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Thank You Heather. Wishing you a very happy Christmas and a Wonderfull New Year Graham & Lizelle

Thank you Tony, We have not be able to get out and about on the bikes much this year, resulting in very little footage. We recently stopped sending Christmas cards, so that the money saved can be given as part of donation to a local food bank and we created this Music and Video as a substitute. Wishing you and Yours a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

I’m glad you enjoyed the video Martin, they were a lot of fun to make and of course they have given us a means to remember our trip. We have promised our selves a return visit at some point to explore all the places we just did not have time to stop off at, it is such a stunning part of the world. Our bikes are both hybrids of a sort, thankfully no punctures at all. My wife’s is a Giant Terrago xtrail bike, so not quite mountain bike. My bike is a Giant tough road, a turing track bike of sorts which suffered from constant chain issues in remote places, Are you going to record your next trip? We have our latest tour waiting for me to find time and turn a load of footage into something meaningful. Sadly, no touring from Walkers yet, although we we so close to moving to North Wales a few years ago, you live in a very special place,

@@bimblingabout Hi.Thanks for replying. Snowdonia is great. The vastness of parts of Scotland are...the waw factor I suppose. Really enjoyed your NS to Ayr video. I don't film my trips. Just on strava etc Good luck to your channel👍🚴

Why thank you 😊. We pass through Cambois on a regular basis when out and about, it seamed a perfect place to start and end out journey.

Really enjoyed following you trip. Looking forward to the next series 😊

@@DavidMackenzie Thank you David, your comments are always appreciated. I'm going to take a short break from editing while I brush up my skills a little and will be back our trip from Glasgow to Inverness and back via Fort William.

I’m glad you are enjoying them. There are two more from this trip to come, which are proving to be a challenge, one of the GoPro’s scramble all its footage. Hopefully I can make them into something meaningful.

We have promised ourselves trip back at some point, there were so many interesting places that we did not have time to see. Do you have any comping recommendations? I think the fine people of Eccles missed a trick, a shop selling Eccles cakes to passing tourists would go down well.

Thanks David, it was the end of one of our GoPro’s which had been playing up throughout the whole trip. At least it stopped raining before we reached the accommodation.

We want to go back at some point to explore the area more fully.

I must admit, Glasgow was a surprise, apart from the littler. It was the day of the Queens funeral which meant that the volume of traffic and people were exceptionally low.

Thank you David, your comment is really appreciated. I checked out your channel, I’m not sure I’m brave enough for diving, you have my respect. I’ve added your Rebellion Way ride to my research list.

I’m so glad you are enjoying our journey Joe, it was for us an amazing adventure. I currently have the next stage almost ready to go after a bit of fine tuning. The remaining days will be going up, in some form, possibly a montage. We were beset with technical problems from two GoPro's that caused me some serious problems, corrupted content etc. My next task is to try and make some sort of story line from that is not a pile of jumbled content.😁

@@bimblingabout I don't envy you! I've often thought of trying to film my bike tours, but I'm far too lazy and just limit myself to an Instagram post of ten photos/clips every day - video series like yours end up being a great research resource for other people considering doing the same route. I really appreciate the effort you put into them!

@@iamjoestafford we started out wanting to record our memories and if some found them useful that was a definite plus. It was very tempting to stop the videos after this series given the amount of data loss and the additional problem of my iPad no longer supporting the editing software. I decided in the end to persevere, this involved a MacBook, new pro level editing software and a fund to ditch the problematic GoPro for a DJI Action 4 and some lapel mikes to save me hours of noise removal. I think your route of recording is probably the smart one 😉

I am glad you enjoyed the video, make sure you are well stocked up at Brampton, the hills after this point are a shock to the system. 😁

I forgot to mention, you might want to check this play list out as well. th-cam.com/play/PL3cRX3tY5pVoEQCv1oAdFjmHDHmuQ83vc.html&si=v45aqMDZu5N2btiZ

Thank’s for the sub 😁. I hope you enjoy it, for us it was character building.

What a small world it is. It’s taken me a while to start pulling this series together, 1tb of footage was just too daunting. After that there is last year’s tour waiting for me, hopefully with a few lessons learned along the way.

