Bikepacking Along Old Railway Paths

Join me and Andrew on a spontaneous overnight bikepacking and wild camping trip through County Durham’s beautiful old railway trails. With no set plan other than riding until dark, we explore both familiar and unfamiliar paths, including the Lanchester Valley Railway Path, the Deerness Valley Railway Path, and the Brandon to Bishop Auckland Railway Path.

As daylight fades, we push our bikes up a steep woodland trail to find the perfect wild camping spot—quiet, remote, and away from people. The next morning, we continue our journey towards Crook, soaking up the peace of the countryside. On the way back, we stop at Field & Fodder Café in Bearpark for a well-earned sausage sarnie before heading home.

This ride wasn’t about speed or distance—it was about freedom, simplicity, and enjoying the outdoors. Meeting kind people along the way was the icing on the cake. 🚴‍♂️⛺🌲

If you love bikepacking, cycle touring, and wild camping in the UK, this video will give you inspiration for your own adventure.

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy relaxing, non-competitive cycling content and want to join me on more adventures.

#bikepacking #wildcamping #cyclinguk #adventurecycling #cyclinglife
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[Music] Hey, hey, we’re not going to back out on a bike again on an overnighter bike packing trip. We’re not going uh we’re not going that far today though. Just uh just staying in the Durham area. We’re not even sure where we’re going. Where we’re going, Andy? You know where you’re going. Wherever the bike, wherever the bike takes you. So, I think this roots that I’ve uh been looking at. It’s quite a flat route. I actually enjoy hills, but uh it’s nice to just have a like a like a gentle kind of relaxing kind of ride sometimes, isn’t it? Where there’s no competition, no mileage. You’re not thinking about where you’re going. You’ve got everything you need on your bike, your water, you’ve got your shelter, you got your food, and just ride. life kind of get much simpler, can it? Just for that short time. Just a brilliant feeling, I think. Like, so it’s Friday night. Instead of sitting on the uh the city loading it up, me and Andrew out in the bivy. Um, did you know Andrew was my brother-in-law? Do you know what? I’m going to do a now I’ve got this little microphone. I’m going to do like a a full intro. Andrew is going to like talk about his Korean bike packing. I’m joking. No, what I’m going to do is how his story how we got into um Vivian and that um we talk about it further up. So, do you know that number that bow repair placed on one of me other videos, one of me earlier ones I actually considered in there, you know, but we’re not that far from there now and it’s uh won’t be riding that long like. So now we’ll we’ll go further and the sun starts setting uh at 8:00. So think it’s about 6:00 now. So see you in a minute. There’s quite a few people out before the sun was out. Now it’s gone in and all the people have disappeared. You you see down here this Lchester route when you think about it like there’s loads of potential places you could biv bey like as long as you’re like discreet and uh well I’m all like respectful and literally leave no trace. There’s only once uh I haven’t told you the story, have I? So, me and Andrew were um Vivian bike packing last week in uh Northland in uh a woodland that we’ve never been before. Totally off the beaten track. The kind of woodland you think there’s no one going to ever find one there. Not in a million years. So, you couldn’t even uh find a way getting into this woodland. It was all really dense. And I found this little gap how to get in. You know the first thing I saw somebody with a bike in a hammock asleep. Do you know what gave him away? He left his uh his rear red light on. So we found another spot further down. Right. And it was not far from this bridal way. It look like a totally unused bride away like and uh about half an hour later after I would set with tarp and bivy up and that this bloke come over with his dog and I thought he’s either come over cuz he’s interested what we’re doing and have a big crack over or he’s like a farmer or something and uh Andrew says oh you all right are you the farmer and he went no I’m the land owner I own these woods and we were thought we’re going to get kicked off and anyway we end up having a really good conversation with him and he was really nice bloke. He says, “Oh yeah, yeah, you know, we have no issue. No issues at all. People, you know, camping and like Vivian bike packing.” I mean, and he was telling he does it