 27-30 miles (41-50 km). From here the route becomes much more scenic as you leave urban Tyneside behind. This beautiful stretch of the Northumbrian coastline takes you through a nature reserve at Druridge Bay and picturesque towns like Amble and Warkworth. Heading inland you leave the coast along quiet country roads through lush green farmland with an option to visit Alnwick where you might stay overnight. The castle and gardens here are well worth a visit before heading back to the coast and your next overnight stop at Alnmouth. This pretty little fishing port has a choice of pubs for your evening meal. Overnight: Alnmouth, Northumberland, England.

DAY THREE: Cycle from Alnwick to Bamburgh. Distance approx. 25 miles (40 km). Today you cycle along the coast on quiet minor roads passing through quaint little fishing villages such as Craster, famous for its kippers (which you may have had for breakfast). Next are the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle.  This 14th Century castle is perched right on a cliff edge. The route then takes you inland for a while before returning to the coast at the aptly named seaside village of Seahouses.  Bamburgh is the most impressive castle of them all. It housed more people than any other castle in England (with the exception of Windsor castle). The small village of Bamburgh is the birthplace of Grace Darling famed for her daring rescue of 5 people from a shipwreck. Overnight: Bamburgh, Northumberland, England.

DAY FOUR: Cycle from Bamburgh to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Distance approx. 23 miles (37 km). Heading inland again on quiet country roads broken up by farmsteads and villages, you will catch sight of Holy Island. Adding an extra 6 miles to your ride, this excursion is well worth the additional effort. Subject to the tide times, this unique island is cut-off from the mainland twice a day by the incoming North Sea. Once on the island historically known as Lindisfarne there is a castle and a priory to visit with plenty of places for refreshments or lunch. The last section of the route is a mixture of country lanes and gravel tracks along the coast to the Scottish border town of Berwick. This attractive walled town changed hands 13 times in the England Scotland Border wars.  Overnight: Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England.

DAY FIVE: Cycle from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Kelso. Distance approx. 30 miles (48 km). Leaving Berwick you are now officially in Scotland, riding along quiet country lanes dotted with farm cottages and grander houses of the lowland lairds. Criss-crossing the River Tweed, famous for its salmon fishing you will pass the 12th century ruins of Norham Castle. Continuing on along the beautiful Tweed valley you reach Coldstream, a worthwhile visit and perhaps a stop for lunch. This is where the Coldstream Guards get their name. A 19th century guard house stands in the market square with a museum. From here the route takes you through open and wooded farmland for about 12 miles, to your destination for today, the attractive town of Kelso. A selection of hotels and pubs will provide you with an evening meal tonight. Overnight: Kelso, Scotland

DAY SIX: Cycle from Kelso to Innerleithen. Distance approx 44 miles (69 km). This is a longer ride today passing many abbeys, towers and fortified buildings that indicate this region’s tempestuous history. Just out of Kelso is the impressive Floors Castle, followed by quiet country roads through open and wooded farmland taking you to the next sight of historical interest, Dryburgh Abbey. Then it’s Abbotsford House, the home of Sir Walter Scott who wrote of the warring English and Scots turning these borderlands into bloody battlefields. This is the bonniest section of the ride combining cycle tracks and minor roads along the river towards the upper Tweed valley. The scenery here is very different from the rest of the tour as it becomes increasingly wooded and hilly, making this a great bike ride. Eventually you will cross the river for the last time before reaching the picturesque town of Innerleithen. Overnight: Innerleithen, Scotland.

DAY SEVEN: Cycle from Innerleithem to Edinburgh. Distance approx 44 miles (69 km). Leaving the Tweed valley the scenery changes again as you rise gently into the Moorfoot hills. This moorland road is quite remote in places as it climbs to the highest point on the tour. The most challenging section of the route, it is also (on the right day) a never forgotten bike ride. Your efforts are rewarded by the spectacular views over this area of outstanding natural beauty. As you descend there are great views of Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth beyond. Quiet country roads lead out of green farmland to the outskirts of Edinburgh. The ride into Edinburgh uses traffic free cycle lanes (which are well signposted) giving you time to take in the sights as you go. With many historical buildings all around you, there is none more impressive than Edinburgh Castle. Overnight: Edinburgh, Scotland.

FINAL DAY: Depart Edinburgh. This tour finishes after breakfast.

Travel Description

RAIL TRAVEL from LONDON to NEWCASTLE (NOT included in tour price): There is an hourly train service from London (Kings Cross) to Newcastle. The nearest international airport is Newcastle.

RAIL TRAVEL from EDINBURGH to LONDON (NOT included in tour price): The nearest airport is Edinburgh. There is an hourly train service from Edinburgh to London.

ARRIVING and DEPARTING by EUROLINES or NATIONAL EXPRESS COACH: This is by far the cheapest option for long-distance travel in England, Scotland, and Wales. There are very convenient buses from each major airport. National Express carries over 16 million passengers to 1000 different places in the UK every year, and thousands more from destinations across Europe and Ireland. You can purchase an e-Ticket where you print your travel ticket online in a matter of minutes OR you can obtain an m-Ticket and have your travel ticket sent to your mobile phone - no paper ticket required. You then present this to the driver on arrival.

ARRIVING BY CAR: Please ask for details.

Tour Start Location

Tour End Location