@@bimblingabout oh yes, I know just how long video editing takes, I certainly don't envy you! Great, another trip to look forward to after this one 🙂🚲👍

I’m with you about the roads, the paths and roads in Scotland we have so far, have been far better than anything in the borders or Northumberland.

I’m glade you are finding the tour interesting, I will have to pull out my fingers and get this series completed. One of the cameras played up a lot during the trip, which has given me quite a challenge in trying to create something that is passable. I found the museum fascinating, it revealed another side of history that I was unaware of, it well worth stopping by.

@@bimblingabout your type of cycle touring content is the type I prefer, and you present it very well. It must be so frustrating to have a malfunctioning camera whilst on the move, I wouldn't have the patience to deal with it! I'll go back and watch your oldest videos whilst you're sorting out your England-Scotland-England GoPro footage 🙂🚴🏾‍♀️👍

@@tonypaddler Thanks for the vote of confidence, I’ll pass that onto the presenter I definitely fit in the mechanic, editor and lifer of bikes over awkward obstacles category.

That would be quite a circular route, I guess you would have to use NCN 14 up to Consett and then make your way to route 72 then back via South Shields on route 7 ish . In reality I’ve not cycled around Durham yet, so I don’t really know what I’m talking about. If you do go for it you must let us know the route and how it went.

I am glad it brought back happy memories for you. The route was slightly challenging for us, we were recovering from the effects of COVID at the time.

@@bimblingabout Hi, hope you did fully recover, hopefully that horrible event is behind us now, that bit up towards Blea Tarn was an effort, got me out of breath a bit (I’m 63 & only started cycling again last year), loved the bit going down into Great Langdale, wish I could have videoed it, I intend to video a lot of my rides this year, just got myself an Insta360 camera, now I need to learn how to use it, looking forward to better weather & more cycling. Kevin

@@captkev737 We have been walking in the Lakes since we met back in the 80’s, it’s the first time we’ve actually cycled though. I’m 62 and returned to cycling just before lockdown started, it took a while to convince my brain that I’m not still 18 and to stop competing with my former self. We now now plod along at our own pace, which seams to work OK. Let me know how you are getting on with that Insta 360, did you go for the new Ace model or the full 360 model? We have two GoPro’s and are looking to jump ship to another brand. I have a hate, hate relationship with them, loads of lost footage, failing to power off resulting in dead batteries and crazy exposures.

I am glad that you are finding our video’s useful, it makes the time spent putting them together worthwhile. The Galloway forest road was fantastic, once we turned off the main car route and all the litter stopped. If you have any questions regarding the Hadrian’s route just ask and we will try to help out.

I’m glad you are finding the videos helpful, if they encourage at least one person to get out and breathe the fresh air, then all those hours of editing are worthwhile. Thank you for taking the time to comment Gerard, have a great 2024.

@@bimblingabout cheers I suffer from M. E. so I need that extra push. Keep up the good work I'm just binge watching your videos.

Thank’s for the comment, it is appreciated. By time we reached our campsite that night, we were so tired it was a miracle that the tent was assembled correctly, as for feeding ourselves…

Thank you for your comment, I am glad that you enjoyed our trip. The light was beautiful on that day and the weather was dry, which is always a bonus for Scotland. Day six is currently being edited, although I am a little slow at completing them.

I totally agree, the scenery was amazing, and the hospitality matched the scenery.

Thanks Tony. We were very fortunate with the weather for most of the trip, for Scotland that is.

I am gradually adding them, we had a load of technical issues with the footage and computers last year, one of the GoPros decided to scramble loads footage and the software I used, was “Improved “ , rendering it useless on my machine. so one new computer and a new, very complicated software package later, I’m back on track.

@@bimblingabout I have to find out what software programme etc I have to use. I really don’t know anything about it. I’m just filming with my mobile phone. And now I have a MacBook, and try to edit it with iMovie, I don’t have a clue how it works, but I’m getting there. It is trying, and sometimes Google, or tutorials.