himself. Uh he says, “I’m just have to be careful because there’s people been starting fires and it almost started a forest fire.” Couple of weeks ago, some BS turned up on motorbikes or something you were saying. and um and uh they started just unnecessarily lighting fires. You know, it was a really really warm week. The last well the last couple of weeks has been really warm and dry, isn’t it? So that’s basically what he was checking on. So yeah, he gave her permission to to camp there. It was a good night. Bit higgledy piggledy the ground like bumpy but uh on me sleeping bath. Matt went down after 10 minutes. But apart from that was good. You’re probably wondering why I didn’t video all this here. Well, sometimes when I go out on me bike, I don’t feel like I uh I want to like video every single thing because what you see just looking for bivvie spots already. So, what was I saying? All right. Um, you know, we’ve been up the up northland twice. We’ve been uh across the North York was a couple of weeks ago. It’s just sometimes nice to just get out and ride without having to think about a camera. So, yeah, I don’t always video me every ride like, but um I’m videoing this one anyway. That’s the main thing. See what happens. See this house here? That used to be the train station, I think. I mean, you can you can tell, can’t you imagine living in there, man? Amazing. So, as you’ve probably guessed, we’re on the the Lchester Valley route, which I do a lot of me rides. Hey, that’s start on here. At some point, I’m on here cuz you can get on uh different trails. This connects them all. So this route I was telling you about before, do you know when it gets to Bay Park and it forks off down to Bishop Oakland, there’s another route called the Dianis Valley Railway or Dianis Valley Route, something like that. I think I’ve only, you know, in all the years I’ve lived here, I think I’ve only been along there like um like once, not to the end either. So I think I might go down there and have a look for some woodland. Uh, don’t know until I get there. Uh, we’ve just passed Alden Graange. The toilets are still open. So, I’ve uh we both managed to top water bottles up from the top, you know, not not the toilet. I prefer to use me water filter to be honest when I’m out. Great feeling just uh getting like water from like a natural source as a opposed to like depending on buying water from shops or you know what I mean? [Applause] It’s a nice trail. [Music] Very easy going nice scenery. Nice countryside. [Music] So this is the Dianis Valley route or railway or whatever it’s called. Used to be a railway. Only been down here once. I think yeah eventually if you stay on it you end up in the crook. Don’t know if we’re going that far though. Although I don’t know. have no idea where where I’m going. I don’t like to plan these things too much. Sometimes when I’m out on my bike though, I’m always looking for potential bivvie spots, but I haven’t really been down here. I think what I’ll do is keep riding and um look at the map and look for like uh some woodland. So, we’re looking for a bivvie spot now. [Applause] As usual, the perfect bivvie spot doesn’t present itself to us. I always see them when I’m uh just out on a bike ride or actually not on me bike, you know, if I’m out for a walk or something. If we go back on that main trail and go further down, I think there’s the woodlands bigger. [Applause] Yeah, it’s straight on. Oh, no. Was there what you said? See, I’m getting lost already. Even with me Garmin. I have to call every one of me videos get lost. Too close to trail that. Funny how that’s like completely flat and then uh there’s just them little hills come from nowhere [Applause] looking for a bivvie spot. Uh it’s usually the case. So you can never find anywhere, can you? But we always do. We’ll always find somewhere. So got to keep positive, man. Keep positive and we’ll find somewhere. We’re heading that way. [Applause] Cheers, mate. Thanks. Had a feeling you had headphones in. Hey, you know what? I bet you he does know where the bivvie spots are. He had that look about him, didn’t he? He had the vivy spot and knowledge look about him, didn’t he, Andrew? Didn’t he look like he would know where all the bivvie spots are? [Applause] Yeah. Don’t know how that Dr. bitching bloke. It was terrible what he what he did, everyone says. But in the long run, he’s done like, you know, walkers and cyclists a favor. I bet you didn’t think that, though, at the time. You wouldn’t have used that as an argument. Yes. [Applause] How you man? Andrew’s been at work. What shift you on the day? Day shift. Eh, day shift. Day shift. 