Insider’s guide: Northern Angel
A century ride in one of Britain’s most barren — and brutal — landscapes
There are several sections in the middle of this route where the feeling of remoteness is almost crushing. Fortunately, you will be too busy struggling up the sides of steep hills for this sensation to last too long. But it is a reminder that, despite its proximity to the teeming metropolis of Newcastle, Northumberland is the most sparsely populated county in England with the National Park covering a quarter of it.
Take the climb up to Bilsmoor Bank, for example. In between shifting gears on its sections of wildly wavering gradients, you’ll be struck by how eerily quiet and empty the landscape is. Not to mention the climb of Winter’s Gibbet, Number 61 in Simon Warren’s 100 Greatest
Cycling Climbs. This is a new addition to this year’s route, and the climb takes its name from the 18th century gallows that still stands at the top of the hill. A macabre and eerie sight. We wouldn’t advise you hang around at the top for too long.
But before you reach Bilsmoor at just under halfway around the course after Holystone village, you’ll have seen the other side of the coin. Rothbury and Thropton are beautiful, bustling villages with quaint sandstone bridges, belfries and steeples — signalling picnic places and cosy cafes, should you be so inclined, all nestled alongside the River Coquet. But beware: the descent into Rothbury from Garleigh Moor is fast and steep with a chicane halfway down, so don’t get too distracted by the views.
The road threads through the Northumberland National Park at its finest from Lorbottle Hall. In a change to last year’s route, the Epic course now reaches as far north as Thrunton through Snitter passing Lorbottle Hall on the way back to the park proper at Harbottle. The hedgerows are wild, the fields rolling, and craggy outcrops and gurgling streams dot the landscape.
Park panoramas
The long, draggy climb from Thropton to Cartington deposits you in a dense wooded section but soon opens out to reveal stunning views over the rolling hills of the National Park.
And if you’re lucky enough to ride on a clear day you may even spot the expansive wingspan of the event’s near-namesake, Antony Gormley’s ‘Angel of the North’. It may just be a dot on the landscape but the rolling nature of the road pulling you towards the finish line offers some great views towards the teeming life of the city.
For most of the time the roads are wide-open spaces. While this exposed rugged moorland offers you stunning panoramas, it also serves up a nagging headwind. The route of the Northern Angel wriggles all over the place, so you are never out of a headwind for long. Make the most of those short periods when you find yourself sheltered behind a hedge or wall, or with a much-cherished tailwind.
Set in one of England’s most peaceful and unspoilt areas, this ride is truly an experience to be savoured.