Lost in the Trails | Nostalgic Adventure MTB Ride

🚴‍♂️ Fancy a bike ride that turns into a full-on adventure? In this episode, I set off on a planned day ride to Croxdale, but things don’t exactly go to plan…

I ride along some of the most beautiful off-road routes in the North East of England, including the peaceful Lanchester Valley Railway Path and the scenic Brandon to Bishop Auckland line, connecting them via bridleways, woodland trails, and little-used countryside lanes.

Along the way, I stop at the historic Brancepeth Castle, pass by Sunderland Bridge, admire Croxdale Viaduct, and soak in distant views of the iconic Durham Cathedral. But the real adventure begins when my Garmin GPS starts acting up—sending me on wrong turns and forcing me to navigate the old-school way: with instinct, curiosity, and a sense of fun.

Expect beautiful scenery, trail exploration, a few wrong turns, and a good laugh as I reflect on the joy of getting lost and finding your way—just like we did as kids.

🚴‍♂️ Ride with me through:

Forgotten off-road trails
Scenic railway paths
Hidden countryside gems in County Durham
A throwback to old-school bicycle adventures

🥪 Featuring ham & Piccadilly sandwiches, random trail chatter, and plenty of smiles.

If you love adventure cycling, exploring UK trails, riding for fun, or just getting out on two wheels, this video is for you.

📍 Route Highlights:

Durham → Croxdale via Lanchester Valley Trail
Brancepeth Castle, Sunderland Bridge, River Wear
Croxdale Viaduct + views of Durham Cathedral
Unexpected off-road detours thanks to Garmin
Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve

#adventurecycling #cyclingadventure #cyclingvlog #offroadcycling #mtb #bikeadventures #cubebikes

Music credited below:

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/stratus
License code: JVONPQH9UFJZZXQP

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/zimpzon/timelapse
License code: IYBF9JMQWUQTYDFK

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/islander
License code: FXXTJOSVTDJMOCFG

Ending music by Lee Sheridan.
———————————————————-
GPX file here:
https://mega.nz/file/BdgAwKpZ#c1LNKZ2zCprYP7pbNmXkNSGoe08gMkMBbqSUbFS0CaU

——————–
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:51 Aldin Grange
2:42 Brancepeth Castle
4:45 Talking Nonsense
6:07 Sunderland Bridge
7:18 Croxdale Hall
8:35 Tranquility
12:27 At the Park
13:52 Views of Durham
14:58 Pittington Way
15:34 Horses
16:22 Rainton Meadows
17:31 Joe’s Pond
19:31 Getting Lost
21:05 Outro

