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After our earlier bicycles tours, twotimes a trip around Holland (2003 and 2000), a trip
along the rivers, Donau, Neckar and Rhine from Vienna to
Beverwijk and a trip from Newcastle to Harwich we decided to cycle a next part
of the North Sea Cycle route in the summer of 2004. In june of 2004 we wanted
to cycle from Newcastle to
John o'Groats. Because this is a part of the North Sea Cycle route
we had no trouble at all to find whick maps we had to buy.
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9 june, half clowded, 22 á 24 degrees, sunny From our living place it is a short distance towards the harbour of IJmuiden, where the ferry to Newcastle will departure. To reckon with a possible flat tire and some delay at another ferry, crossing the Noordzeekanaal, we left rather early. We arrived in IJmuiden more than one hour before boarding time. After we checked in we received our boarding tickets. Timits thirty or forty bikers we cycled into the cargo area of the ferry. The roaring of the engines was great. On this ship we could tie our bikes against the side of the ship. With a belt, we could tighten up our bicycles. (next) |
The Duke of Scandinavia is a large ship. This time we slept on deck 8. The buffet of sea food in
one of the restaurants was tastefull. .
The prices of coffee and red wine are still very high, but probably normal. Later that evening
we went to one of the bars to drink some wine and we had to sit through the performance of the
piano player who sang terrible.
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10 june, windy, half clowded, 18 á 22 degrees, sunny
We started our trip and what a start. About 9:15 we departed from the ship. At the very
first roundabout we said goodbuy to the other cyclists. We directly took a wrong road because
the signs pointed towards a single way road, so we that we had to take the other road
close by. Eventually after a short tour through a nice
harbour of newcastle we took the single way road and we started our trip.
A lot of turning in Newcastle but very well signed. A nice start along the harbour and
nicely rebuild houses.
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The cyclepath along the very busy A193 was a bit boring, but very well to cycle.
In Blyth we had to find our way again. My impression was that the route didn't follow the map
completely.
In this town the supermarket owner told us that we must keep an eye on our bikes. So we
bought a bread very fast and off we were again.
From Blyth to Lynemouth the scenery wasn't as nice as the first part. Long distances along
the busy A189.
Camping Proctor's Steads is clean and has showers with a lot of room. |
Dunstan to Berwick upon Tweed, 61 km
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11th june, a lot of wind, half clowded, 17 á 18 degrees, some rain
We started with a lot of wind today. A windforce 5 or 6 and the wind blew the whole day.
It costed a lot of strength and our speed was reduced till 12 kilometres per hour.
Just after Dunstan we had to cross the farmyard of a farmer to follow the cycle path. At first
we didn't know where to go because the fence didn't open easily.
But it took us to a wonderful surrounding. A lot of prospects, sometimes to the country and
sometimes to the sea.
The hills are quite steep already, how about Scotland. After a long descent from West Fleetham
we reached Seahouses.
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Just before this town we had to climb some heavy hills. In Belford we did some shopping and
we bought some bread and cheese. Until Ferwick we cycled through a nice scenery and sometimes
we had a marvellous view on Holy Island.
Along the railroad track, just after Beal, we had to cycle on a cycle path which was in a
very bad condition. A lot of large pieces of rock and a lot of fences.
After passing Cheswick we had to cross a very bad path again.
Further at Cocklawburn Beach we had to cycle along the cliffs on nothing more than a
country road, which is used as a cycle path.
Camping Seaview is neatly, clean and has a small area for tents.
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Berwick upon Tweed to Melrose, 81 km
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12th june, clowded, heavy wind, 17 degrees in the morning, 24 degrees in the afternoon, very sunny
We left the camping in Berwick at about 8:15. After a short trip along the harbour we had
to climb the bridge of this town. After we passed the bridge we cycled towards Horncliffe.
The climb out of Berwick was quite heavy. It is amazing to find that some of the
steep hills, pointed out on the map, are not that heavy and that we had to work very hard
on places which were not pointed out as steep hills.
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In Kelso, a lovely town with a nice marketplace, we did some shopping, after we drank some
tea and ate a tasteful sandwich, on one of the scarce terraces.
