Just to confirm

See my comment in the previous post about Wooler now just for one night. This should mean we are booked as follows:


Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th May at Bellingham booked by Shawn
Wednesday 27th May at Wooler booked by me
Thursday 28th May at Beal booked by Clyde
Friday 29th May at Amble booked by Maldwyn.


Logistics for travel and rendez-vous have yet to be arranged as the window for advanced rail bookings is not yet open. Perhaps one more meeting would be an idea to finalise arrangements (and maybe have a drink??). Clyde has suggested that he will be in UK on Thursday 16th April. Would that be convenient? - we could use the Brunswick again as it was OK last time and is near to bus and train stations.

Anybody fancy a variation on our planned trip?

I wonder if this cunning plan will find favour with any of you. After staying just one night at Wooler, we could continue on NCR68 up to Berwick (47.63 km according to Mapometer), and then ride 24.06 km on NCR1 down to Holy Island. There are (in principle - I haven't checked availability yet) some B&Bs and a pub in a village called Lowick, which is very close to the island. Prices of singles and twins work out at £27, £30 or £35 pp, depending on the place. The next day's ride would be 75.04 km to Amble. This leaves all the distances at much the same as they are with a Woller-HI-Wooler return trip, ie at about 75 km or less. The island itself could be accessed at the end of the ride from Berwick (up till late evening, or sunset to be realistic! - we could have a drink or a meal there before going back to the mainland and turning in at our hostelry) or in the morning of 29 May (up till 11:00 according to the table). What do you think? I will make tentative enquiries at the Lowick places - it could be they are booked!

Holy Island safe crossing times

This comes from the Northumberland CC website:

Mon	25	11:05 until 19:35	19:35 until 23:20	23:20 until 08:00 (Tue)	08:00 (Tue) until 11:45 (Tue)
Tue	26	11:45 until 20:35	20:35 until 00:05 (Wed)	00:05 (Wed) until 09:00 (Wed)	09:00 (Wed) until 12:40 (Wed)
Wed	27	00:05 until 09:00	09:00 until 12:40	12:40 until 21:35	21:35 until 01:10 (Thu)
Thu	28	01:10 until 10:00	10:00 until 13:45	13:45 until 22:35	22:35 until 02:20 (Fri)
Fri	29	02:20 until 11:00	11:00 until 15:00	15:00 until 23:25	23:25 until 03:35 (Sat)
Sat	30	03:35 until 11:50	11:50 until 16:10	16:10 until 00:00 (Sun)	00:00 (Sun) until 04:40 (Sun)
Sun	31	04:40 until 12:25	12:25 until 17:15	17:15 until 00:35 (Mon)	00:35 (Mon) until 05:40 (Mon)

Green is safe, red unsafe (as you'd expect)

Trains to Carlisle

Shawn:

The May Bank Holiday Monday, 4 May, timetable is now available.
Not looking good if similar engineering work is repeated on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday.
No through trains from Crewe apart from a 7.32, price has gone up as well
No trains from Crewe on the Sunday other than via Manchester.
East Coast route to Newcastle seems unaffected and may be cheaper.

If all else fails we could still leave early Saturday morning and be in Carlisle by Sunday night, only 200 miles?

Just 3 weeks to find out what adventures the 25 May timetable offers!

Garmin Connect - Bellingham to Keilder and back

Garmin Connect - Bellingham to Keilder and back

How does this look guys? I am just trying out drawing a route on Garmin Connect. Can you see it? Try clicking on Garmin Connect. Can you  transfer it to your Garmin Device? Let me know and try a route or two of your own to share and comment on.

 I cannot upload Mapometer files to the Garmin so writing routes on Garmin connect might be easier for sharing. What does everyone think?

Summer rail timetables

The current timetables finish on the 16th of May; I don't think the summer ones are out yet.
Does anyone know

• when the summer ones become available?
• will trains operate to a normal weekday service on the Bank Holiday Monday 25th May?
• are either East or West Coast Mainline services likely to be affected by engineering works/diversions/rail replacement buses over the Bank Holiday weekend?

Bellingham Bunk House Confirmed Booking

I have BOOKED and paid for the bunkhouse at Bellingham for 2 nights (25/5 - 27/5)at total cost of  £216 (£36 per person). If anyone has to cancel for any reason then let me know and I can adjust the booking by contacting YHA.

Wooler accomodation - 27th and 28th May

Wooler YH is fully booked all of the week including our 2 days. I have been given an alternative of the Black Bull pub in the centre of Wooler but the cost each for the two days will be £55. Can I go ahead??


UPDATE 5th February


3 twin rooms booked - £27.50pppn including breakfast.


I have paid a small deposit to confirm each room - we can sort the finances in May.

Accommodation 29th May

I have booked Harbour Guest House (Amble) for the Friday 29th (£10 per head deposit paid).

I had a trawl  around Amble/Warkworth and most places are booked or do not have rooms available  suitable for our requirements, fortunately HGH can accommodate all of us at £35 per person.

Dragonride 2015 - Northumberland

It was good to see everyone last night and to welcome Jim to the group. Although one or two alternatives were submitted it was quickly agreed that the tour focus this year would be Northumberland and after some discussion a basically triangular loop to/from Newcastle was settled on. This would comprise two nights at Bellingham YH to allow a tour of Kielder Water and two at Wooler for a visit to Holy Island (Lindisfarne). NCN68 runs between Bellingham and Wooler. By good fortune the Lindisfarne causeway opening times are favourable for a late morning arrival/afternoon departure in that week. From Wooler we would return to Newcastle using the "Coasts and Castles" route NCN1 over 2 days. We all agreed to try to find suitable accommodation in the Warkworth/Amble area. The question of the starting date was left open for all to consult diaries/wives etc but would be Sunday May 24th, Monday 25th or Tuesday 26th. An early decision on this would be good to allow maximum time to book the Hostel at Bellingham which has only 15 beds. Responses in the form of comments would be appreciated.


UPDATE Sun 1st February.


Thanks for all the comments which I summarise:


Bellingham for the nights of May 25th and 26th - Shawn to book.


Wooler for the nights of May 27th and 28th - Peter to book.


Warkworth/Amble area for the night of 29th May - Maldwyn to find and book.


Those returning home by train can either take an early evening train from Newcastle on 30th or stay over in Newcastle. All to make their own arrangements for this.

Dates

Could we re-confirm dates for accommodation and rides.

My understanding is:

Bellingham 2N Mon 25th and Tues 26th

- Kielder ride on the 26th
-Depart and ride to Wooler on the 27th

Wooler 2N Wed 27th and Thurs 28th

- Ride to Holy Island and back to Wooler on the 28th
- Depart Wooler on the 29th and ride to Amble via Seahouses and along coast (approx 40 miles)

Amble 1N Fri 29th

- Depart for Newcastle Sat 30th

If I have got this right, I could go ahead and check Amble accommodation availability and book.

I will not need accommodation in Newcastle - Karen will pick me up.

Bellingham Bunkhouse Booking for Monday 25th May 2015(2 nights)

Accomodation for 2 nights @ Bellingham Bunkhouse  ie   mon 25/5/2015 - wed 27/5/2015    for 6 of us
= £216 (£36 each for 2 nights)

No discount for members, book up front, 90% refund if cancelled more than 24 hours in advance. 

I will book and pay(for now!) for this hostel if all confirm they are OK by commenting below. 

Peter will you look into the options for wednesday and thursday night's accomodation? I believe Maldwyn already has an idea for friday night in Amble to look into further?

Check out  the link for a  Guest House in Amble.

harbourguesthouseamble.co.uk