Sick of the same old route..

joshr96

I live in Seaton Deleval (north east England) and I usually take the same route down straight to the coast and down towards Whitley Bay. I am getting really sick of taking the same route every time.

Can anyone who lives in or near Seaton Deleval give me some nice routes to take?

Aggieboy

Out of interest I've just looked up your area on Google maps. You're hemmed in by National Parks for God's sake. Just choose a destination and get out there.

rolf_f

You see all those road signs that say "Whitley Bay"? - Don't follow them..........

joshr96

Aggieboy wrote:

Out of interest I've just looked up your area on Google maps. You're hemmed in by National Parks for God's sake. Just choose a destination and get out there.

Thing is that I am 15. I consider myself still too young to be using the busy, fast roads around my area and need to stick to the paths for the majority of my rides. The National Parks thing, I cannot take my road bike into woodland..

houndlegs

Check out the Sustans website and see if there are any off road rides near you, and I don't mean off road as in mountain bikes, I mean off road as in not on the road. Also get yourself an OS map and the world is then your oyster

Aggieboy

Josh Harfoot wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

Out of interest I've just looked up your area on Google maps. You're hemmed in by National Parks for God's sake. Just choose a destination and get out there.

Thing is that I am 15. I consider myself still too young to be using the busy, fast roads around my area and need to stick to the paths for the majority of my rides. The National Parks thing, I cannot take my road bike into woodland..

Fair enough re your age.I don't like main roads either. I'd go out and take a few lesser roads out towards and through those parks, didn't mean ride on them. I love going out and just taking turnings I don't know. Take a map if you think you may get lost. Good luck.

Sunderland Supporter

I try to stick to B roads, less traffic and a lot more visually pleasing surroundings. I hadnt realised you were so young, its good to be well into cycling at your age.

golfergmc

Why not go on to http://www.mapometer.com/ and sit down with someone who know your local roads ie B roads, quiet roads etc and work out a safe route. Well done on getting out on your bike and keep at it.

fludey

I don't live there but regular ride the coast when visiting family up north. Ever thought of going the other way as I have often started off at Amble and worked way down, you could do it the other way. Also the route the Great North Ride takes from Sea Houses is a nice route, booked on this later in the year.

ddraver

Join up to Edmonds, strava and Garmin connect and search for the courses on there. Obviously this is best paired with a GPS, but if not it will at least give you some ideas.

I do that here as I don't know the area too well. I ve had some good rides from that. Some schockers too mind so make sure.you.give them a decent look.

Rigga

Josh Harfoot wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

Out of interest I've just looked up your area on Google maps. You're hemmed in by National Parks for God's sake. Just choose a destination and get out there.

Thing is that I am 15

Buy some cider and get down the local park ffs.

cje

Have you considered joining a club? I see quite a few younger riders out with clubs in the North East. It'll give you the opportunity to go further afield, but with the safety of a group and in the company of older, experienced riders.

Thebigbee

Rigga wrote:

Josh Harfoot wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

Out of interest I've just looked up your area on Google maps. You're hemmed in by National Parks for God's sake. Just choose a destination and get out there.

Thing is that I am 15

Buy some cider and get down the local park ffs.

Yeah - that's what you should be doing at that age. Don't ya mates have a "base" in the park that defies all fire regulations that you all go and toke in?

Don't ya, on a Friday night go to the base for base or the youth club for "little ones"?

If not any of those things I can't see how actually going out on ya bike to somewhere you may not know, or even an A or B road is more of a risk.

Try living a little...

RoadMeridaBen

Thebigbee wrote:

Rigga wrote:

Josh Harfoot wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

Out of interest I've just looked up your area on Google maps. You're hemmed in by National Parks for God's sake. Just choose a destination and get out there.

Thing is that I am 15

Buy some cider and get down the local park ffs.

Yeah - that's what you should be doing at that age. Don't ya mates have a "base" in the park that defies all fire regulations that you all go and toke in?

Don't ya, on a Friday night go to the base for base or the youth club for "little ones"?

If not any of those things I can't see how actually going out on ya bike to somewhere you may not know, or even an A or B road is more of a risk.

Try living a little...

Cant say i agree with you there, the roads are a bloody dangerous place to cycle and at 15 I'd say your more vulnerable to those dangers with having less experience of the roads

brucey72

It could be worth getting in touch with Gosforth Road Club as they have a 'Go Ride' group where qualified coaches take younger groups out for rides and teach them the skills to enable them to ride on the roads confidently.

joshr96

cje wrote:

Have you considered joining a club? I see quite a few younger riders out with clubs in the North East. It'll give you the opportunity to go further afield, but with the safety of a group and in the company of older, experienced riders.

