Bit of info on Kielder please

[mtb-steve]

Hi all.

Me and my wife are heading over to Kielder this weekend, we were there last year for a couple of days and did the ride around the lake and a few other bit n bobs.
My wife doesn't do mountain biking but she's happy with gravel roads and the occasional harder section that she gets off and walks, but no trail centre stuff, I'm not interested in trial centre man made riding either, I prefer natural trail riding but this weekend is more for her to do a bit of gravel and mild trails.
We were hoping to do the Cross border ride (cycle route 10?) this time but I've just seen on the Forestry England site that it's closed due to trees down, has anyone been recently and can tell me how much is open in the area please? How far can you get on the cross border ride before it's blocked?
Or any other routes in the area? I've looked on the OS app and Komoot but not found much.

Thanks
Steve

 

[The Hodge]

Call into the Bike Place Kielder ..opposite the Castle ..and ask for Ian Bell ( owner ) ..he should be able to point you in the right direction ..but with over one million trees down from Arwen ( and up to seven years to clear them ) you are going to be extremely limited as to where you can go ..
I'm fairly local and only ride the stuff you don't like at Kielder ..so no real help !

 

[thebarber]

You could try Newcastlton, even pedal that way .

 

[The Hodge]

Closed from the Kielder end ..not sure as to how much is open at the other side..

 

[mtb-steve]

Thanks, I never thought of the Bike shop. I could ask at one of the info centres but I'm certain they just say closed whatever with the whole public liability thing, we've been riding in the Lakes and while there's a few dodgy looking bits it's still safe enough if you keep an eye out. Obviously a forest is going to have a lot more trees down.
We have a loose plan now, we'll cycle from the campsite (Nr Bellingham) to Kielder on back lanes and a couple of bridleways then see from there, North shore is open with diversions looking on the forestry website, took a little digging before I found the list of open/closed trails.

Thanks
Steve

 

[militantmandy]

You could try Newcastlton, even pedal that way .

Newcastleton us wiped out according to DMBINS

 

[mtb-steve]

It looks like we'll be just doing a couple of simple rides, it's more for the weekend away and coffee n cake run , would have been nice to try the cross border route but it's looking like a fair bit is still closed over that side.

Steve

 

[The Hodge]

Wild guess..staying at the Boe Rigg?

 

[thebarber]

Just go for a ride and see how ya get on

 

[mtb-steve]

Wild guess..staying at the Boe Rigg?

Yes, I'd already booked the camping before finding the trails we want to ride closed.

 

[mtb-steve]

Just go for a ride and see how ya get on

That's what we've decided.

 

[thebarber]

The red route from leaplish north is canny tame

 

[mtb-steve]

Had a good weekend at Kielder. North side has much less damage than the south side so we rode a selection of bridleways in the area, mainly to the south of Kielder but we also rode north shore.

 

[The Hodge]

The red route from leaplish north is canny tame

There isn't a red route from here ..just the Lakeside Way ..neither is there a Leaplish anymore it's been re-named "Waterside" ..( but we still call it by its original name ).

 

[thebarber]

The bit where yo climb up to the observatory, there's some wooden features etc. Drops yo down to West of the village.

 

[The Hodge]

The red section near to the observatory that you are thinking of is on The Lonesome Pine Trail and yeah it is accessed from the Lakeside Way mainly a climb ( Stairway to Heaven) 2m wide boardwalk..it is still unfortunately closed ..it comes to a T junction where you turn left on the cross border route over to Newcastleton or right on a descent to lead you back to Kielder Village ( 3 separate sections ) ..all of this is still closed after Arwen..
The only red bits open are on the Deadwater Trail (90%) plus the black section ..

 

[thebarber]

Is the east side open from bike scene?
There's some canny trails there.
I'm up there mid July for a few days, hopefully they'll have sorted the damage by then.

 

[The Hodge]

They should have a good bit more open by then ..not sure what you mean by the East Side..
The " Blue " Osprey Trail is partly open with diversions ..work is ongoing ..your best bet would be to give Ian Bell a call ( he is there Friday / Saturday ) at The Bike Place ..who gets updated info from the forest ranger

Bike Hire in Kielder - The Bike Place

www.thebikeplace.co.uk