Unfortenately we did not had time to visit the Floors Castle and because of the high wall
we couldn't see anything of this impressive castle.
The camping in Melrose, Gibson Parc Camping, is neatly and clean. The tentarea, with a nice
view is unfortunately a bit oblique.
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Melrose to Innerleithen, 34 km
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13th june, clowded, wind, ±19 degrees, later strong wind and heavy clowded
Today we had to cycle a short distance, because we don't want to make the climb
to Edinburgh to long. That's the reasan that we stopped after 34 kilometres in Innterleithen.
| Until Caddonfoot we had to cycle along the A707. The expected busy traffic gave us no problems. The drivers passed us with enough space. After about 2 miles we left the A707 and we had to cycle along the left side of river Tweed to Innerleithen. The road goes up and down. It seems as if we are back on our bicycle tour along the Donau. But now we cycled over the hill instead through the valley. Before we could reach the camping of Innerleithen we had to cycle through the village to get on the otherside of river Tweed. Innerleithen gave us a disconsolate impression. Probably the dark weather. Well, we are leaving tomorrow.
The camping in Innerleithen, Tweed Side, the bathroom wasn't neat, 2x 50 pence for a little
bit of water and for no water at all.
From the tentarea we had a nice view on the hills.
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Innerleithen to Edinburgh, 77 km
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14th juni, clowded, 15 degrees, a lot of wind (against) and later a bit of sun
We left the camping in Innerleithen at 8:00 with the camping in Dalkeith as our goal
for that day. Because of the hard blowing wind, we feared the hills, but the Englishman in
the low shelter next to our tent said to us "You'll never know how the wind falls" and he
was right. The first 10 kilometres until the crossing with the B709 we cycled up with
a slight rise and with the (cold) wind blowing in our backs.
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Camping "Edingburgh Caravan Club" has a very nice, clean bathroom, well layed out,
and has a covered picnick/cooking place. The camping site is on walking distance of the boulevard.
along the Firth of Forth. There is a busstop before the camping to get the bus to Edinburgh center.
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15th june, half clowded, sun, ±24 degrees
Gerda isn't feeling well, therefore we decided to stay on this camping for another day.
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16th june, half clowded, clowded, ±19 degrees Gerda is still not 100%, wij stayed here for a second day. We decided to go to the city of Edinburgh. The reception of camping gave us the nescessary information. The bus stops just before the camping and for £ 2,00 each you get a day ticket. With this ticket you may travel with every bus in Edinburgh. My first experience with a dubble bus gave me a bumb on my head. Edinburgh city has a lot of sights. (next) |
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17th june, clowded, ±17 degrees, rain from time to time
| In Debenham we sat in front of a marvellous glass in led window drinking a cup of coffee. In the same pizzeria as yesterday later in the afternoon, we had some tea and coffee and a tastefull sandwich. In the evening we walked some time along the boulevard of Firth of Forth. The temperature was more confinient as two days ago. |
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18th june, clowded, rain, hail, sun, rain, sun, rain, cold ±15 degrees, less wind.
Gerda was feeling better and inspite of the threatening weather we decided to go further this day.
The tent was still wet, but it didn't rain on that moment so we wanted to leave as soon
as possible.
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Camping "the Caravan Club" has clean bathrooms, lies in a woody area, the tentarea is quite unequal. |
Markinch to St. Andrews, 37 km
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19th june, heavy clowded, with rain so now and than, cold ±14 degrees
Because it is very cold today we stopped quite early. We are not going to make it
to John o'Groats by bike. We even think about it, to return to Newcastle by train sooner.
Today the route is very beautiful, some steep hills now and than but it is very cold. During
a descent my watch stated me 14 degrees. But thats to much. It's probably 7 or 8 degrees.
My hands were very cold.
Before Ceres we took the wrong way although according to my memory, the signs pointed to
the road we took.
Result: 3 kilometres extra. On the middle of the A916 we stopped a car to ask the driver if he
could tell us where we were. He showed us the way and the gentlemen in the next car waited
patiently.