Yeah, there's a facebook group for one organisation that I joined. They said I was too young to actually go along with the organisations rides, but I often get invited to go along with some of the rides the members have made.

joshr96

Thebigbee wrote:

Rigga wrote:

Josh Harfoot wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

Out of interest I've just looked up your area on Google maps. You're hemmed in by National Parks for God's sake. Just choose a destination and get out there.

Thing is that I am 15

Buy some cider and get down the local park ffs.

Yeah - that's what you should be doing at that age. Don't ya mates have a "base" in the park that defies all fire regulations that you all go and toke in?

Don't ya, on a Friday night go to the base for base or the youth club for "little ones"?

If not any of those things I can't see how actually going out on ya bike to somewhere you may not know, or even an A or B road is more of a risk.

Try living a little...

Call me boring but I stay away from getting wasted in a park on a Friday night.. I've seen some of my friends do it and they all end up saying it wasn't worth it at the end. Yes I do drink in the house, but lets face it, stumbling around a park at 10 o'clock at night in the pitch dark, probably having pissed yourself..isn't the classiest of things.

cje

Good on you. Don't fall for peer pressure - if you don't like the idea of getting drunk in the park, don't do it. There's nothing more boring than people who go with the pack.

wishitwasallflat

Call me boring but I stay away from getting wasted in a park on a Friday night.. I've seen some of my friends do it and they all end up saying it wasn't worth it at the end. Yes I do drink in the house, but lets face it, stumbling around a park at 10 o'clock at night in the pitch dark, probably having pissed yourself..isn't the classiest of things.

Good for you - I wasted my best years and my god I regret it now - still think if you search around there must be plenty safe routes though.

griffsters

Josh Harfoot wrote:

Thebigbee wrote:

Rigga wrote:

Josh Harfoot wrote:

Aggieboy wrote:

Out of interest I've just looked up your area on Google maps. You're hemmed in by National Parks for God's sake. Just choose a destination and get out there.

Thing is that I am 15

Buy some cider and get down the local park ffs.

Yeah - that's what you should be doing at that age. Don't ya mates have a "base" in the park that defies all fire regulations that you all go and toke in?

Don't ya, on a Friday night go to the base for base or the youth club for "little ones"?

If not any of those things I can't see how actually going out on ya bike to somewhere you may not know, or even an A or B road is more of a risk.

Try living a little...

Call me boring but I stay away from getting wasted in a park on a Friday night.. I've seen some of my friends do it and they all end up saying it wasn't worth it at the end. Yes I do drink in the house, but lets face it, stumbling around a park at 10 o'clock at night in the pitch dark, probably having pissed yourself..isn't the classiest of things.

Good on ya young man!

Like has been suggested, go on some mapping sites, I like ridewithgps, and try and map some loops using B roads or quieter A roads, maybe ask your parent s to drive you to the start finish if possible. Take a phone with you to call them to pick you up on your return thats what parents are for right, taxis?

markos1963

I always go out once a month on an exploring ride. I just head out of town, find a lane I haven't been down and then just keep going down lanes I haven't ridden. I then circle around and head for home. You'll be amazed at what you can see within a five mile radius of your home.

desweller

You'd probably find you could cope with the roads as long as you keep your head. It looks worse than it is.

Have you tried paying a visit to your local club? I'm sure they'd be more than happy to give a few tips.

DesB3rd

Don't fear the A-roads like they're some sort of war-zone no go area, while riding on them can be pretty unpleasant and somwhat intimidating they have to be taken on, if only as an efficient means of getting to a new/different set of B-roads. Routes often won't tie up (or will require you to go so far out of your way that you won't have the time/legs to njoy the nice bits you're heading or) if you're unwilling to mix it up with traffic a small minority of the route. Motorists are no more (or less - take that as you will) likely to swerve into someone because they're a few years younger.

wishitwasallflat

DesB3rd wrote:

Don't fear the A-roads like they're some sort of war-zone no go area, while riding on them can be pretty unpleasant and somwhat intimidating they have to be taken on, if only as an efficient means of getting to a new/different set of B-roads. Routes often won't tie up (or will require you to go so far out of your way that you won't have the time/legs to njoy the nice bits you're heading or) if you're unwilling to mix it up with traffic a small minority of the route. Motorists are no more (or less - take that as you will) likely to swerve into someone because they're a few years younger.

+1 Its more unpleasant on A s because the cars go faster and are louder etc but A roads tend to have longer straights and better visibility so I sometimes think I am safer on those rather than if some eejit flies round a blind bend or over a blind hump on a lovely quite B road while I am struggling along!