@@inekedebondt1958 I take the view, if the software you are using is working for you, then just keep using it until you feel that the software is not working for you. I was using a package called LumaFusion on my pre M1 iPad Pro, which worked perfectly for my level of video use. Then they upgraded it, the new features required a minimum of an iPad with a M1 processor. I was faced with the choice, sticking with LumaFusion and pay for an overpriced tablet or look elsewhere for something more versatile. I have worked in IT for most of my adult life, but mainly using Microsoft products, so I made a sensible decision of purchasing a MacBook Pro 🤭, what could go wrong! The software I am using is DaVinci Resolve, which is free, unless you want the features that the Studio version offers. This is one of the tools used for a lot of feature films, and consequently it eats processing power and takes a lot of getting used to. They offer it for free because it encourages new people into the industry, who will hopefully purchase all their fancy video cameras and editing stations. It is definitely far too complicated for my needs at the momen though .

I am glad you are enjoying these, we had great fun over the 13 days of this trip and would do it again in a heartbeat. Not sure I would say the same for the troubles we have had with the video footage from our troublesome GoPo’s , that is another story 😉. Thanks for taking the time time to comment it is really appreciated.

Haha, yes, I find myself saying "that hill is better the other way", then remember what it was like getting to the top of it the 'correct' way ... 🙄😁

Hi Tony, You may get two replies, my last attempt appeared to vanish. I’m glad you found the video interesting and hopefully useful. We have Completed the full Hadrian’s route from Ravenglass, which was a great experience, even if we were overloaded with too much gear. We have not attempted doing the C2C yet, but it is on the list, doing the whole thing as W2W sounds a great idea.

Hi BA. I'll catch up on your other videos soon enough. I've just realised that the one and only time I've done the Reivers Cycle Route was in 1998 ! I've done the C2C quite a few times but the W2W only once. I'm now thinking about doing the Reivers (starting at Tynemouth Priory) and continuing on with the Walney 2 Wear which was 4 years ago. I also preferred the W2W route over the C2C anyway. Hmm ... 🤔🚲 I could also actually do the full Hadrian's cycleway in a weekend on my road bike without rushing it (which I'd never do on any ride). Cheers.

Best of luck with whichever route you take. We’re definitely in the sloth category when we’re out and about,it’s more about the journey and of course coffee & cake.

@@bimblingabout oh definitely yes. Any ride I do is about the journey and whatever is in-between the A - Z. I'll always give myself plenty of time to enjoy it with cafe/scenery/photo stops factored in. If I run out of time I'll put up my tent before I reach Z. I don't do speeding up to "make up the miles", I'll just add on another day to the end of it 😬 Cheers.

I am glad you enjoyed the video. It was certainly the most challenging day of our whole trip, we were good for nothing by the time we reached our campsite. Just remember to stock up on spare cake from the Greanhead cafe, you’ll need the extra fuel 😁. If you have time there is a great view of Hadrian’s wall if you take the first left after Greenhead and head up the road a little way.

Thank you for the comment Tony, we have cycled both side of the river quite a lot, but have never turned it into a full round, yet… I will have to plan it as a training ride ready for this years trip from Glasgow to Inverness and back.

Hi Tony, thank you for your comments. Apart from the high volume of potholes the whole route is on tarmac, 28mm tyres will be more than adequate. I would watch out for ice at the three ford crossings and on the Simonside forest area which can be treacherous.

@@bimblingabout thanks for the detailed reply. It'll be a couple of months before I get round to doing it but I like that area so I'll figure out the exact route from another watch of your video and plot it onto a map. I found your channel yesterday and I'm enjoying it 👍 Thanks again.

Thank you David, it was quickly thrown together using GoPro’s own video editor which has a mind of its own and takes a little bit of effort getting it back under control. I am planning on doing a longer version using my normal video editor later, it will be interesting to hear any thoughts you have on the two versions.

@@bimblingabout Happy to comment when the second version comes out.

@@DavidMackenzie Thanks, I will be a while before getting them sorted I have a bit of a backlog, 12 solid days of cycling through the borders and then a trip to the lakes.

Thank you for the comment David. The music is from GoPro’s own music library, most of the music available has a fairly strong beat with a fairly intense rhythm for high energy stuff, we are more the stop and admire the views on plod on types so it took a bit of finding.

Hi David, I am glad you found the videos useful, hopefully you will enjoy your trip. If you have any questions about the route feel free to ask.

@@bimblingabout your discussion about the route to take just before Haltwhistle was a god send. My wife would not have been happy if we'd followed the NCN72 rather than the military road!

