The Sandstone Way is a something new — the UK’s first signposted long-distance mountain-bike specific route. Deep in Northumberland, it describes 120 miles of largely off-road riding between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Hexham, taking in some of the finest (and least populated) scenery and trails the area has to offer.

We covered the trail with Rich Rothwell, an extreme endurance rider who was tackling the whole thing in one day, and Steve Woods, who is chief guide at Saddle Skeddadle bike holidays — and now Steve’s company has launched a package for riders who want to sample the Sandstone Way for themselves.

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The route is a mixture of double-width dirt tracks, singletrack sections, scenic unsurfaced lanes, bridleways, byways and little-known Unclassified County Roads.

The trip begins with arrival into Newcastle before a transfer to the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Initially riding south along the beautiful Northumberland coast, you’ll turn inland through the North East’s finest countryside in three days of great riding.

For more information, visit the Skeddale website.

Rich Rothwell’s Sandstone Way tips

• I was glad I was on the full suss. Even though it wasn’t technical and there was some road involved, it was great to be able to just sit down and pedal. The trails were stony even though they look smooth, and there are a lot of bumps and vibrations. You might be slightly faster on a hardtail, but it isn’t a race — comfort is important. I had high volume tyres at low pressure too.
• There aren’t many facilities but the advantage is a massive expanse that’s basically wilderness. It isn’t everyone’s taste, but I love it.
• There are a fair number of road sections, that’s unavoidable on a route this length, but they’re really quiet. The trail designers are already planning more trail to slot in and reduce the road use.