This year is the 20th Anniversary of the UK's ratification of the World Heritage Convention, and to celebrate, Sustrans teamed up with the Department for Culture, Media & Sport to organise a series of cycle rides to a number of these sites, including Stonehenge, Giant's Causeway and Hadrian's Wall.
These rides were to promote the 'whole journey experience' of travelling to these sites in a more
active and memorable way. Taking the time to walk or cycle to a World Heritage Site allows
a greater understanding of the scale and location of one of these special places,
many of which are from an age when we travelled more slowly.
This is an account of the Hadrian's Wall Ride
by Doug Ridgway - alias Doug on the Tyne
Hadrian's Wall Heritage Ride 
Sept. 3rd - 5th 2004
Carlisle Castle to Segedunum (Wallsend)
The Planning
Back in May I was contacted by Chris Sherrington from Sustrans in Bristol to see if I was interested in leading the planned Heritage Ride along Hadrian's Wall - to which I agreed.
In conjunction with Sustrans NE office in Newcastle planning for this ride began - Sue Dyer (Admin) and Steve Psallidas (Projects Office) were my prime contacts.
Sue did all the arrangements - contacting the various organisations who were to be involved, booking accommodation and transport as well sending out booking forms etc.
The first priority was to set a date for the ride - which was not as easy as it seemed. Meetings were held to discuss :- prospective ride dates, maximum numbers of participents, type of accomodation etc.
Finding suitable accommodation became the deciding factor on setting the ride date - which was eventually settled to be the first weekend in September.
Sue Dyer contacted the YHA and made a block booking for 30 people staying overnight at Greenhead and Acomb YHA's, this also then provided the start points for the ride itinerary - which was the task I was given.
Having ridden the full projected route of Hadrian's Cycleway in April 2004 (see report) a initial schedule was prepared - the brief I was given was to visit as far as possible the Roman Sites which are on or close to Hadrian's Cycleway.
Over the subsequent months planning continued and fine tuned - meetings were held at Sustrans Newcastle office with English Heritage and the Hadrian's Wall Partnership who were also to be involved
in the ride.
Invitations were sent out to various organisations connected with Hadrian's Wall and notices / adverts placed on the Sustrans web site and in the Hadrian's Wall magazine with a cut off date set for the end
of July.
The participents on the ride included:- Sustrans Staff and Volunter Rangers, English Heritage, Hadrian's Wall Partnership, Cycle / PROW officers from Cumbria & Northumbria County Councils and members of the public.
One problem that arose was how to get everyone to the start on time - as the majority were from the Tyne Valley - this was resolved by using the services of Stanley Taxis "Bike Bus". Using the train was deemed to be too hit & miss. Refreshments stops were planned and the final itinerary decided upon.
Myself and two other Rangers from the Hadrian's Cycleway Ranger Group (Tyneside) were to marshall the ride. These were John Kirkbride and Bob Sorley. One other Ranger unfortunatly had to drop out at the last miniute due to a knee injury.
On the third day other Rangers from the HCW group joined to assist on the final leg to Segedunum.
The Ride
August came and it soon became apparent it was to be the wettest summer on record which did not bode well for the 3 day event - but then we were into September and the sun come out !!
Day 1 - Carlisle Castle to Greenhead YHA - 23 miles
The day dawned bright with little wind and the forecast was good and rain free. Early start to meet the "Bike Bus" at Segedunum at 9.00am then on up the River Tyne valley picking up riders along the way - and onto the start at Carlisle Castle - after a slight un-intentional tour of Carlisle we found the entrance to the Castle and arrived at 11.30 am. Other riders were already gathering and started to get to know each other - a packed lunch was provide and we were ready for the off - the party was around 24 strong and it was pleasing to have so many lady riders along.
Picking up John Kirkbride at Wylam
The Bike Bus on route to Carlisle
The Mayor of Carlisle was to send as on our way - several times it turned out - the TV cameras were there and we had to keep going back until they were happy with the shoot - hard going over the cobbles time and time again.
At last we were off - leaving the Castle and quickly joining Hadrian's Cycleway through Bitts Park - leaving Carlisle we quickly crossed the Memorial Bridge into Rickerby Park and on to Brampton our first stopping point.
Leaving Carlisle Castle
Crossing the Memorial Bridge into Rickerby Park
This part of the route is fairly flat giving everyone time to warm up, one short but steep hill saw legs pumping and knees aching.
There was a brief stop at the Millennium Milepost - (Newcastle 70.75 miles !!) - before pushing on to Brampton Market Square to re-group and buy some bananas !
Then a welcome descent to cross the River Irthing at Lanercost Bridge and on to visit Lanercost Priory (EH), our arrival sent the local sheep scurrying away. After a quick tour, ice creams we were off again
still in bright warm sunshine to face the first stiff climb up Banks to Hadrian's Wall.
Crossing Lanercost Bridge
with Lanercost Church
in the background
Lanercost Church with the bemused Sheep looking on.
After a stop to view the remains at Banks Turret (and to gather breath) it was off along Hadrian's Wall which at this point is right alongside the cycle route - to Birdoswald Fort where we we to have tea and a visit around the site.
Steven Farthing from English Heritage - who was accompanying us - showed around the remains including the dramatic drop at the back of the fort to the River Irthing some 300 feet below - the river forms a huge loop around the fort and will eventually erode it away, at the closest point the edge is only yards away from the fort perimeter.
The Riders posing alongside Hadrian's Wall at Birdoswald
Once filled up with sandwiches, ice cream and heritage we were off again for an all too short thrilling descent but a stiff short climb followed before we were off down again to Gilsland.
Just before passing under the Railway Bridge - Steve Psallidas (Sustrans) and Phil Cotton (Northumbria CC) took us off the present route of NCN 72 to show us the planned new off road route which will avoid the busy narrow road between Gilsland to Greenhead. This will also provide a flatter route across the fields and has to be built by next year prior to the route being officially opened and has taken a lot of protracted negotiations with local land owners to achieve.
The weather by now was becoming duller and cooler so we pushed another few miles to our first overnight stop at the Greenhead YHA.
The baggage had already been left there by the "Bike Bus" and we quickly locked our bikes away and got our sleeping arrangements sorted out - or so we thought. Just as this was done three late arrivals turned up (they had been delayed by trains and a puncture and had been unable to get to Carlisle for the start). This required some changing of sleeping arrangements so that all the ladies would be in one dormitory.
After a clean up and a hearty meal at the YHA it was off across the road to the local pub for some much deserved refreshments, to recount the day and have a good chin wag.
Closing time saw as off back to the hostel for a good nights sleep ahead of tomorrows climb up Greenhead Bank - which no one was looking forward to !!
goto Day 2
