The 100 mile "Hell of the North" Ride, Sunday 5th September 2010. The classic ride of the year, the Hell of the North continues to prove extremely popular, attracting up to 200 cyclists in previous years. A picturesque route, the ride goes through some of the most spectacular scenery in the region, but is a tough test and only for experienced cyclists. Check in and lunch stop is in Kirkby Stephen.
The Castles Ride (photos), Sunday 1st August This ride is over 80 miles and includes some tough climbing over Redmire Moor. The route takes riders around some of the most scenic countryside and is linked, as the name suggests, by local castles. The route heads as far as Castle Bolton and is good preparation for the Hell of the North in September. The photos were taken just outside Darlington and on the climb into Richmond.
> Tuesday and Thursday evening rides, 6:00pm from Blackwell Post Office.
Welcome to Darlington Cycling Club. If you live in or around Darlington and you're interested in road cycling, this is the place to be. With four club runs every week, and six from May until September, there's always an opportunity to ride with a group. If you would like to get involved, join us on a club run (see the link on the left), or ride with us on one of the Darlington Cycling Festival Tourist Trails.
Safety is paramount; if you're not used to riding in a group, please read the page on Etiquette. Stay at the back of the group until you're confident that you can ride alongside other riders. Don't overlap wheels with the rider in front, and don't weave about!
Darlington Cycling Club has a long history; archive photographs show club meets of the Darlington North Eastern Cycling Club as far back as 1912. In the mid 1960's Darlington North Eastern amalgamated with Richmond CC to form Richmond & Darlington CC which became one of the most successful cycle racing clubs in the North East. Members of Richmond & Darlington CC voted to rename the club Darlington CC at the 2008 AGM.
DCC is affiliated to British Cycling (controlling road and track racing) and to Cycling Time Trials (controlling road time trials).
Club meetings are held on the first Monday of every month at The Hole in the Wall in the Market Place, Darlington. (If it's a Bank Holiday, the meeting is held on the following Monday.)
For general enquires about the club, please email wilf.mcnaughton@gmail.com or call Mike Drake on 01325 488 066, Gary Lamont on 01325 285 008, or Steve Fullerton on 07527 671 781. Brian Ashton is our membership secretary, email brianashton@ntlworld.com or call 01325 351 355. Application forms can be printed from the link on the left.
If you're new to road cycling and would like something a little easier, try the Darlington Freewheelers rides on Tuesday evenings leaving at 6:30pm from the Market Place. Contact Peter Lumley on 01325 356226 for further details.
September 2010