Pennine Cycleway NCN68 (&quiz) -On your virtual Bike

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Pennine Cycleway NCN68 (&quiz) -On your virtual Bike

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Let's see how this one goes. Curious after photographing this sign, I wondered where NCN route 68 went from and to, or to and from. Discover its the basis of the Pennine Cycleway which goes from Derby to Berwick upon Tweed all 350 odd miles of it. So why not give it a virtual go over a few days with a few quiz questions and photos thrown in along the way, and a few local foods and beers and stories to discover.....So join in if you can, kicks off Monday at Derby...all a bit of fun.
Me I'm just going to turn up ill-prepared and set off.

This is a nice little pen picture of places along the way and a description of the route
https://cycle.travel/route/pennine_cycleway/guide
[/quote]

Well that was quite prophetic, Discover that I have no cycle helmet, or proper cycling clobber so I have decided to adopt the Paul Newman approach
NF own Work
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Regards Neil
Last edited by NewcastleFalcon on 26 May 2020, 10:31, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

Post by mickthemaverick »

I'm up for that and I will be at the Derby start tomorrow but I am on tuturing duties today so no action until this evening by which time I'm hoping to see the full entry list and probably those questions resolved! Catch up later!!
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

Post by mickthemaverick »

Just before I head off to tutor my protege I wondered if it would be alright to bring my mate along on the virtual bike trip with his rather useful bike. If it is ok with everyone it would mean we can carry substantial quantities of beer and possibly even get a jukebox in the back for evening entertainment? :-D
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

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Could be suited to somewhere a little bit flatter like the Netherlands Mick, unless your mate is the Incredible Hulk, the Pennines tend to be a touch hilly! :-D My own personal modus operandi will be travelling light, inflicting the local hostelries with my musical taste on their jukeboxes, and sampling the local food and local breweries along the way, all being well. Seeing as its virtual, no need to worry about minor things like penny pinching, although a nice B&B will do me nicely for accomodation, as opposed to the most expensive hotel, and an occasional camping barn or Youth Hostel could be nice for a bit of interaction.

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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Bit of Visuals. National Cycle Route 68 doesnt start at the Main Derby Railway Station (edit-debatable...see here) but if travelling by train you will more than likely alight with your bicycle there to make your way to the starting point.
The rise and fall of one of Derby's iconic landmarks

Quite a pleasing piece of architecture
Image

This was the fate that awaited it in the 1980's
Image
Regards Neil
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

Post by bobins »

I shall join in if I can, but the only working bike I've got at the moment is my Brompton - so once I've pumped the tyres up I shall follow on behind :-D
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

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NewcastleFalcon wrote: 17 May 2020, 09:25
So just as a flavour, where is the start of National Cycle Route 68 (South end), and which former railway is it on, and is there a fascinating "not a lot of people know about that" fact to be teased out.
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Well at the Berwick end there is little doubt, the Pennine Cycleway finishes at Berwick-Upon-Tweed Railway Station.

Here's the plain signage
Image

But the Derby end, bit less well defined. There is a starting point at the car park behind Derby's Main Railway Station but Its one of these shared sort of routes through Derby with other NCR's before NCR 68 branches off on its own and heads for Berwick :-D

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.9164044 ... 312!8i6656

Regards Neil
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

This blog has this to say
https://dent.org.uk/day-8/
The end of the Mickleover Greenway at the old Mickleover station (now a private house) – 47 miles – is where a lot of people believe the Pennine Cycleway finishes. This isn’t true as the route continues onto Derby station but there are no commemorative signs at the station so it’s suggested that celebratory photos are taken here. There is a map of the whole cycleway and a well painted Sustrans milepost which although it is labelled NCN 54 rather than NCN 68 is still correct as both routes follow the old railway path.

Final section into Derby was a disappointment. After the magnificent scenery along most of the route, the final section was through various housing estates, along poor quality pavement cyclepaths and then some busy roads before finishing at Derby Railway Station where there was nothing to denote the end of the Cycleway.
Route 54 and 68 run together up through Mickleover Station on the outskirts of Derby before, a couple of miles further on the two routes part company and the NCR68 Pennine Cycleway and heads towards Ashbourne...and the North!

Mickleover Station
Image

NCR Route 68 heads North
Image

Regards Neil

PS the fascinating facts I have are about Mickleover Station, seeing as I originally thought that was about the Real Start of the Pennine Cycleway, but arguably or factually it isnt!
Last edited by NewcastleFalcon on 17 May 2020, 18:14, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

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bobins wrote: 17 May 2020, 14:44 I shall join in if I can, but the only working bike I've got at the moment is my Brompton - so once I've pumped the tyres up I shall follow on behind :-D
Brompton is of course fine, this is what I'll be taking. Found it in a gorse bush this very day :-D
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

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Well having read a couple of blogs, I think I'm going to join in at Mickleover Station, dont fancy starting off with a bit of urban sprawl to plough through just for the sake doing 5 more miles from the scenic grandeur of an anonymous station car park.

At least at Mickleover there is some acknowledgement of the Pennine Cycleway
sceenshot
sceenshot
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

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Pennine Cycleway Quiz Number 1
So just as a flavour, where is the start of National Cycle Route 68 (South end), and which former railway is it on, and is there a fascinating "not a lot of people know about that" fact to be teased out.
Pennine Cycleway Quiz Number 2
Wheresthisthen? If there is only one in the country should be easy. Mentioned in one of the blogs linked to, and a first day photo opportunity for those who want a selfie next to the quiet woman
screenshot
screenshot
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

Post by bobins »

NewcastleFalcon wrote: 17 May 2020, 19:51
Pennine Cycleway Quiz Number 2
Wheresthisthen? If there is only one in the country should be easy. Mentioned in one of the blogs linked to, and a first day photo opportunity for those who want a selfie next to the quiet woman

Image
Regards Neil
That's easy ! That'll be Buxton. The same Buxton that gives its name to Buxton mineral water.... which is known in some circles as caver's pee....... you can guess why :lol: Though I'll take this opportunity to head off the lawyers and to say that no cavers have ever pee'd in the water whilst underground.... including me. Honest :wink:
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

Post by mickthemaverick »

bobins wrote: 17 May 2020, 14:44 I shall join in if I can, but the only working bike I've got at the moment is my Brompton - so once I've pumped the tyres up I shall follow on behind :-D
As I am going on my mates bike you can borrow mine if you like Bobins:
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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

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bobins wrote: 17 May 2020, 20:34 That's easy ! That'll be Buxton. The same Buxton that gives its name to Buxton mineral water.... which is known in some circles as caver's pee....... you can guess why :lol: Though I'll take this opportunity to head off the lawyers and to say that no cavers have ever pee'd in the water whilst underground.... including me. Honest :wink:
Thats correct in that in general on such things as tripadvisor it will be lobbed into the Buxton category because it is semi-close. The village name where it is located is shown on the rather grotesque and non PC sign that announces its presence by the roadside. You can get Pickled Eggs and Pork Scratchings in there as you might suspect.

So not quite exactly there with Buxton.

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Re: On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)

Post by bobins »

NewcastleFalcon wrote: 17 May 2020, 20:50
So not quite exactly there with Buxton.

REgards Neil
OK, will Earl Sterndale do ? :-D
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