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National Cycle Route 14

88.23 miles (142 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap Sustrans Route 14 runs from Darlington to South Shields through County Durham and Tyne and Wear.
The signed route includes several traffic free sections along old railway lines. This includes the popular Lanchester Valley Walk which runs from Durham to Consett, passing the 13th century Beaurepaire Priory and Lanchester Roman Fort. The route also links up with the Consett and Sunderland Railway Path at Consett.
The section between Stockton-on-Tees and South Shields is known as the Three Rivers Cycle Route.
The final waterside section runs through Gateshead along the River Tyne to finish at South Shields on the coast.
Near Stockton the route links up with the Castle Eden Walkway, another popular rail trail suitable for walkers and cyclists.
Other route highlights include Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park, Billingham Beck Valley Country Park and the pleasant lakeside trail at Hetton Lyons Country Park which is slightly off the route near Durham.
Below you can see a list of manageable day rides along the route. Scroll down further for videos and the gpx file.

Cycle Routes along National Cycle Route 14

National Cycle Route 14 OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

National Cycle Route 14 Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

The route links up with the epic W2W Cycle Route - NCN 70 at Durham and Sherburn. The long distance ride runs from coast to coast from Walney Island in Cumbria to Wearmouth in Sunderland.

Photos

Public Bridleway, Hurbuck Cottages - geograph.org.uk - 30001

Public Bridleway, Hurbuck Cottages near Consett.

NCN signpost at Seaton Carew - geograph.org.uk - 1747407

NCN signpost at Seaton Carew Signpost for the National Cycle Network at Seaton Carew, looking south towards the industries on Teesside. This section of NCN14, linking Teesside, Wearside and Tyneside, is known as the Three Rivers Cycle Route.

Lintz Green - geograph-3905863-by-Oliver-Dixon

Lintz Green. Constructed in 1867 and running from Swalwell on the River Tyne up to Consett, the Derwent Valley railway finally closed in 1963. The footway on the line of the old railway has been converted into a cycleway and forms part of National Cycle Network route 14.

Path off A689 - geograph.org.uk - 215233

Path off A689. Opposite the road to Greatham, this path forms part of Sustrans cycle route 14 on the outskirts of Hartlepool.

Haswell to Hart Railway Path, near Shotton Colliery - geograph.org.uk - 150754

Haswell to Hart Railway Path, near Shotton Colliery. Part of the National Cycle Network. A-frame access control in a vain attempt to keep motorcyclists off the path

Lanchester Valley Walk - geograph.org.uk - 30058

Lanchester Valley Walk. Incorporating National Cycleway No. 14 and follows the route of a disused railway. The "Walking to Health" signs are a local initiative and erected every 500m.

Straw Bales - geograph.org.uk - 30060

Straw Bales

Gateshead shore of River Tyne - geograph.org.uk - 3157236

Gateshead shore of River Tyne

GPS Files

GPX File

National Cycle Route 14.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)