602. 602. And he’s riding. What a hero. Eh, need to get my cape. [Applause] There’s a bridal way coming up ahead further up. And uh I think we’re going to go down there. And there’s some woodland down there. I’m going to go and explore and have a look around there. We’re getting off the beaten track now. Like this fenced off area. So, we’ll kind of get in there. But in this vicinity, according to the map, there’s massive wood. It’s a difficult little foot bridge, aren’t it, Wandro? Yeah. Sketchy. It’s sketchy. Jesus. Come on. Might be some height to bite now. think. Oh, it’s ridable. Oh, look at the sun on top of there, man. Looks amazing, though. All right. Bikes up this uh vertical. slope because the harder somewhere is to get to and the less likely you are to be spotted and it looks more light and see the sun at the top of there. The only downside is how we’re going to get down it. Gone down sideways or something. [Applause] Right near there. Supposed to be easy ride. This Well, the ride was easy. It’s the pushing that’s not. Oh, is that what they call them push bikes for? Watch when we get the toplets. No good. Sometimes the steepness doesn’t show up on the camera. You want to help you push? Is that you brought your anvil? No. made it. Oh, it’s no good. I need to go back down. Need a chance. I tell you what, I’ll be just a baby back here, I tell you. All right, we’ll find somewhere up here. We found somewhere. Um, not perfect. Like, it was really hard to get to. Like, really hard. It’s going to be a nightmare getting back down tomorrow like So you seen that somebody’s been doing like bushcrafty kind of kind of stuff. Bush crafty kind of stuff. I mean this seat here looks like in the progress of making it. How mint is that? Good biv there. So this is where we’re staying. It’s not ideal. Like it’s a bit bumpy. But where you going? Just here. Where you were? Where am I? Huh? Where am I going? I thought you were there. First thing to do is get me uh me long pants on cuz there’s probably midgetes baiting us already. I love me the midgetes like and it’s it’s amazing that um anywhere that just doesn’t look right your little home for the night as soon as you get your top up. I think you’ll see what I mean in a minute. So, I’ve got uh water here in there. That’s what I’m having for me. Tomato and basil fusely pasta. I thought I’d skip those dead expensive uh fire pot meals. This was 95 p from Aldi. Right. the little machine I’ve got that that blows the the mat up. The little batteries ran out. So, I’ve just uh had to resort to the old fashioned huffing and puffing, which has worked. And I’ve repaired me sleeping bag. I’m fingers crossed this stays up. Just give it another couple of puffs. There’s There’s no wind like at all. spied on me uh on me mat. There was a a what do you call it? A lady bird on there before wanting to come bivian with us. Lee, can I come bivian with you? It looks great. Go away, spider. Don’t want that falling over. Last thing I want. So that’s what I’m having for me. Look, I’ve already shown you but with two mini pork pies wrapped up in cling film. So I’m going to have one of them now. Look what I’m now having Andrew. Uh chicken curry and rice. Never had this one before. Like it’s a princess one like but just cheap like couple of quid and some vit rice. The dogs got quicker. How did you get into uh bivian then? Well, first I got into cycling when I was uh cycling to work and as time went on you approach us to do uh like adventure. Yeah. Uh the North Thland one with a DFS on the DFS sofa on the back. Oh yes. you got a video of it and uh you know we’ve got to start somewhere like at the bottom. Um but I’ve built me stuff up a bit now like and I really enjoy uh these adventures so I’ve kept on going with it. Haven’t seen Bigfoot yet like but I hear plenty noises. I have always enjoyed uh riding. Um but I think you took it to the next level for us. So it’s been good. Really enjoying it. Maybe sleeping bag now. Andrew just boiling some water there. Clean the Oh, he’s uh doing the dishes. That’s one of the things about um it was fire pot wheel me wheels and now they’re quite expensive but you do get your nutrition and they fill you up and there’s no washing up to do that thing I’ve just had from Maldi wouldn’t wouldn’t have filled a hamster. So yeah, anyway, we we will see you in the morning. Morning. You hear the deer in the background. They sound like dogs, don’t they? How do you sleep, Andrew? Excellent. Good night’s sleep. Good night’s sleep. Best he’s had. Is it better than uh sleeping in a double bed at home on the No, no, it’s not that good. Like just nice to get away. Uh the stress just comes out of here, you know. Like so after all that, this was like a quite a good spot. Really hard to get to, but we’re uh concerned how we’re going to get down that hill this morning. So, I’ll video the accident coming up. I’ve just got uh got me uh cup of tea on the go. Sorry, coffee. 