Windle
Über Member
- Location
- Burnthouses
After a hiatus of a few weeks due to other commitments & weather, I finally got a chance for a Saturday afternoon West Auckland / Aycliffe bike path circuit. We'd been through Bishop Auckland this morning and there was a classic car show on in the market place so I decided on the spur of the moment to have a look there first. I parked in West Auckland as usual, having a look over the village green to the war memorial,
then out via my usual route, this time stopping rather than just passing the Eden bus garage. It may be the former Eden bus garage as I'm not even sure they're still operating.
Along the usual bike path past Tindale retail park then riding alongside the massively busy South Church bypass and diverting across the field at Auckland Park to the bottom of Durham road it was a short climb up into the market place. The town was surprisingly busy, even up the main street not just due to there car show.
After a mooch around the motors I retraced my route, with the exception of crossing one of the footbridges over to the other side of the South Church bypass and along the path beside the river Gaunless up until the fire station, which also had an open day or something going on. After this is was the usual route, out via Shildon and back via Redworth this time round. The replica of Rocket was running trips up and down the line out of Locomotion again. I'm not entirely sue it's even a real steam engine, as a few weeks ago when I passed it was sat in the yard ready for the off and sounded very like a diesel ticking over!
I stopped for a quick photo of the Trek in front of Locomotion's massive entrance. I quoted the unusually complex steel frame for this building twenty odd years ago, we didn't win the job though, which as a railway enthusiast peed me right off
.
Heighington station for bait stop and where annoyingly my computer decided to go back to zero
. I'm sure I had about fifteen miles on by then and about five hundred feet of climbing, but I checked by measuring the map after I'd got home.
Heading back down the secluded part of the Shildon to Tindale bike path on the way back.
As usual I braved the road through the middle of the retail park to meet the wife on her break for a catch up, after which it was back via the usual route to West. By this time it was getting a bit chilly, about ten degrees C and I wished I'd kept my base layer on that I'd shed on the way out. A good ride though, with a bit of a twist. There were a few brief rain showers on the way round but not enough to get wet. 24 miles done with about 1,000 feet of climbing.
then out via my usual route, this time stopping rather than just passing the Eden bus garage. It may be the former Eden bus garage as I'm not even sure they're still operating.
Along the usual bike path past Tindale retail park then riding alongside the massively busy South Church bypass and diverting across the field at Auckland Park to the bottom of Durham road it was a short climb up into the market place. The town was surprisingly busy, even up the main street not just due to there car show.
After a mooch around the motors I retraced my route, with the exception of crossing one of the footbridges over to the other side of the South Church bypass and along the path beside the river Gaunless up until the fire station, which also had an open day or something going on. After this is was the usual route, out via Shildon and back via Redworth this time round. The replica of Rocket was running trips up and down the line out of Locomotion again. I'm not entirely sue it's even a real steam engine, as a few weeks ago when I passed it was sat in the yard ready for the off and sounded very like a diesel ticking over!
I stopped for a quick photo of the Trek in front of Locomotion's massive entrance. I quoted the unusually complex steel frame for this building twenty odd years ago, we didn't win the job though, which as a railway enthusiast peed me right off
.
Heighington station for bait stop and where annoyingly my computer decided to go back to zero
. I'm sure I had about fifteen miles on by then and about five hundred feet of climbing, but I checked by measuring the map after I'd got home.
Heading back down the secluded part of the Shildon to Tindale bike path on the way back.
As usual I braved the road through the middle of the retail park to meet the wife on her break for a catch up, after which it was back via the usual route to West. By this time it was getting a bit chilly, about ten degrees C and I wished I'd kept my base layer on that I'd shed on the way out. A good ride though, with a bit of a twist. There were a few brief rain showers on the way round but not enough to get wet. 24 miles done with about 1,000 feet of climbing.
