Route 8
Benton to Tynemouth
Click on the image for the Route 1 pamphlet
Directions
This route begins and ends at the Benton training ground of Newcastle United Football Club.
Facing the gates of the training ground there is a track off to the right. Follow the track downhill until you reach a bridge on your left that passes over the East Coast Mainline. Turn right here and follow the path through a housing estate until you reach Coach Lane.
Facing the gates of the training ground there is a track off to the right. Follow the track downhill until you reach a bridge on your left that passes over the East Coast Mainline. Turn right here and follow the path through a housing estate until you reach Coach Lane.
Continue along the track, which is now the route of the Coxlodge wagonway. Cross Benton Road and follow the track between the Freeman Hospital and the Ministry buildings. Before you get to the double roundabouts at South Gosforth, turn left down Lilburn Gardens.
Cross Freeman Road and look for a small path which descends into the top end of Jesmond Dene. Follow this until you reach some steps up to a small tunnel, which is part of the bridge that carries Castle Farm Rd across the Ouseburn.
Double back on yourself after the tunnel, up to a paved track, and turn right following the track down into the dene. Follow the dene all the way down to Pets Corner.
The Route continues under Armstrong Bridge and under the A1058, along Ouseburn Rd, following the signs for Sandyford. Cross the Ouseburn and follow the track on the opposite side of the river until the path goes steeply uphill. You will exit the dene at Stratford Grove West.
Turn right and then left to reach Warwick Street. Cross this and follow the path past the “ city stadium” cinder running track, but keep left and head towards the bottom end of Byker.
Turn right underneath the East Coast Mainline and then left up towards Shields Rd and the Garla bingo building. Cross its carpark and at the far end there is a tunnel to cycle through. As you exit the tunnel you will see the start of the cycle track which goes down a railway cutting.
The cycle path descends quite steeply following the route of the Newcastle to Tynemouth Railway Riverside branch and joins the C2C cycle route and Hadrian’s path. Follow the signs for NCN 72 all the way to the coast. You will pass Segedunnum and Swan Hunter’s shipyard.
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Just after Swan Hunter's you will pass the site of Point Pleasant station now the site of a Total garage. Shortly after this you will leave the route of the Riverside branch and use the cyle path parallel the A187. This descends steeply into Willington Gut under the Wallsend Viaduct.
Continue to follow the route 72 signs past a Jet garage and through a few streets until once again you will pick up the route of the Riverside branch. you will cross the A19 and then the A187. Continue to follow the 72 signs until you pass the Royal Quays and reach Redburn dene.
An alternative to the Route 72: immediately after crossing the A187, cut down the path directly in front of you which leads to a rough track that clearly follows the route of a dismantled railway. These are the routes of the tracks leading to the Howden Staiths which served the Cramlington Coal Company.
An alternative to the Route 72: immediately after crossing the A187, cut down the path directly in front of you which leads to a rough track that clearly follows the route of a dismantled railway. These are the routes of the tracks leading to the Howden Staiths which served the Cramlington Coal Company.
You will need to pass a sign indicating private property and carry your bike through a hole in the fence. If you do this you will end up at the bottom end of the Royal Quays retail estate. Opposite the sign for the VW Group there is a track leading up to Redburn dene. Follow the dene down to Edward and Albert dock. Now continue to follow the NCN Route 72 signs again until you get to Tynemouth.
Cyle up to the Priory and follow the coast up to Cullercoates bay. Turn left up Marden Avenue and continue straight until you reach the Foxhunters playing fields. Continue west along Rake Lane, passing the Hospital and Rake House Farm.
At the New York roundabout take the 3rd exit and follow New York Rd until you reach the Weatsheaf Inn. Cross the A191 and cut thought the Algernon Industrial Estate, the site of Algernon pit, and on to the cycle track, the route of the Cramlington Wagonway. Turn left, but almost imediately look for a right turn through the Silverlink Park, past some ponds.
Cross the road and follow the bridle path until you reach the A19. The track runs northwards along side this until you get to the Holystone roundabout.
Either follow the A191 back to Benton or navigate your way through the Rising Sun Country Park aiming for the old pit heap. On the western side of the pit heap follow the track across the A186 and past East Benton Farm and back to the NUFC training groud.