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Ride Darlo - Brancepeth Bliss

Sunday 16th August 2026 10:00am

Starting from - B&Q store at Morton Park, Darlington
What 3 Words: https://w3w.co/number.costs.leans
From the A66, turn onto the B6280 Yarm Road and turn right into Morton Park. At the small roundabout near the Morrisons petrol station, turn right onto Morton Park Way then left at the mini roundabout to head into the Morrisons / B&Q complex. At the next mini roundabout, turn left and head towards B&Q. Our start/finish point is at the front of the B&Q store. There is a large car park here for both B&Q and Morrisons which currently has no restrictions.

PLEASE NOTE, some route maps show the route as starting/ending at the Morton Park Beefeater, we have had to move the start/end due to parking restrictions at this location. We now start/end at B&Q, which is opposite. DL1 4PJ

This Ride Darlo ride is open for anyone to join

  • 46.7 miles
  • Mountain Bike, Hybrid (off road tyres), Hybrid (road tyres), Road
  • 5 hr
  • Challenging
  • Darlington
  • Children aged 8-15*, Children aged 11-15*, Adults 16+ only, Children aged 5-15*

3 Places left

5 Places booked

Led by experienced ride leaders, these rides are a great way to explore new places and to meet new people who enjoy cycling. They are suitable for all levels of experience, so whether you are a beginner or a seasoned cyclist, you can find a ride that is right for you.

About the route

Starting point




Durham
DL1 4XZ

Starting from outside B&Q at Morton Park, this ride takes us in a northerly direction, riding out of Darlington via the Five Arches route, through Beaumont Hill, riding through Newton Aycliffe, alongside the railway and through Shildon, then picking up NCN 715 and riding through Bishop Auckland, over the Newton Cap viaduct and onto the old railway line which is now the Brandon to Bishop Auckland Railway Path. The line then joins NCN 70. When we reach the old station at Brancepeth, we’ll come off the line and make the short hop through Brancepeth village to the beautiful Brancepeth Castle, which will be our stopping point. The return ride brings us along the same route in reverse back to Darlington.

This ride is classed as a CHALLENGING ride which is almost 50 miles in total. The ride is undulating with some hill climbs. The ride is all on the road or cycleways. The Brandon to Bishop Way is cinder path in places and can feel a little rough. All bike types suitable for this ride, hybrid or road bikes recommended for this distance. It is suitable for riders who are comfortable sustaining around 12mph avg. and can continually cycle for around 2 hours each way. The stopover on this ride will be up to an hour. Bear in mind these times are a guide and the ride can take longer.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51730823

Route rating

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A ride to the beautiful little village of Brancepeth and a stopover at the castle!

All on the road or cycleways

Brancepeth Castle for a stopover

Helmets required. Locks recommended.

We especially welcome newbies!

View map and route elevation

Route elevation

Who else is on this ride?

Ride leaders

Profile photo for Neal Harper

  • Ride Leader

    Ride Leader

  • Community Groups Volunteer

    Community Groups Volunteer

Neal Harper

5 ride participants

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