@@DavidMackenzie we felt that it was a compromise after the climbs we had tackled that day, the idea of having to climb out of Haltwhistle was one hill too far. Traveling along the military road is not a pleasant experience if it is busy, everyone passed us at speed with very little space between us and the oncoming traffic, there are verges in places but few and far between. Are you staying at the campsite?

@@graham-kirby we're staying at the Twice Brewed Inn. Our luggage is going ahead of us so we're not laden as you were. Traffic was ok for us, everyone gave us a wide berth thankfully. Any tips for the next section?

@@DavidMackenzie your doing it the sensible way 😀. The next section starts with a steep climb around Vindolanda, which is a shock to the system first thing. After that the Staingate is your last really quiet section of road. You have a few more hills after this but nothing like yesterday. After Newbrough you start to drop towards the Tyne and life gets a lot easier. Watch out for the signage going into Hexham, it is not that obvious, you need to cross the railway line to the edge of Tyne Dale golf course. We can recommend the food at cafe Enna, they do locally sourced burgers, which includes the vegan version. Getting out of Hexham is a shock to the system after all those quiet roads, but once you leave the industrial estate behind it gets a little better. Entering Corbridge is a GPS black hole which caused our Garmins to give us all sort of random directions, ignore the tech and take a right to the town centre at the T junction (Stagshore road) and your back in tracks. Once you leave the B6530 your are back onto quite roads towards Bywell. If you have any bike issues the caravan and camping site at Ovingham has a mechanic who runs a business from there and the Newcastle Giant bike shop which is confusingly at Prudhoe. One final comment, you have to call in at the Newcastle Cycle hub, it’s tradition, and the food is good.

I am glad you have found these snapshots of our journey useful, we really enjoyed this route including the hills. Regarding the panniers, I have the bike packer bags on the front and a set of back roller pro plus on the back, which are huge. My wife has the bike packer plus models, I’m sure she will leave her own comment about them. The bags are bombproof and watertight, they mount well on the rails and are secure, unlike the Thule bags I had before which jumped of the bike several times. The only maintenance they need is to check the assorted mounting point screws which can work loose over time. We regularly use these bags to collect our groceries constantly filling them up to capacity and they just keep going.

Thanks for the comments David, you are correct the Seascale section is just about impassible, we like idiots gave it a go which added quite a bit of time on our journey. By the time we battled through the dunes, unloaded our panniers to carry the bike down a section of step then tried to navigate the river channel we could have gone under the railway bridge at Seacale and traveled along the road which runs along the other side of the railway. I hope you enjoy your journey.

@@graham-kirby Hi Graham, thanks for your help. Does this road you mentioned take you to Sellafield?

@@davidcaush5036 The official suggestion from Sustrans is to get the train to Sellafield, which is not the most useful suggestion. Aside from that depending on how much luggage you are carrying you could try your luck along the old route, there are two main issues, a section of scrub land just before the river Calder that has a rare species of toad that you have to pass through and the other bing if it has been raining the river could make it difficult to get under the rail bridge. The other two suggested I have you will have to do additional research, I have not actually tried either of them. The first is to hope that the B5344 and A595 are not too busy and you can pick the route up again at Beckermet. The other suggestion is a bridalway that can be picked up by traveling east out of Seascale on the b5344 and taking a left turn at the cross road as you leave Seascale,I guess it will be signed for Sellafield. After a cops of trees on the right hand side there is a bridalway that heads through Seascale Hall and the skirts round Sellafield. You will still have travel on the A595 for a short while before crossing the river Calder then turning back towards the main gates of the nuclear plant, Route 72 should be on your right.

Hi David, did you get to do the HCW?

Well it was fuelled by a lot of cake, probably to much before a climb, but it had to be done 😁. Having watched your trip I think you also had extenuating circumstances if I remember correctly. Still we would do it all again with the exception of the Military road, that is just crazy.

Just wait till you see the hills in the next video, they started big and kept growing.

The Cumbrian coast is very pleasant and has many historic sites, especially during the Roman occupied of England. There are sections that have been heavily industrialised, fortunately you travel past them fairly quickly.

The views over the Solway were fabulous. Especially as the sun was kind enough to come out!

Glad you enjoyed it Saronne, we are fortunate in having several national cycle routes so near to home.