Easter Sunday - Sunny & Hot Local Gravel / Coutry Lanes - Hurbuck Cottages, Parkhead, Rookhope, Stanhope - Synpase Neo E Bike

I was out on my own this morning as Angus & Arran have gone to watch the motorcross bike racing at Wooley Grange and Jane was not up. I was spinning the pedals by 7am to a lovely sunrise up at Hurbuck Cottages. I picked up the line to the Consett junction and turned left and headed all the way up to Parkhead café. I had quiet a strong headwind all the way up but it was sunny and warm. I then followed the off road section across the moor to drop down in to Rookhope. That was still very wet and muddy in places. On the road out of Rookhope I turned left and up the massive climb with fantastic views from the top to drop down a lovely narrow, twisty descent to bring me out at Stanhope. From there I took the back lane and up another steep climb to get onto the moor which brings you out at the cattle grid on the Crawleyside bank. I did Crawleyside on the off road side, through the quarry at the top then dropped onto the road. The descent off the top towards Castleside was very fast with a tailwind today. Turned right and around the country lane to cross the A68 then back lanes all the way back to Hurbuck Cottages. Garmin stats 37 miles, 2hrs 55min, ave 12.6mph and climbed 3100ft. Below are quiet a few sunny snaps from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon - ps here is a GARMIN LINK