[Music] hey hey back out again on me peg going on a a trail or a route that I’ve done quite a few times one of me favorite routes in an area called Crocsdale south of Durham um so I plotted the route but this time I’m going to go on some trails uh that I’ve never been on before no idea what they’re going to be like but this time I’ve actually changed it a bit and I’m going to take in some new trails for me uh no idea what they’re like so we’ll see when I get there just behind us there’s Alden Grange um farm shop i think it’s a farm shop anyway there’s a cafe in there right it’s called Truly Scrumptious there’s another one as well haven’t been the other one but the one called Truly Scrumptious really nice best sausage sonnie I’ve ever had and best cheese scone as well but you can do fishing here as well um good place to stop on your bike not many people know about it so definitely visit it recommended all right so this is a there’s a downhill bit here quite steep you know what comes after a steep downhill don’t you yeah a steep uphill [Applause] right get the Rocky 4 training montage on [Applause] [Applause] so I’m just near a place called Bransmouth i think there’s a castle there Bronzemith Castle um and after that we head down to Crocsdale and it’s all off road for quite a while the last time I actually done that ride I didn’t see anybody um unless you’ve got local knowledge I don’t think uh people know about these trails [Music] there’s actually a cafe here i forgot about that cafe and seamstress it’s a bizarre mix i think people live in that bit like residents that’s where I live now I’m joking right let’s crack on with the route i’ve actually come off uh off course just to show you that castle i hope you appreciate it man i’m just going to go back up here and then back onto the uh what do you call it the sustr route 14 I think it is so I’m uh I’m actually on this uh trail sust called the I think it’s called the Brandon to Bishop Oakland something like that uh but you know I was saying on the the last video that you can use the sustrance routes to connect all the trails to around the area that’s what I’m doing here so I’m going to be coming off here and then I think there’s a quiet country road with I never seen a car once cuz it’s like a dead end and the rest of the um the route is uh mainly off road think you’ve got to cross like a busy road that’s the only dodgy bit as long as you’re careful you’ll be all right it’s unlikely you’ll see a car down here like and if you do it’s probably just uh local i think there’s that one or two houses there’s one but at the end of this road though it’s a dead end that’s when it goes off road had to stop and have one of me sies already hammond pick a dilly not pickilly oh no that’s something different pick a dilly haven’t had much to eat today though apart from like a full English and uh I would have chicken madras and like a bowl of pasta and all that and uh you know ate bananas you know just just like a light breakfast but uh I did I tell you I told you it was quiet didn’t I nice pylon eh imagine that pylon’s not there right i’m waffling on already aren’t I can you see on the camera a man shot so we’re heading off road now onto the trails I was saying about brilliant got a headwind but swings and roundabouts see you in a minute [Applause] somebody’s left the gate open i think that gate’s meant to be shut [Applause] so this uh bridge coming up here is called Sunland Bridge it’s not in Sunderland though that’s what you’re thinking i’m not even really sure why it’s called that i’m sure there’ll be a story but uh do you know when I’m out with me bike I’m always uh I’m always looking for bivvie spots potential wild camping bivvie spots can’t help it i passed quite a few actually so you never know it might be uh maybe an idea for the future for a local overnighter we’ll see lovely river down here like these cows [Applause] [Applause] what a lovely place this is i think it said Crocale Hall sign back there wow there’s a busy road up there you know if you’re in your car like blasting past at like 70 mph you would never think there’s some like beautiful places like this that you’re missing that’s why it’s nice sometimes isn’t it just to go bike speed bicycle speed or slower slower the better really [Music] it’s a bit of a climb here off-road climb not easy you push forward i’ve just been here for a couple of minutes trying to work out how to open that gate so if you ever come this way right you push forward like that look there well I’m pushing back now cuz I’m going the other way but if you’re coming this way like I am you’d push forward wait to see the views here man wow this is what I want this is what I need does you so much good I think anyway just getting in places like this even if you’re just going for a walk a short walk it’s just uh just the peace and quiet the tranquility makes it all worthwhile you know all the hard trails that haven’t been that hard just that up uphill bit there um I’ll be very surprised to see anyone here m it’s like a it’s like a hidden bit of uh gold but I’m letting you know about it actually uh there’s a few people been asking about the GPX uh roots files so uh I might start doing that if uh people are interested just let us know in the comments if uh you like to see the GPX file of the actual route um more often and I’ll I’ll put it on but uh see that bit there that’s where we’re going so this is mountain biking to me this is like old school mountain biking where you’re riding on natural trails bridal ways and that i think a lot of people think of mountain biking as uh putting your bike in the car and driving to a trail center but that’s just one niche of mountain biking isn’t it just do what you enjoy i enjoy stuff like this just getting out into the middle of nowhere i love all the nature as well there’s no negatives about riding the bike is it good for your mental health good for your physical health you see nature it’s