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Roof of England Cycling Club – Where ALL The Rides are FREE | Deerness Valley Cycling
The Roof of England Cycling Club is for anyone who loves cycling in Allendale, Weardale and Teesdale.
Based at Chatterbox Cafe in the picturesque village of St John’s Chapel at the heart of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, we can provide the routes, the cafes and pubs, somewhere to stay – as well as things to do when your legs won’t go any further.
There are no centrally organised rides which means you can come on your own, with your friends or family, or with mates from your home club and ride in your own time and on your own terms.
The Roof of England Cycling Cub is not just for those of us fortunate to live here – it’s for anybody who wants to have fun in our natural cycling playground – whether it be for a day out from home, as part of a long distance trek, or as a base for a week long holiday.
The Facebook group and this website are administered by Cameron Gordon from Chatterbox Cafe in St John’s Chapel as part of our ambition to help more people to enjoy The North Pennines in a environmentally responsible, yet extremely fun way.
Top Marks – Your Local Bicycle Mechanic
Bicycle repair. Electric bike repair. Bicycle engineering. Bicycle Re-Cycle service.
TopMark’s Workshop is a free home-based maintenance and repair workshop dedicated to helping you get your bicycle back on track. All you need to do to take full advantage of this service is make a small donation. Donations start from £5 for basic repairs to £10 for more advanced repairs. (This excludes parts) all I ask in return is that you give generously as the money you donate will help towards the building and running of a workshop and in return for your generous donation you will have your bike serviced or repaired.
Check it OUT here topmarks1.wordpress.com
Wheel Deal for Ushaw Moor
A pilot mobile ramp project which attracted approx 50 different young skater, scooters and bikers from Ushaw Moor and surrounding villages on a Friday evening came to an end last month due to the dark nights. The project saw a number of partners come together to help make the session possible with the mobile ramps loaned out by Ushaw Moor Community Association. Supervision was provided by Durham County Council’s Positive Activities for Young People team with the venue provided by the County Council’s Sport and leisure team and the Deerness Gymnastics Club with funding from the AAP. Over the winter period the Deerness Gymnastics club will be looking to host a weekly urban gym session to cater for some of the young people attending the ramp project. The sessions will aim to improve balance, agility and fitness. Work will also continue over the winter months with local communities to examine the possible development of a fixed wheels park that will cater for several of the local villages.
The Heads up Mid Durham Area Action Partnership issue 5
County in gear for cycling sensation – Start at Ushaw College
An event designed to underline County Durham’s growing reputation as an exemplar host for top cycling events looks set to bring a major economic boost to the county.
As part of the authority’s ‘Join in….’ Olympic legacy programme Durham County Council is supporting the Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Pennines, a 78 mile course which will take cyclists through some of the county’s most breathtaking countryside. The inaugural Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Pennines, an IMG Challenger World event, will take place on Sunday 7 October 2012 and promises both top notch competition and significant economic spin offs.
Cabinet member for leisure, Councillor Maria Plews, said: “County Durham has a growing world reputation as a fantastic venue for cycling events, hosting everything from a stage of the Halfords Cycle Tour Series to the Durham Beast and Big Ride.
“The Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Pennines gives the county the chance to host a unique closed road cycling event which has the potential to attract thousands of entrants in the coming years. Indeed, organisers IMG Challenger World are hoping for 3,500 entrants for the event next year.
“Moreover, the Etape will be the first major event post London 2012 to be held in the county and offers us the opportunity to deliver on our pledge to support a programme of Olympic legacy sporting contests.”
Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, Councillor Neil Foster, said: “Analysis of similar events held in Ireland and Scotland show that on average competitors book a two night stay in the area when they attend an event like this and often bring friends and family with them.
“This sort of major event will not only give us another opportunity to show off what a spectacular county we have, but will also bring major economic benefits to the tourism and related industries.
“I can not think of a more stunning backdrop than the Dales or, indeed, a more challenging one!”
James Robinson, Managing Director of IMG Challenger World, has been working closely with the event team on the route since the event’s inception, “We are really pleased and excited to be bringing the first closed road sportive in England to County Durham as the course has been designed to offer riders a challenging and rewarding ride in the stunning countryside of the North East. Rider safety and enjoyment is paramount at all times and to this end we have been working with the Police and Durham County Council to ensure a traffic free route for the entire event. We will be working very hard over the next 11 months to make sure the first closed road sportive in England will be every bit as successful as its sister event – the Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Caledonia. ”
The 78 mile course starts at Ushaw College and heads as far west as St John’s Chapel – and will take cyclists across to Eggleston in Teesdale in the south, approaching Northumberland at its northern most tip at Baybridge.
So far, 850 people have entered the event, and organisers IMG Challenger World, are contacting accommodation providers in the county to try and negotiate cyclist-friendly rates and promotional offers for overnight stays in the area.
It is also hoped that many entrants will visit the county to try out the circuit in the months before the event itself, further boosting the local economy from spring onwards.
For further information on the event please visit www.etapepennines.co.uk
Marie Curie Cancer Care is the official Charity Partner of the Etape Series 2012. All funds raised by cyclists taking part in the Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Pennines will enable Marie Curie Nurses to provide more free care and support to terminally ill people and their families.
Ends.
Notes to News Editors:
Durham County Council is championing this event with an annual in kind package of support worth £30,000.
The Good Mountain Biking Guide: Deerness Valley
Ushaw Moor and Deerness Valley mentioned in the Good Mountain Bike Guide.
A great place to off-road, superb scenery.
Find OUT more !
The Good Mountain Biking Guide: England & Wales: Amazon.co.uk: Active Maps Limited: Books.
Ushaw Moor Community Site
Ushaw Moor Radio
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