Dunston Adventure - Billie Fleming Tribute Ride

Billie Fleming, who died in May 2014 aged 100, has a unique place in the history of cycling. In 1938, she cycled every day for the year and set the women's world record for the greatest distance cycled in a single year. Her record of 29,603 miles has never been beaten. On the 16th September of that year Billie visited Dunston in Gateshead. We will be cycling mostly off-road along the railway paths and waggonway routes in the area. Dunston and this area of Gateshead has changed beyond recognition since the year that Billie completed her ride and the paths we will be using were all mostly active railways in 1938. We will start at the Tyne but will be travelling inland along a range of paths and quiet roads to Gateshead’s Countryside along the Bowes Railway Path and returning via the Tanfield Railway path. Although the route travels through some urban industrial areas we will still find some amazing green places. For information the route of the Bowes Railway Path around Kibblesworth involves quite a climb of a few miles but the pace will be very slow and we will be stopping for rests. Where sections of the railway paths are not being maintained as they should then these sections can be quite a bit more ‘technical’ (narrow and washed out in places) so a bike with off-road tyres is required. Unfortunately a vintage 1938 road bike would probably not be appropriate! But if your leader can do this ride - so can you too! We will be stopping at the end of the ride at Dunston Community Centre Café. This is a community café and offers fresh home- made food at nearly 1938 prices! PLEASE BRING AT LEAST ONE SPARE INNER TUBE and if possible a helmet. If you need to book on or cancel your ride via the web page please do this before 8am on the day of the ride otherwise I might not be able to catch this. Billie became inspired by the ideas of the Women's League of Health & Beauty, an organisation founded in the 1930s by Mary Bagot Stack as "a league of women who will renew their energy in themselves and for themselves day by day". Billie thought, "Well, you could do that by riding a bicycle" and decided to do just that!