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The hill to Srathkinness was quite heavy, but we could keep cycling, the view
from the crossing to
Craightoun Meadows Holiday Parc is expensive, but the very clean sanitary even had two bathrooms. The first camping with a restaurant and a recreationroom. |
St. Andrews to Carnoustie, 53 km
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20th june, clowded, sun from time to time, in the afternoond some a lot of rain, ±17 degrees
After leaving the camping we had to deal with a hill to the crossing to
Strathkinnes, then with a lot of speed downwards through the Bishop's Wood to
the crossing with the B939 where we had to break very hard.
The climb through the village was hard, the descent after Strathkinnes towards
Guardbridge and
Leuchars went very fast. Besides the surrounding of this part was very beautiful.
At Tensmuir Forest we took the shorter route through this wood. This cyclepath was in a
good condition and pleasant to cycle, it's a bit pitty that this path runs into
a country-road a mile before leaving this wood. On this point we first took a wrong path, but
luckily after 500 meters I realised that we went wrong. So we turned and took the
country-road instead.
The route along the Firth of Tay richting Tayport is in a very bad condition. We almost fell
of our bikes. On this trip I often feared the bikes to be damaged.
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Woodland Caravan Parc has a neat sanitary and a small recreation room. |
Carnoustie to Bush/St. Cyrus, 57 km
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21st june, half clowded, ±18 degrees, some rain, less wind.
Last night I had it cold, probably I've slept with my feet of my sleeping mattress.
After we packed our stuff we cycled down the hill to the mainstreet of Carnoustie. After
a few kilometres we faced the same problem as yesterday. Because of the working on the A92
some crossroads are closed down completely. We went back and we had to take the A92.
The road is very busy, traffic hour, but we managed. Only very few cardrivers were of the
opinion that we were not allowed to cycle there
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In Montrose we drank some coffee in what we thought is was an old yail, a nice place to have
a drink. After the coffee we did our shopping at the Tesco supermarket close to the railroad
station.
At Bush we should take a camping, but we didn't like it. We decided to go further to
Johnshaven where the
next camping should be. But on the next crossing we saw a sign to another camping.
After a very steep descent towards the camping, it appeared to be the right one.
Then I had to cycle the steep hill to pickup Gerda who left on the top of the hill.
Miltonhaven Seaside Caravan Park, lies nicely along the coast and has good fascilities. Wigwams can be hired. A recommendation worthwhile. |
Bush/St. Cyrus to Aberdeen/Netherley, 67 km
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22nd june, half clowded, ±19 degrees, some showers, less wind.
In beautiful weather we left the camping. We had to walk right away. The first part of the climb
from the camping is very steep and hardly to cycle. At the A92 we went right and we followed this
road to Johnshaven.
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The first camping where we wanted to stay was too dirty. The windows of the reception were
broken and covered with wood. A couple of caravans were closed with wood and the sanitary
was very dirty and smelled awfull.
When we were searching for the next camping, somebody in a car, addressed us and wanted to
help us. He told us we could sleep at his house. But we asked him the way to the second
camping. He told us the way and said us goodbuy. But in the meattime
he had driven to the camping and he had to tell us that this camping didn't allow
tents. (
see the map
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Then we had quite a problem because the next camping along the route was 60 kilometres further.
When he again offered to sleep at his place we eventually
The stay at the night in the house of Alison and Roger Mattingley was fantastisc. A new experience to us. |
Netherley/Aberdeen to Turriff, 65 km
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23rd june, very clowded, bad weather, rain, hard wind, ± degrees
Because Roger should bring us to Aberdeen station before he went to work we had to rise
early. He gave us the advice to take the train from Aberdeen to Dyce, so that we don't
have to cycle across Aberdeen during the peak hours.
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and runs all the way to Maud, in different conditions with a lot of bad pieces.
Because the weather was getting worse the condition of the cyclepath became worser and worser.
It was getting difficult to cycle further. On some part you could hardly speak of cycling, it
was as if we were mountainbiking.
Beside that I had to carry our bikes many times across the fences, placed to prefent motorcyclist
to use the cyclepath.
But carrying about 60 times a loaded bike over a fence ain't fun. Get rid of them.
This has nothing to do with cycling. Although the track runs through a wonderful country
this is not an invitation for tourist cycling.
A warning on the Sustrans map, that the track will be very muddy and slippery in the rain, can
do no harm. Or even better, improve this path.
