Coast & Castles Cycle Route

With a total distance of 199 miles /318km (Inland Route) or 173 miles/277km (Coastal Route), starting in Tynemouth, the Coast and Castles Cycle Route follows the eastern coastline up to the Scottish border town of Berwick upon Tweed before cutting inland along the Tweed Valley to Innerliethen then up over the moors in to the imposing city of Edinburgh. The route can also be tackled just as easily from North to South.

The alternative route keeps you on the coastline after Berwick upon Tweed up to Dunbar before reaching Edinburgh, reducing the distance to 173 miles/277km.

Of all the northern routes, this is my favourite ride and it takes in both some stunning coastal scenery and also lots of historic sites, including, Tynemouth Priory, Warkworth Castle, Alnwick Castle (detour) Dunstanburgh Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Lindisfarne Castle/Holy Island, The Berwick Walls, Norham Castle and finally Edinburgh Castle.

If your itinerary and time allows then the ultimate Coast & Castles experience is to get “marooned” overnight on Lindisfarne/Holy Island and watch the causeway being cut off as the tide comes in to isolate the island for the next few hours.