Reivers Route Day 3 always promised to be a different experience than the opening days of the tour with large sections being off-road, and so it proved to be.

Having enjoyed our overnight stay at Snabdough Farm we set off on a misty morning following NCN 10 in the direction of Lanehead.

We were soon climbing.

We skirted the edge of Donkleywood.

Soon we were entering the outskirts of Kielder Water and Forest Park.

Here the surface became far more uneven. It was a theme for most of the day.

We cycled along the dam at one end of the reservoir.

From here we followed the Lakeside Way path.

We stopped off for a cuppa (and some  cake!) at the Tower Knowe Visitor Centre.

Refreshed, we continued along the Lakeside Way.

  

Occasionally following the road when the direction of the route was unclear.

As the day wore on the mist dropped, the sun shone and the temperatures rose. It would be another hot day.

At Lewis Burn we decided to take a detour and follow the path to Kielder Castle. We passed under the former railway viaduct.

At the castle we stopped for lunch.

Back on our bicycles we decided to cycle over the viaduct as we retraced our outward route along the Lakeside Way back to NCN Route 10.

We took a brief diversion to view ‘The Column’.

To get back on to NCN 10 and avoid the main road there is an interesting suspension bridge over the Lewis Burn inlet.

Now we were cycling on tracks and climbing into the heart of the forest.

We were cycling along the border between England and Scotland. This was sparse terrain well off the beaten track and away from normal civilisation. It was easy to see how the Border Reivers of past times had operated and used the terrain to their advantage for their raids.

For a while we crossed over in Scotland.

Then briefly back in to England.

And finally back on tarmac as we re-entered Scotland and left the Reivers Route for the last few miles to our overnight stop in Newcastleton.

This had been an challenging and enjoyable day. We had cycled nearly 40 miles and now it was time for a meal and a well earned rest. We are nearly half way now. Tomorrow we are off to Carlisle.

You can view our Reivers Route Day 3 route below:

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