Trail Blazing and Official Hadrian's Cycleway
Launch Ride July 15th to 22nd 2006
July 15th to July 18th - Trailblazing ride
The purpose of this ride was to trailblaze NCN 72 and open a new section of the W2W
Walney to Wear Regional Cycle Route 20.From the start / finish of Hadrian's Cycleway - NCN 72 will in the future be extended south from Ravenglass to Millom and Barrow in Furness where it will then share the W2W route nearly to Kendal where it will connect with NCN 6.
The Trailblazing Ride started from Oxenholme Station car park and would make its way to Barrow and Ravenglass where the un-opened sections of Hadrian's Cycleway would be trailblazed to Silloth.
Fifty cyclists took part in this ride which included the opening of the Sleekburn Moss Cycleway at Gilpen Bridge - a separate ride with twenty cyclists set off from Ambleside to trail blaze regional route 30 - before joining the main ride at Cartmel. This group also did the full loop in and out of Barrow to trailblaze NCN 72 rejoining the main group at Broughton in Furness.
The main group took a "short cut" over Kirkby Moor via the wind farm.
Tim Farron MP opening the Sleekburn Moss Cycleway on W2W
photo by Doug RidgwayClick below for a day by day report on the Trail Blazing Ride.
Day 1
15thDay 2
16thDay 3
17thDay 4
18th
July 19th to July 22nd Official Opening Ride for Hadrian's Cycleway
This was to officially opened this new Coast to Coast the Roman Way cycle route which is known as Hadrian's Cycleway NCN 72.
It was originally intended to start from Maryport but essential improvements to the route were not ready in time - it is hoped that by Easter 2007 the whole route between Ravenglass to Silloth will be up the full National Cycle Network standards.
100+ cyclists starting from Silloth, rode along Hadrian's Cycleway passing through Carlisle, Brampton, Haltwhistle, Hexham, Corbridge, Newcastle and onto the finish at South Shields.
By the time the ride reached Newcastle there were 150 riders and over 105 finished at Arbeia Roman Fort - South Shields.Click below for a day by day report on the Official Launch Ride.
Day 5
19thDay 6
20thDay 7
21stDay 8
22nd
The end of the Official Opening Ride at Arbeia Roman Fort - South Shields
Picture by David Rose
