Updated 29 June
Food
The Cheviot, Bellingham – Menu Choices ( I need you to pre-order before we depart on the tours).
Reivers 1, 14 to 16 July….. The Cheviot Menu 160716
Reivers 2, 21 to 24 July….. The Cheviot Menu 230716
Raggy Heirlooms
Sunday lunch, either 16 or 24 July, Denise is offering a choice of soup, leek and potato or carrot and coriander with a roll, a choice of cake, tray bake etc and a hot drink.
Day 2, facts resulting from our research day yesterday, Carlisle to Newcastleton.
Navigational Issues
Rievers Route 10 markers, these are frequently either very badly faded, hidden or non-existent. The official route guide is not sufficiently detailed to compensate for these signage issues, OS Explorer maps are therefore essential.
Day two crosses through some very remote country, as a result there are no ideal places to visit for ‘comfort breaks. This holds true for the whole of the day.
On a more positive note, once the M6 motorway has been crossed (remembering to look both ways) the scenery can often be absolutely breathtaking. Lunch is now confirmed as Bewcastle, this decision has been made as shelter is available if the weather is poor, also the views are worth the wait. This means the first half of the day will require around 4 1/2 hours cycling, making lunchtime about 2 o’clock.
After lunch your Trail Leader will need to concentrate on the route to Newcastleton, this is a difficult section of the tour to negotiate for the reasons stated earlier.
Photographs
Update 18 March
Updated 4 March
Day 1, facts to share from our time spent following the route from Workington to Carlisle.
Closures
Despite reassurances by Sustrans that the route had not been damaged by the Christmas floods, we found;
a) Road officially closed at Camerton, extensive riverside erosion, road surface missing, but at the time of our visit the repairs were nearing completion and it was passable on bikes, and unofficially in a van.
b) Wall collapse at Cockermouth, route closed, rubble everywhere. No official detour in place, but can be easily negotiated using alternative roads.
c) Bridge closed to all traffic, including cyclist and pedestrians at Iselgate. This bridge looks to be awaiting damage inspection, and the closure barricades are substantial. Due to its remoteness and hence low priority, this bridge may still be closed come July. Again there is no official Rievers route detour offered, but an alternative, longer route, has been found.
In General
On arrival in Workington we will be able to get hot drinks, bacon sandwiches and use of toilets at Tesco. The cafe manager, Peter is more than happy to help us out. After visiting Tesco we drive to a car park just a short distance away and make ready for departure.
Lunch will be at ‘Over Water’. Note, due to the remoteness of this location there are no facilities available. Unfortunately there isn’t any obvious alternative that’s close to the Reivers Route, but there is a fabulous view of ‘Back of Skiddaw’ and the Caldbeck Fells.
Later in the day the Post Office at Hesket Newmarket offers a warm welcome and very clean and brightly coloured toilets, also tea, coffee and cake too!
The route through Carlisle to our hotel is challenging, and best undertaken on foot for safety reasons. It’s a very busy city and difficult for the visiting cyclist to negotiate.
It follows that the route out of Carlisle on the morning of day 2 is equally demanding and at one point involves using lifts were the bike capacity is approximately 1.75 bikes per lift (small lifts). Patience will be required, or the use of the flight of steps adjacent to the lift shaft for the more energetic in the group.
Photographs
Updated 4 March
Day 1 Views, taken during the research trip.
GOOD AND POOR ROUTE SIGNAGE
Accommodation
First Night – Carlisle (Crown & Mitre Hotel)
Second Night – Newcastleton (either The Grapes Hotel or The Liddesdale Hotel)
Third Night – Bellingham (either The Cheviot Hotel or Lyndale Guest House)
Reivers Tour Sightseeing
