Newcastle to Heathrow?

[matt2matt2002]

All good comments above.
May I ask what your bike plans are when you reach Heathrow?
Box it up a ship home?
I did see wrapping facilities there but not suitable for bikes. Are you carrying something for packaging the bike?

[Woodtourer]

If we end up at Heathrow we will do what we did last year and and use a poly bag and lots of tape!

[ossie]

The Newcastle closest to where the ferry comes in from The Netherlands.

You can always get the ferry from The Hook of Holland to Harwich, which is much closer to Heathrow than Newcastle.

I guess you are touring Europe ?

[RickH]

There are so many possibilities. From Newcastle to Heathrow you're looking at something over 300 miles minimum. What would you like to see - scenery, ancient historical, more modern historical (i.e. industrial revolution heritage such as canals), cultural? Do you want a flatter route or do you like hills?

[Woodtourer]

The answer to these questions are- Yes we will be touring in Europe for 3 months. Thinking if we extend it we can "jump" over to the UK, because of the 90 day limit, then fly out of Heathrow. Did not know about that other ferry and will check it out. Hills? I laugh at hills!!!

[Aquila]

If your looking to shorten the Journey to Heathrow airport sure you can take a ferry to Harwich or Hull instead of Newcastle. But do not do so because some folk have painted a picture of a Mad Max post apocalyptic bike ride through a depressed and run down area where you have to cycle on "A" roads in heavy traffic, nothing could be further from the truth.

I have cycled from Tyneside to Teeside many times and I cycled Teeside to York once nearly the whole way is off road on dedicated cycle track its a great ride I've did a rough route here https://cycle.travel/map/journey/88497 for you

Sorry its as far as my local knowledge goes. Maybe others can help south from York. Once you reach Teeside you have the option to turn east and run down the coast though this would add more miles obviously.

If their is anything i can help you with when you reach Tyneside give me a shout.

good luck

[RickH]

If you did decide to do the ferry to Harwich I would be inclined to swing round well north of London & loop round to get to Heathrow from the west.

If you are feeling high brow you could take in Cambridge then Oxford

[durhambiker]

As a Midlander I would ask which Newcastle?

As a northerner,I would say,,,the real one...On Tyne.

[durhambiker]

The Newcastle closest to where the ferry comes in from The Netherlands.

Ah, the only toon known as nooocasle.

I've done Newcastle / London a number of times, though only to Heathrow once.

Staying east of the main North / South motorway (A1) is the quickest advice. Put simply, the land to the east tends to be less affected by industry, from the 17th century to the current day, c/w lower population levels, quieter roads and any number of superb villages, towns and landscapes to pass through. While I rarely plan a route, heading south via Durham, York, Lincoln, Stamford / Cambridge ensures a decent ride.

Obviously areas to the west are worth it, if you've the time! Areas to the west of the A1 in County Durham are less affected by post industrial coal mining / chemical works, c/w higher aesthetic landscape values. And west of the A1 in North Yorkshire brings the Dales, hard work, but worth seeing if you've the time (NB. Or at least skirt around the eastern edge I.e.via Richmond, Leyburn et al).

Worth bearing in mind the train lines which can be used to jump over the final urban conurbations[/quote.
You sure do make it sound a bit grim up North.I am 55 born and bred in Durham..99% of pits shut 50 years ago..You would be very hard pressed to find a pit heap...post industrial coal mining...Sounds clever but in reality means nothing..The Durham dales are very picturesque..Durham Cathedral is one of the finest,,anywhere in the world.Chemical works?..Only on Teesside....From the 17th century to present day???..

[durhambiker]

.

[gbnz]

You sure do make it sound a bit grim up North.I am 55 born and bred in Durham..99% of pits shut 50 years ago..You would be very hard pressed to find a pit heap...post industrial coal mining...Sounds clever but in reality means nothing..The Durham dales are very picturesque..Durham Cathedral is one of the finest,,anywhere in the world.Chemical works?..Only on Teesside....From the 17th century to present day???..

Oh, I know Durham well and would fully support the notion that the Cathedral is superb, or that the areas to the west (Dales) are picturesque. Amd having been involved in much of the post industrial reclamation works fully accept that the area isn't the mess it was back in the '70s-'80s (NB. Rather like South East Northumberland - the reclaimed open cast sites form some of the more attractive landscapes in the area). But a journey directly south from Newcastle to Scotch Corner, could be pretty grim.

You only have to cycle, or have lived/worked in other parts of the UK / abroad, to know that the landscape is fairly sterile NB. a simple study of vegetation / insect types in a hedgerow in Co Durham, comparerd with that in North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Dorset et al would prove the point. As would an architectural study of the council estates and/or former coal mining terraces forming so much of the townscapes in the "villages" you'd pass through.

[TrevA]

There's also a ferry from Rotterdam to Hull (actually Kingston upon Hull), which is about halfway between Newcastle and Harwich. From Hull you could cross the Humber Bridge then head towards Lincoln (nice cathedral and castle there), From Lincoln, you could then head south west - following the old roman road - the Fosse Way (it's a main road for much of its length, but there are nice lanes which run parallel to it). This takes you through the Midlands to the Cotswolds and you are then not far from Heathrow.

[mjr]

[...] the Fosse Way (it's a main road for much of its length, but there are nice lanes which run parallel to it). This takes you through the Midlands to the Cotswolds and you are then not far from Heathrow.

Where "not far from Heathrow" is "more than 100km away as the crow"!

[TrevA]

[...] the Fosse Way (it's a main road for much of its length, but there are nice lanes which run parallel to it). This takes you through the Midlands to the Cotswolds and you are then not far from Heathrow.

Where "not far from Heathrow" is "more than 100km away as the crow"!

Yes, 60 miles or a days ride through pleasant countryside.