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We met as usual on the Great Lime Road between 6.45 and 7.00 pm on Thursday 30th August. A lovely night, very warm but with a strong westerly breeze blowing. That didn't stop Arthur, Ian A, Keith, Stu, and just in time Daniel joining the Gollum for another Mystery Tour of the local area. Just as we started Golly's mobile shouted for attention. It was Derek, but he wasn't making any sense, or the traffic drowned him out, or he was underwater and that did. And when G tried to return the call it went to voicemail, so we just continued to where we'd normally meet up with him at Hillheads Farm, Killingworth. We waited there a few minutes and tried another phone call, but no dice. In fact, it's years since the Gollum saw any dice. Apart from Paul C's diced knee last Sunday. But I digress.

Golly's plan for tonight's ride was to go coastal, then south to the Tyne, then back to town on the riverside trail. We started by plunging down over the farmer's fields avoiding the rabbit holes, and popping out at the north western edge of Shiremoor. We got a chance to sample the new road which doesn't have tarmac on it yet as we searched for a route through towards Earsdon. We didn't quite get that far, however, as we decided to turn south and follow the old railway track down towards Silverlink. We crossed Whitley Road and the Gollum thought it was time to take on a hill for a change. So he led the tribe up to the Sundial opposite The Village Hotel, and we took a vote on which way down we should take.

Ian, Stu, Arthur, Keith and Daniel wonder how they'll get down from here...

Keith decided to grasstrack down at the side of that big old staircase while Dan, Arthur and Stu retraced their cinder path up there the gentle way. That left two dafties tonight, Ian and the Gollum, and you'd be right if you thought they plopped their way down the bone-jarring, teeth-shattering staircase. No drama except for Ian's lights moving on his handlebars and lighting his front forks rather than the trail.

We then cut across the top of Silverlink Retail Park into the side of Battle Hill Estate, and followed the bridleway across to the Rising Sun Country Park. This gave us the opportunity to try out another climb, as Keith dragged us up to the top of the old pit heap. As he'd done the hard work by leading, he claimed the reward of jumping off the top and flying down the steep Southern Chute while the rest were assembling at the summit. Gollum then took the front again, leading down the fairly fast drop to Station Road. We crossed there and continued through to NUFC's training ground, south to the Powder Monkey and then west onto the old Tram Track (Coxlodge Waggonway)  to South Gosforth.

Dan's a happy chappie blasting through the pitch black undergrowth below

A short, very dodgy road section, with cars queuing up behind got us to the Bluebell Woods and then we were back on the bridleway around the edge of the Golf Course which dumped us at Melton Park. We popped out onto the Great North Road  there and Ian took over the front to lead us through his homeland, alias Gosforth Park. This time, because it was now getting dark, he promised to keep it safe, and did so. Still very enjoyable with everyone's lights burning under the trees, but much more direct than the singletrack routes he normally scares us silly with. Although Stu had to be even more careful he didn't have his head removed by low branches which were almost invisible now! We popped out next to the Driving Range onto the main drag through the Park and out the east gate back to West Moor and home.

Stu ducks under the trees Ian, happy in the Park in the Dark

Golly's bike PC said 19.9 miles, 2 hrs 15 mins rolling, 21 mph max, 8.8 mph ave. Not particularly slow and no rest halts to speak of to get back before midnight! We even found some little jumps to keep Daniel occupied. And we managed to keep out of the wind most of the way.

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