6:004 6 I think it is. And uh we’ll start getting packed up and we’re going to head back a slightly different way through um Krook and Round just on the uh the Sustrans route just on the disused railway lines. So, I hopefully it’s going to be a good day. That’s it. All packed away as usual. Leave no trace. Kind of tell we’ve been here whatsoever. And uh quite cool this morning, but it’s warming up now. Sun’s coming out over there. So, we’re going to go down this really sketchy hill like you’re seeing coming up. So, seeing hospital that’s the way we came down there. Look these downhill mountain bikers and get down there. But I’m more like an uphiller. All right. Well, you don’t know cuz when you’re not familiar with the area, there Oh, he has the sun coming out. That’s what you want. Yes. [Music] [Music] I love that uh feeling in the morning when you’ve been Vivian and you get up and it’s really early and the sun’s out but it’s uh it’s still like quite cold. You feel like you’ve got the whole place to yourself. Amazing. Wow. [Music] [Music] I thought this was a flat boot. I like hills like but uh I was I was convinced it was uh flat that last bit was 15%. Andrew wouldn’t be thanking us for this like Andrew hates hills but I think we’re nearly there. Well at crook before we loop around and get on to the other one. I actually have never been down here. I can’t believe it. All the years I’ve lived in Stanley, never can come down here. I don’t know why. It’s probably better if you go the other way, mate. If you if you want a bit of a downhill start at crook and go the other way, right, see you in a minute. I forgot about that. Like when you go uphill, you nearly always have a downhill after, don’t you? Hey. Hey. Thank you. [Applause] We’re back on the cycle path, different one. This one we’ve just uh come along the the A690 for about 10 minutes. wasn’t the best leg, but we had there quite a lot of downhill wind behind. So, it was over in the flash, but it’s a relief to get back on the on the trails in it, I think. Anyway, I’ve never actually been along here. So, like I say, we’ll come off at Willington and we’re heading towards uh Bay Park. Is it Broom Park? Keep get getting them mixed up. Oh, it’s been absolutely mint. is one thing. It’s put us in goodstead for uh York in a couple of weeks time. Right. We just bumped these two uh two lads who uh well, one of them watches me channel. The other ones never heard of us. What are you called? Trail mix. You watch proper cyclist, don’t you? I’ll watch that when I get back in. All right. Didn’t doesn’t watch noviceses like me. We’ll be famous when we go back and watch. All me subscribers will shoot up after interviewing you. Sorry to talk. What’s your name? I’m Andy. Andy. I’m Paul. Right. This is Nice to meet you. Yeah, I’m Le. This is Andrew. Enjoy yourself. Uh, so where you heading? Down to Bishop Orland, did you say? Yeah, Bishop Oakland. Did Weather Spoons for a lush breakfast. Very nice. All right. Weather spoons. Can afford concert. All right. Well, I’m not far from there. You can’t beat Weather Spoons. Anyway, nice meeting you, lads. Enjoy your breakfast. See you later. Sure. We’re just uh not far off from Alden Graange now in uh one of my favorite cafes in the area. We get a top of the range sausage sonnie. [Music] What is it? So me and Andrew just been in that cafe. It’s not truly scrumptious anymore. It’s been taken over. Um, it’s now called Field and Fod. Anyway, it’s uh as good if not better. Uh, the lady who uh runs it is called Chloe. We’ve just had a a good conversation with her. Really nice lady and good customer care and the prices were like decent. So, I would definitely recommend going in. What do you think Andrew or yours? I would definitely save I would definitely recommend it. Really nice bacon and sausage s just hit the mark. field and foder. So Andrew’s uh left now. He’s went a different way back home towards where he lives. I’m just going to go up the usual route, part of me training loop up towards a concert and uh look back around. [Music] [Applause] [Music] down. Down. [Music] [Music] That’s it. That’s the end the video. Hope you’ve enjoyed uh joining me and Andrew on the overnighter bivvie trip. Um and if you’ve made it to the end of the video, I really appreciate you watching. So, see you in the next one.