just keeps you fit forgot about that this doesn’t look like a a wellused trap to me bridal whip well still haven’t seen anybody do you remember us before that uh usually on these trails I never see anybody same again for today another gate i always shut the gates like you know why because there’s a sign saying shut the gate i think it’s quite easy to follow instruction wow look at this man that’s like the uh the fields of Gladiator ain’t it just coming into a place called Shin Cliff now it’s a nice little place nice houses and then I’m going to be Do you know what i think I’ve took the wrong turn oh well have to turn around right i might stop and have a snee so this is a kids play park in Shin Cliff lovely little park like if you’ve got BS or if you want to you can now go on it yourself trail mix just having me second the other day hammond pickilly not pickleilly no no keep telling you pick a dilly do you know when I was a kid I thought pick a dilly and pickleilly right well the one and the same right it’s only recently I found out that it’s not another thing do you know coal saw that you buy and co saw sorry co s I’m saying it wrong the coal saw on your lip and co saw that you buy when I was a kid I thought they they were one and the same even now if I get a a cold saw I say to Michelle oh I’ve got a cold saw have you got any cream any of the things I say are correct so don’t listen to me all right we’re on a quite a big climb But when you get to the top you’ve got uh views over Durham City amazing views so that’s uh going to be me reward when I get the top made it to the top not as hard i remember that it is hard but me head I thought it was harder maybe it was that sonnie you know ham and piccadilly the power of ham and piccadilly sonnies don’t underestimate it so this views I was telling you about look at that man yeah durham Cathedral right at the top now and then we’re going to be climbing a little bit further on this road and then uh I think it’s a little bit downhill and trails and that you’ll find out in a minute see you in a minute off road again there a short bit on the road there i didn’t video it well it was like a cycle path if you can call it a cycle path wasn’t the best i took a bit of a wrong turn and I ended up on the road i don’t know how I’ve done that cuz the cycle path was just right next to it must have been when I was uh plotting the route never mind uh but I’m on this trail now called the Pittikton Way pittington Way something like that uh so it looks like I’m going to be just on trails for quite a while now thankfully so I’ve never been on these trails before new to me if anybody’s watching uh from this area they probably know it well but I don’t look at these little uh baby horses folds are called under wow cute is that one just getting fed by the uh the owner [Applause] whoa just passed through a place called East Ron and then I’m heading towards another place called Ranton Meadows don’t know if you’re familiar with that i think I’ve been once before years ago i don’t know what’s happened to this uh map but when I’ve uploaded the the route onto me Garmin it’s somehow altered some of the off-road trails and made them into road trails well sorry not road trails made them into roads so that this bit here that I’m on now the Garmin was advised us to go the other way which was on the road luckily I like cutting on when I’m reading the map but it’s taken us the wrong way that must be something to do with the settings never noticed that before it’s never happened before back on track now i’ve been down here before me and Michelle came here about uh 10 years ago I think just for a little walk about i didn’t know it was like like a bike trail as well i think I remember at the time when I was we came here for a walk I was going “Ah wish I was on me bike.” Just looking at the map there that there’s a place called Joe’s Pond looks nice but there’s loads of wildlife in there been mint so far like I took a couple of wrong turnings you know cuz it’s all new but apart from that a lot of variety and it you know it’s like new to me quite a lot of this right where am I going now am I going to get lost again telling us to go on the road as long as it’s a quiet road it is don’t know what this GM is playing at the day like we’re going to the map you just turn right that’s what it’s saying just turn right it’s dead easy oh I think this Gman’s got a sense of humor no one mention the map there’s steps not mind them leg [Music] is this the way [Music] You know I’m actually lost i’m down by the river in Washington he had the James Steel Park right and I can see the Sustrance Route on the map but I cannot find a way to get to it every time I go down a trail it’s like a dead end and or it’s like a foot path only and or things like that and it’s uh I don’t know i’ll work it out i’m going to have to think of the name of this video wrong wrong turning i don’t know i think it’s something see you in a minute [Music] [Applause] [Music] heat heat [Music] right I got away from all those trails that I wasn’t familiar with all the dead ends and I’m back on the trails that I that I know uh so I’m just going to head back home now on the Sussins route uh I’ll not bother videoing it because you’ve seen it before but uh you know what it reminds us of when I used to play out on me bike when we mates when I was a kid when you used to go out on your bike and you weren’t really sure where you were going and you know you’d have uh like maybe an A to Z or something well not an A to Z but you’d have a a rough idea where you were going to explore and then you you’d get a bit lost and then you’d find it again and it’s good getting back to that kind of thing you know what I mean i think you you lose it with too much technology so me me technology let us down a little bit the day but you know it was it was like old school biking again it was good i enjoyed it so thanks for watching and I’ll see you on the next one [Music]