Turriff caravan parc, is clean and neat. |
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24th june, heavy clouds, bad weather, rain all day, ± 10 degrees
Because of the very bad weather, it was very cold and it was raining very hard, we decided
to stay on the camping side. Inspite of the wet tentarea we stayed on the camping of Turriff.
| After the backery we went to the Union Hotel again for some pots of tea. Around noon we took some sandwiches and some coffee. Eventually it became almost 15:00 hour. We went back to the camping, but first we bought some penny-loafs and cheese at the saveway supermarket. The promised weather clearence didn't come. It rained all day and night without stopping. Turriff caravan parc, after a night and day of rain the tentarea gave us less trouble |
Turriff to Huntley/Inverness, 34 km
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25th june, heavy clowded, dry, some rain, ± 11 degrees
We are so tired of the bad weather and the cold, that we decided to drive to Huntly.
We didn't follow the route towards Banff but we headed for the closest railroad station.
A distance of 25 kilometres. From Huntly we should take the train to Inverness.
A second reason to go to Inverness by train, is the fact the we have to book the train trip back
from Inverness to Newcastle. You are adviced to book in advance, first it is cheaper but you
must book in advance for the bikes. When you buy the traintickets on the day you want to travel
you cann't make a reservation for the bikes. I'm getting a bit frightened that other persons
had booked for the bikes already.
Later it appeared that it was a good idea.
Inspite that John, the waiter of the Union Hotel, told us that it was only a short climb and a
nice slow downhill to Huntly, is was a heavy and a very long climb with the wind blewing in
our faces.
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if there was place for our bikes, for we didn't booked for the bikes. There was place, but
unfortunately the conductor sold us return tickets. £26 was a bit too much afterwards.
After one and a half hour we arrived in Inverness. We wanted to stay at the youthhostel, because
Alison and Roger had told us that they stayed in Inverness that weekend.
But there was no room for us. The 4 youth hotes had no available rooms for us either so we
went to the camping site.
Inverness caravan parc, doesn't have a clean looking sanitary, but it is cleaned regularly. |
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26th june, heavy clowded, dry, in the afternoon some showers, ± 13 degrees
The lovely sommerweather of yesterday afternood was gone completely. It was clowded
| The centre of Inverness, isn't very large, but it has a nice centre. It has a very modern, nice shopping centre, where a number of large shops, such as Marks and Spencer and the Saveways supermarket are connected to the shopping centre with covered walking bridges. In this centre we spend several hours because it rained quite hard in the afternoon. In the city centre there is also a very old shopping centre, called the Victorian Market a covered centre with a lot of small shops. The modeltrains at the end of the market were nice to see. They run above our heads and passed several modelbridges which were copies of real bridges. |
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27th june, half clowded, dry, later in Newcastle warm and sunny
The train should leave on 9:40 from Inverness station, so we didn't have to hurry while breaking
up. We first took a shower and we packed our luggage and broke up our tent in slowmotion.
Before 9 o'clock we cycled to the city. The train was already warming up, but we were not
allowed to put our bikes in to the luggageroom.
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The train route is really magnificient. Especially the first part from Inverness to Edinburgh.
Sometime later is was very nice that we passed a couple of hundred kilometres of the
route that we cycled in the first days. We passed the camping in Berwick upon Tweed, very
close to the tentarea. With almost the same view as from the tentarea.
What troubled me, was the fact that the train didn't arrive in Newcastle according to the
train scedule on 15:00 but with a delay of more than 20 minutes.
We had to cycle from Newcastle station to the ferry, a distance of 12 or 13 kilometres, Not too
much, but you may have to deal with some delay.
After some brown water in the beginning, the passage went smoothly. Luckily the pianoplayer on this ship was much better than the first one. |
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28th june, half clowded, dry, warm and sunny
According to the schedule we arrive in IJmuiden.
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With the wind blowing in our backs we arrived at the ferry of IJmuiden very soon. When we stood
on the ferry, across the North Sea Canal, we talked to 4 guys who just started a bicycle holiday
around Holland. After the ferry we drove with them to Beverwijk where we said goodbuy to them.
