| 1. OK so this may not be a 9/10 for some but it made me bloody work!
From Spennymoor head out the B6288 through Tudhoe and take a short stretch of the A167 (less than half a mile so don't be put off!). Turn left, just before the Honest Lawyer, onto the B6300 and climb up Burnighil Bank and into Brandon. Turn left and take the A690 to Brancepeth, then turn right, at the crossroads, into Wolsingham Road, and follow this winding lane up a steady climb towards Stanley Crook. Beware the short steep drop down where the road sometimes floods and is slippery even when the road seems dry! At the T-junction turn right into Walsingham Road and go down the steep wooded descent into Waterhouses. I don't know what % this descent is but is quite fearsome as it twists through the trees, not nice if the road is wet.
Straight over the cross roads at Waterhouses and up the 15% climb that heads towards Cornsay. This climb starts steep, turns right, gets steeper then doubles back left and goes vertical, I thought my lungs would busrt!
At the end of the road turn left onto the B6301 towards Tow Law. You haven't really stopped climbing yet and the lactic acid will really be biting when you take the left turn to East Hedley Hope. But don't relax yet, there is a 16% drop almost as soon as you turn off. Thankfully this descent is straight, keep with the brakes as you descend though, as there is a sharp left hand bend at the bottom. (Both this descent and the 15% climb before form part of the course of "The Beast" course of The Durham Big Ride).
You now have a nice easy ride to Waterhouses that gives you a chance to get your breath back and maybe take on some nutrition before truning right at the crossroads. For at this point you tackle the twisty tree lined climb that you descended previously.
At the top of the hill, follow the road before turning left at Stalney Crook, turning left at the T-Junction head straight on into Willington, beware the right hand bend at the bottom of the hill as you come into Willington as there is a nasty camber which could easily take you unawares.
Head towards Durham on the A690 turning right as you leave the village towards Binchester. Go down a very steep bank then one last tough climb up to Todhills up another hill which elbows back on itself and again feels quite Alpine. At the top turn left into Byers Green along a fast sweeping lane which feels great as you lean through the bends!
About half a mile after Byers Green turn left down a country lane which heads through the woods before arriving at Middlestone Moor. Turn left to Spennymoor riding the the town then past Asda taking the 3rd exit at the next roundabout and the first exit into Weardale Street to race up to the finish at the traffic lights! |