Emma Cragg

My goal for day two of my trip (read about day one here) was to cycle a full loop around the reservoir. At 40 km this would be by far my longest ever ride. On the whole I was looking forward to it, but in the back of my mind I had a few anxious thoughts about what could go wrong.

Thankfully those fears remained in my imagination and my day was characterised by some good decisions. The first two made before I even left the B&B…

1. Opting for a sausage sandwich and small pot of coffee instead of a full English at breakfast.
2. Choosing to wear the padded liners in my cycling shorts, despite the heat.
3. Seeking advice about which direction to cycle around the reservoir… and then listening to it.

This last one, I believe, was the difference between me finishing the ride and being beaten by it. Starting at Tower Knowe and cycling anti-clockwise meant that I was descending most of the steepest sections. There were still a few uphill stretches that proved a challenge for me but in general they were more gradual rather than short and sharp.

I also managed to avoid any nasty tumbles. Only on one of the latter steep descents that included some sharp turns did I feel the bike slipping from under me. I was able to respond quickly and managed to regain control.

I set off a little before 10AM with the intention of taking my time. However, there’s little reason to stop on the north side and little shade, so bar a couple of short stops to take photos and grab a drink, I continued along my way for 19 km.

I arrived at Kielder well before noon. This was originally where I had planned to stop for lunch as it’s roughly half-way. I was feeling relatively fresh, and not in need of anything more than a snack, so decided to keep going.

A few kilometres further on, near Matthew’s Linn, I found a quiet and shady spot next to a jetty to eat my sandwiches. I would have loved to sit here longer to read and enjoy the views but the lack of a breeze meant the midges were out in full force.

At 27 km, stopping for a tub of ice cream (the flavour was cherry crush, in case you were wondering) at the Waterside visitor centre felt like a brilliant idea but when I got up to get going again my legs felt like jelly. Thankfully the next few kilometres were pretty steady, retracing the route around the peninsula that I’d walked the day before) and I got back in my rhythm.

With 5km left of the loop I hit a wall. The loudest sound I could hear was my heart thumping in my chest. A brief stop half-way up a hill to throw cold water over myself and refuel was necessary. That pick-me-up just about got me to the finish line, where I arrived around 2:30PM.

Before setting off for home I bundled my bike back into the car, thanked the visitor centre staff for their advice, refuelled with my remaining sandwiches and a coffee and chocolate brownie from the café. I’d intended to take myself for a celebratory pint on my return home, but instead crashed on the sofa with a cup of sugary tea.

Cycling stats

Distance covered: 40.11 km

Elapsed time: 4 hours 36 minutes

Moving time: 3 hours 1 minute

Average speed: 12.5 km/hr

Max speed: 30.3 km/hr

Max elevation: 231 m

Tags: #holiday #northumberland #cycling

In anticipation of starting a new part-time role at the end of the month, and losing the flexibility that my freelance life offers, I booked myself a midweek overnight stay near Kielder Water in Northumberland.

My plan for day one of the trip was to walk a 10 km loop around Bull Crag peninsula, starting and ending at the Waterside visitor centre. Day two would involve cycling the full 40 km loop of the lake on the Lakeside Way.

On day one I set off for my walk around 11:30AM and, given the number of parked cars, I was surprised how few people I met on the path. For long stretches all I could hear was the crunching of my footsteps, the birds and the gentle lapping of water.

I walked for around an hour and stopped in the shade of the pine forest to eat lunch. I made sure that distance wise I was at least half way along the route. My picnic spot was idyllic with a strong, and welcome, breeze coming off the water.

Before setting off again I swapped my camera for my binoculars to see what I could spot in what proved to be a dense section of forest. There was plenty of activity, based on the birdsong. I heard wrens, robins, and a willow warbler but only caught sight of the underside of a siskin and a very friendly chaffinch.

The last section of my walk along the ‘alternative route’ which helps to form the loop around the peninsula was by far the least scenic few kilometres. It was hilly too with a far more uneven surface and very little shade.

I finished the loop around 2:45PM and treated myself to an ice cream (a mint Magnum was the day’s choice) and an espresso. After this refuelling stop and with a couple of hours to go before I could check in to my B&B, I hopped in the car, parked up near the dam and set out to check out another stretch of the shoreline.

Walking along the dam gave a great angle across the reservoir and I enjoyed the return of the breeze. With the exception of a few cyclists on the dam who were coming to the end of their rides at Hawkhope, I only saw one pair of walkers who were following the same route as me onto The Belling and up to the Wave Chamber.

On the dot of 5PM I made my way to the nearby village of Falstone to check in to my accommodation for the night. After cleaning up, I secured a quiet spot in the (relatively) cool bar to enjoy a meal and refreshing pint (or two) before turning in for an early night ahead of continuing my Kielder adventure on day two.

Walking stats

Distance covered: 16.46 km

Elapsed time: 4 hours 46 minutes

Moving time: 2 hours 7 minutes

Average speed: 5 km/hr

Max elevation: 249 m

Tags: #holiday #walking #activity #northumberland