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10 juli
I would like to thank all the English and Scottish people who have helped
us in England and Scotland, finding
supermarkets, campings, or who helped us when we were lost or in doubt and for
being so
kindly to us on the road.
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2006 Gerda and I were very shocked, to hear that Alison died on Monday, April 4, 2005, as a result of a cycling accident, on the very first day of a next cycling holiday. |
| Route | km | Camping | web site/email | Remarks |
| Newcastle to Dunstan | 85 | Proctor Steads | www.proctorsstead.co.uk | Neat and clean |
| Dunstan to Berwick upon Tweed | 61 | Camping Seaview | camping and caravanning club | Neat, clean, almost in the centre of town |
| Berwich upon Tweed to Melrose | 81 | Gibson Parc Camping | camping and caravanning club | neat, clean, 500 metres from town |
| Melrose to Innerleithen | 34 | Camping Tweed Side | Not quite neat, cold shower, on the northside of river Tweed, great view from the tentarea |
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| Innerleithen to Edinburgh | 77 | Edinburgh Caravan Club | camping and caravanning club | wonderfull sanitary, covered picnick tables and cooking place, , close to the coast |
| Edinburgh to Markinch | 61 | the Caravan Parc | camping and caravanning club | neat sanitary, tentarea among trees is a bit bumbpy |
| Markinch to St. Andrews | 37 | Craigtown Meadows holiday parc | Expensive, but very nice sanitary, even two bathrooms with a bath. Restaurant and recreationroom are available |
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| St. Andrews to Carnoustie | 53 | Woodlands Caravan Parc | Clean, good sanitary, recreation room, a pot coffee of the warden |
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| Carnoustie to Bush/St. Cyrus | 57 | Miltonhave Seaside Caravan Park | www.miltonhaven.co.uk | here we slept in a Wigwam. The english version of the dutch Trekkershut, very clean sanitary |
| Bush/St. Cyrus to Aberdeen/Netherley | 67 | The house of the family Mattingley | ||
| Netherley/Aberdeen to Turriff | 65 | Turriff caravan parc | camping and caravanning club | The camping at the sport fields and along the river the 'burn of Turriff' is neat and clean |
| Turriff/Huntley to Inverness | 34 | Inverness caravan parc | The sanitary of this citycamping didn't look clean, but it was cleaned regularly. |
| Part | choice |
| bikes | Koga Miyata, adventure |
| tyres | Continental touring, Vredestein Perfect, Vredestein Max |
| tent | Lightwave, t3xt |
| sleeping mattresses | Thermorest, small, long |
| chairs | Thermorest chairs |
| cooking | dragon fly, MSR |
| race trousers | AGU, with extra large inlayer, very comfortable on our wider sadles |
| under cloathing | AGU with/without windbreaker, Craft windbreaker |
| raincoats | AGU, poray 5000 |
| shoes | LOWA |
| sleeping bags | Mc Kinley |
| bicycle bags | AGU |
| bags | two Ortlieb, watertight bags, for tent and chairs |
| Tip |
| Use maintained bikes, tyres, take some reserve inner tyres and perhaps a folding tyre, brakes, brake cable, and gear cable |
| take drinkwater bottles, with enough water, eat on time. |
| check whether the camping sites pointed on the maps are still there and try to find extra campings through the Internet or other maps |
| Use large plastic bags in the cycle bags, ecspecially when they are not waterproof. |
| Take some extra pegs (nail model, lightweight and strong) |
| Cycle this trip from North to South if possible. There is a bigger chance that the weather will be improving every day. |
| In Engeland and Schotland bikes can be carried on trains for free, but making reservatons for the bikes is adviced. Buy the tickets in advance, it's much cheaper |
| take some lashes to tighten the bikes on the ship |
| we use sun/rain peaks, made of handkerchieves, very useful during rainfall |
bicycle holiday shop in Woerden
National Cycle Network
northsea cycle route
sustrans route kaarten
wigwam holidays
DFDS Seaways
reisverhalen.pagina.nl
koga miyata
railtrack
scotrail
national rail
visit scotland
woodside hotel
reisverhalen van Frank de Neling en Dagmar Hekelaar
reisverhalen van Clara Dubber en Jan Bruin
