North Sea Cycle Route - Tynemouth to Seahouses

Ride Overview
It would be tempting to speed along this stage, for it’s flat and there’s the opportunity to cover some distance without undue exertion. The fit and strong could make for Berwick-upon-Tweed (154km). However, that would miss the point of this journey, for this stage more than many along the North Sea Cycle Route, is full of pleasures and diversions, be they putting your bike aside for a while and taking a boat trip to see the puffins on the Farne Islands, taking a dip (ice-bath?) in the North Sea or to enjoy the kippers and other smoked products from two of the nation’s best smokeries. There are castles, magnificent sea views, silky sand dunes, lighthouses and gaunt castle ruins. This stretch is one of the best and most popular cycle routes in the UK.

The cycle path through the dunes, Blythe

The dunes along the Northumbrian Coast, a National Landscape

Ride Practicalities
The route is well signed throughout as NCN 1
START/FINISH: Tynemouth/Seahouses DISTANCE: 100km TOTAL ASCENT:615m TERRAIN AND SURFACES: asphalt throughout, cycle paths and quiet country lanes RECOMMENDED CAFÈS/PUBS/ACCOMMODATION: Opportunities here to seek your own places and note them in the ‘comments’ section below NEARBY MAINLINE TRAIN SERVICES: Tynemouth PLACES TO VISIT; Tynemouth Castle and Abbey, Dunstanborough, Warkworth, The Farne Islands (by boat) LINKS TO OTHER RIDES: NCN1 Stage 11 Stage 13, NCN72 Hadrian’s Wall

Ride the Route

Ride Notes
Founded by Northumbrian monks, a target for Viking raids, a burial place of at least three kings and a fortress, Tynemouth Priory and Castle is some place. The ruins look spectacular against any sky, and to sit on the cropped and sweet grass with your back against a fragment of wall listening to the ubiquitous gulls call from the empty windows is one of the many magical moments in this day.

Once you’ve torn yourself away from the views across the sea, and read a little history - you are to become well versed in monks and kings over the next couple of days, so it would do well to garner at least a little knowledge from the information boards - you ride on some of the best cycle paths in the UK. They’re wide and smooth, crossing big grassy promenades, with uninterrupted views of the sea.

After a few gentle turns of the pedals, you arrive at Spanish City, the pleasure palace in Whitley Bay, built to rival Blackpool. Bands regularly play there and there’s a large ballroom.

The next couple of pedalling hours drift by as the tarmac’d path weaves through sand dunes. There are many ice-cream/coffee/cake/food opportunities. The sea is always close, the wind jostles the marram grass like as an adult does a child’s hair. You ride into Blyth, once famed for its coal mining, shipbuilding and salt trade. After the closure of the old industries in the 1980s the town went into a desperate decline. Somehow the port continued to operate, and is today one of the principle paper import docks in the UK. The town is bright, and the quayside worth a wander. Back in the day, the beach provided considerable quantities of sea coal - locals (and me on one occasion) were seen with bent backs, bags in one hand and the other outstretched for the black lumps lying on the sand.

Getting across the River Blyth requires a ride inland following the estuary, crossing an old bridge and riding back on the opposite bank. Seeing trees and being briefly in a wood makes a pleasant change from the sparkling sea.

Riding on, along the flat path, past St. Mary’s lighthouse - which after its restoration (end of 2024) you’ll once again be able to cross the causeway and access the light. After long stretches of grass, sand and sea, you arrive at Amble, a pretty village whose houses are built of Northumberland Buff, the medium course sandstone, used throughout the region. Should you wish to prepare for the Scottish leg, (where the route passes several important golf courses), there’s the oldest nine hole golf course in the UK, an estuary, more sea birds and a good handful of excellent cafés.

The Percy’s, more usually known by their title the Dukes of Northumberland, are still one of the greatest landowners in the country. Warkworth Castle is one of their many properties, albeit a ruined one. Built by Henry II in the 13th century, it was the principle home of the Percys during the troubled later middle ages. It manages to be picturesque at the same time as foreboding.

For centuries herring were caught in their millions in the North Sea. Ports such as Craster and Seahouses were vital both as bases for the fishing fleets and also for preserving the fish so that it could be eaten throughout the winter. Smoking is still the preferred way of curing the herring and two of the best smokeries in the country are at Craster and Seahouses. Follow your nose towards the tarry/fishy smell and you’ll come across L. Robson & Sons in Crater (who smoke kippers for the Royal family) and Swallow Fish in Seahouses, who have been smoking since 1843. The smoked fish makes for an ideal ride picnic - just pick up the bread from the bakery. Should you need a break from pedalling, you might consider taking a boat trip out to the Farne Islands to see the puffin in summer and the grey seals.

Between the two villages is one of the North East’s most picturesque ruins - Dunstanburgh Castle. Built by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster in 1313, it was less to protect the coast, more to make a statement of power in his struggles with King Edward II. To call it a ‘little gem’ as the Tourist Office does, is a bit rich for it is one of the grandest medieval statements of power in the UK. However, not a great deal remains other than a couple of towers - one’s on the wobble - and some walls. Be that as it may, the setting of the crumbling remains against the sweep of Queen Margaret’s Cove is spectacular. (Access is by foot from Caster. It is about one mile from the village).

Between Craster and Seahouses, the official route heads inland as the B1340 carries too many impatient motorists. That said, I’ve ridden along this route in the summer months without any issues. It is the prettier of the two options as it travels through the National Landscape of the Northumbrian Coast, but the higher road is quieter and has some views over fields towards the sea.

Every route on this website has been carefully researched as well as ridden. However situations on the ground can change quickly. If you know of changes to this route, or cafes, pubs and the like which you think other cyclists need to know about, feel free to share your thoughts below.

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