8. Ilderton

start: Haugh Head, Wooler
distance: 17 miles
OS map: 75, 81

This is only really suitable for mountain bikes as it takes in rough tracks and four fords. Start from Haugh Head Garage, a mile or so S of Wooler. Alternatively, you could start the circuit at Ingram at the southern end.

A couple of hundred yds south of the garage there's a track on the R. It's possible to leave a car down here by the ford. Take the ford through the Wooler Water, and then climb up to a crossroads, turn L onto the metalled road which leads down to another ford, then up to pass through North Middleton Farm to a T junction. Turn R, go round a sharp bend to another T junction. Turn L here onto the rough track that climbs over a ridge to descend to a ford through the Lilburn Burn and then climbs up gently to the crossroads at Ilderton.

Turn R onto the metalled road which bends L to reach Ilderton Moor Farm and a gate onto a rough track. Join the track down to the ford through the Roddam Burn and up to another metalled road. Go straight ahead, at first junction keep L and follow the road, which now forms the Eastern boundary of the National Park, passing Reaveley Greens, down to a T junction by a car park and toilets at Ingram Bridge. There's an Information Centre in the village.

Go back over the bridge, then straight ahead alongside the river to a bend in the road at Brandon. Go round the bend then leave the road on a rough track leading uphill straight ahead. Follow this track over the hills for almost two miles until it meets a road, turn L onto this road until the entrance to Roddam Rigg where you turn R to a crossroads. Go straight across, past the junction to the castellated Roddam Farm, round the grounds of Roddam Hall and down to a bridge over the Roddam Burn. Up to a T junction. Turn L here passing Roseden Farm.

Join the rough track uphill to a gate, follow the clear track across the fields over Roseden Edge to descend to another gate and down into Ilderton village. Turn R at Ilderton crossroads and follow the road down to the A697 where you turn L. Pass the Station House Restaurant then turn R for Lilburn. Follow the road alongside the Lilburn Burn with the grounds of Lilburn Tower to your L. At the first junction turn L, keep L at the next junction, around a L and R hand bend up to Lilburn Hill Farm. Follow the road down through three sharp bends to the main A697 and back to Haugh Head.

haugh head garage, wooler

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