Distance : 27.81 Miles / 44.76 Kms
Bike Type : Gravel / CX
Difficulty : Moderate
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/50721317
If you have never done it, you need to ride through the Tyne Pedestrian Tunnel. It feels like a step back in time with its wooden escalators and porcelain tiles, which I guess is to be expected as it was built in the late 1940’s.
Although it was built 40 years earlier, the escalator entrance on the North side has surely been designed as the head of an early computer game monster. Windows represent both the eyes of the beast and your last ever glimpse of daylight before you are swallowed whole. A blue sign outside even looks like a pupil and strip lights above the eyes are surely luminous eyebrows. But it’s the gaping dark mouth that you will be focused on as you approach, with its long jagged tongue dragging you over a precipitous edge of no return and down into its belly.
Once you are beyond the threshold and on your way below things quickly brighten up. A fluorescent tractor beam seems to pull you down an endless flight of stairs. When at the top the experience can feel a little vertiginous, but before long you are near the bottom and in for a treat on two wheels.
Back in the saddle and entering the cyclists tunnel, you really feel and hear the rush of air as you speed down the ramp and across the paved floor. A seemingly endless caterpillar of light above you guides you on through this glossy chute. And then, in less than a minute you’re sailing up the gentle ramp towards the opposite end with a smile on your face, having forgotten about the weight of thousands of tonnes of water above you. A further two minutes and I was emerging from the lift, back into the glorious sunshine and blue skies that we have been experiencing lately.
Many folk, however, will not need to make use of the pedestrian tunnel to begin this ride, so I have started the route from the car park next to the tunnel’s South entrance. Both living in Northumberland, Gavin and I parked on the North side of the tunnel and rode through to the start point. We paused to admire a passing dredger on its way up the Tyne, before we set off East, headed for the sandy shores of South Shields.
Within a quarter of a mile we were onto a bridleway which took us around the back of Jarrow Hall, formerly Bede’s World. This is the site of the world’s only Anglo-Saxon farm and village, as well as the Bede Museum, celebrating the Vunerable Bede, father of history. It is my humble opinion that, if Bede had had a bike and not a book, he’d have been riding and not writing! Gavin tells me that the place is a good visit, especially for kids.
Just around the corner we passed a fantastic medieval bridge over the River Don, overlooked by the ruins of St Paul’s Monastery, one of Europe’s most influential centres of learning and culture in the 7th century.
Now onto main road for a short distance, and around the corner the difference in the architecture couldn’t have been more stark, as we returned to the heavy industry for what the area is now known. I find heavy industry fascinating and certainly no less interesting than the old stuff, so I was very happy to pass the Port of Tyne entrance and glimpse the huge cranes and storage silos behind the gates.
We rumbled down the cobbles of Mill Dam with its traditional pubs, on our way towards the South Shields Customs House. The Customs House was built in 1864, just before South Shields was declared an independent customs post in 1865. It is now a theatre and arts centre with a pleasant waterside setting.
Back on the riverside, we made our way past the Shields ferry landing in time to see her arrive from one of her regular sailings. A DFDS ferry and a P&O Cruise ship provided a great contrast for the tiny size of the Shields ferry.
Onward we passed waterside apartments and businesses until we reached the mouth of the river at Little Haven Beach. On making our way to the promenade I was slightly freaked out by 22 crinkly and frankly quite scary metal “weebles” (remember those!) leaning and gesturing into thin air. I pedalled on with haste.
The beach is pretty here and in the sunshine it was bliss just to cruise along. Watch out for sand across the path, however, as it takes a bit of control to handler the deeper drifts.
Passing the Gallipoli Memorial, commemorating the campaign of 1915, we headed out onto South Shields pier with its cobbles and old rails from the Titan crane that used to service the ships that would dock within the harbour. The crane may be gone, along with the shipping, but people are here aplenty, to take in the sea air and to fish, for cod, flounder, dab and more.
After a brief loop of the lighthouse we headed for shore and onto our route South past a small shoal of surfers catching some decent swell.
We stopped to take a quick look at the Victorian “Disappearing Gun” at Trow Point. It was “disappearing” in the sense that the mounting platform could be raised and lowered in the concrete gun pit. The gun is not the original, having been replaced on its centenary in 1987, and it was never used in action, which is probably a good job because ultimately it was unsuccessful. It looks good though.
Next stop down the path on this fantastic coastline was Marsden Rock, a 100 foot sea stack of periclase and limestone. Marsden Grotto, a hotel, bar and restaurant with a long history of smuggling and ghost stories, is located in a large man made cave behind the stack. 130 steps take you down to the grotto, or you can take the lift of course.
From grotto to lighthouse, we span along on dry trails, bewitched by the glisten of sun on sea. Souter lighthouse is impressive and the archetypal lighthouse in my book. Bright white with a red band and black light casing, it just looks the part and I’m sure it would have some stories to tell.
Gradually we made our way South along the cliff tops to pretty Whitburn, where we turned inland. Folks were sat outside cafes enjoying the sunshine with a mouthful of tea and cake…not for us though, we had trails to ride.
We skirted to the North of Sunderland, following the Cut Throat Dene …gotta love that name, although we didn’t see any pirates or deadly bandits.
For the next 5 miles we followed trails alongside fields on the urban fringes, past Sunderland Football Club’s “Academy of Light” and the residential Witherwack (I just had to include that name too). Horses grazed on open land on the edges of housing estates, and a swan sat in its nest on a small nature reserve. The trails were good, often gravelly but easy to roll along.
On the skyline, the iconic Penshaw monument stands overlooking the city of Sunderland, with wind turbines waving back from below. Wearside’s own greek-style temple was built in 1844 in honour of the 1st Earl of Durham, John George Lampton.
Reaching the A19, we turned North and followed the tree-lined river Don on flowing metalled paths through the suburban housing of West Boldon. Crossing New Road, bridleway took us through an attractive nature reserve, with more nice compact trails, on our way towards Boldon Colliery.
I knew our route was going to be very urban from here to the finish, but a lot of good trail can be found in such areas, and we weren’t disappointed. Crossing the A19, we made our way across to Calfclose Burn and followed it, via Fellgate Metro station, to where it met the River Don at Monkton.
A collapsing footbridge required a minor reroute. A young woman with a pram pointed us in the right direction, but not before pointing out that a hill lay in our path. As it happens, the hill was a mere bump and nothing more…did we really look that old and feeble!? On second thoughts, I don’t think this beard is flattering me!
Pushing on, and trying to forget the woman’s well-meaning insult, we sailed along the paths running down the dene in which the River Don flows. Suddenly we were back at the toll gates for the Tyne Tunnel on the A19.
We ducked below underpasses and rounded a pumphouse, both coated wall to wall with grafitti. From here it was simply a case of climbing up onto the land above the Tyne Tunnel and following the direct path through parkland between the housing estates, back to the car park from whence we started.
Another great ride, showing the varying faces of this land between the Rivers Tyne and Wear. I need to venture South of the Tyne more often.