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| The start of our Coast to Coast cycle route at Whitehaven, and everyone looking fresh (it won't last for long haha). This is one of the best activity weekends we've ever had - read on to find out more |
A tough, but really fun 3 days doing the Coast to Coast cycle route from Whitehaven in Cumbria to Sunderland
Quite a few of my mates are outdoor types and we're always up for a challenge - so we set ourselves the goal of doing the c2c cycle route over 3 days one weekend in September 2010, whilst trying to raise some money for Teenage Cancer Trust in the process.
This cycling challenge was tough going at times - but one of the best weekends and laughs we've had as a group - and I really recommend it to anyone who is thinking of doing it. The days are a hardwork on the bikes, and I don't think I've appreciated a hot shower, evening meal and few pints than on this trip. Honestly though, it's a cracking thing to do and I'd def do it again in the future.
The coast to coast bike ride map route:
The 3 day c2c cycling plan:
We all live not too far from Sunderland on the North-east coast, so we decided we would start on the west-coast, and at Whitehaven, as it seemed a bit more scenic starting here rather than Workington. We were fortunate in that we had a volunteer driver, so we rented a van for a weekend, booked a nights stay in a b&b at Penrith and another one in Rookhope, and packed the bikes & bags and headed off very early on Day 1 on the 2.5hr drive to Whitehaven.
Day 1 of the Coast to Coast route - Whitehaven to Penrith
We planned to cycle from Whitehaven to Penrith which was 88km cycling (For elevation see section 0km - 88km on the below elevation map). Day one only had a couple of climbs, and we wanted to cycle as far as possible, knowing that from Penrith onwards on Day 2 it would be pretty tough with the hardest climbs. The scenery on Day 1 through the Lake District was stunning.
Day 2 of the Coast to Coast route - Penrith to Rookhope
We cycled from Penrith to Rookhope - 67km in total (section 88km - 155km on the below map). This section included the fabled (amongst c2c'ers) Hartside Pass - which is the toughest section of the full route - it's a grueller - but great challenge.
Day 3 of the Coast to Coast route - Rookhope to Sunderland
On Day 3 we cycled from Rookhope to Sunderland, which was 70km (see section 155km to 212km), but pretty easy going in terms of climes compared to the previous 2 days and I;'d say this was the easiest of the days
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| The full elevation map of our route from Whitehaven to Sunderland. day 2 was by far the toughest, which is from section 88km to 155km on the chart above. You can see the mammoth Hartside Pass clime just after the 100km mark. |
Some of our photos on the c2c route
Day 1 - Whitehaven to Penrith, 88km
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| Stopping for a rest on Lowswater |
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| We only had one of us get a puncture, and fortunately for Mick it wasn't too far from a pub in Keswick |
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| Looking happy after a pub lunch in Keswick |
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| Arriving at our B&B for the night in Penrith. (Acorn Guest House, which is on the c2c rote and biker friendly) |
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| Our B&B hosts recommended the Station Hotel in Penrith for tea, and we weren't disappointed - it was definitely one of best Steak & Chips I've had. |
Day 2 - Penrith to Rookhope, 67km
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| Not sure what's going on here....special :-) |
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| Bracing ourselves at the foot of Hartside Pass. It was quite busy with cyclists, as I think local cyclists tackle this one too as part of a shorter ride. |
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| Knackered, but proud at the summit of Hartside Pass. I was chuffed to bits I managed to get to the top without stopping. There's a cafe up the top of here too to chill out and grab a cup of tea and some food. |
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| Cruising down from the summit of Hartside Pass. |
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| We were all buzzing after conquering Hartside Pass, but be warned - the next clime Garrigil, not far after Hartside is just as steep, if not steeper at the very start - it's a killer too! I found that the hardest climb of the lot! |
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| Arriving at our 2nd B&B, the Rookhope Inn. |
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| We had our partners and mates join us for tea and a few drinks here. But they drove and cheated - leaving us to tackle day 3. |
Day 3 - Rookhope to Sunderland, 70km
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| An early start through some more amazing scenery |
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| We dip into Northumberland for a little bit |
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| Then it's county Durham |
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| The weather was great for us on Day 3 and it really was a nice leisurely ride into Sunderland (we;; leisurely compared to the previous 2 days) |
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| Quite a lot of the c2c is on tracks or minor roads |
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| There's plenty of flat on day 3 |
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| Good chance to get some speed up |
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| The end is in sight - approaching Sunderland |
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| It's a good little cruise into Sunderland and you know you've nearly done it |
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| Very happy near the Wear Bridge - not long to go :-) |
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| We made it to Sunderland and we are all intact! |
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| Finishing up in the North Sea |
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| It's September but you've got to have a swim to finish it all off haven't you |
So there you go, I hope that blog post gave a little overview of our 3 day cycling adventure. As I said, it was a brilliant weekend, a real good laugh, and while physically demanding at times - it was all worthwhile. If you are thinking about doing it - then do it - I'd love to do it again and is one of the best weekends I've had.
Coast to Coast - Top 4 Tips
#1. TRAIN RIGHT ON THE BIKE - prepare for the hills
I think any reasonably fit person can complete this route in 3 days. At the time of doing this I wasn't a big cyclist, only doing the odd ride a month. I did do a bit of training, but only a couple of 10-20 mile rides a week in the few weeks leading up to the challenge. I was though fairly fit from football and the gym, and a little bit on the cycling machines in the gym. In hindsight - I think my training focussed too much on distance and flat routes, and not enough on hills. While it's important to get used to spending a few hours on the saddle, it's the steep hills on day 2 which are the big challenge. If I was training again - I would do more spinning classes in the gym to get used to really working those leg muscles in preparation for the hills. But in saying that - I did mange to do most of the hills, including Hartside Pass, it was only Garrigil that defeated me!
#2. Choose the best coast to coast route stages
I think the route we took was perfect, and we made a good choice to spend the night in Penrith, rather than Keswick on the 1st night, as the route after Penrith is pretty demanding.
#3. You don't necessarily need spare bikes
We were lucky in having a van driver that would meet us both nights, and to carry our clothes etc and a spare couple of bikes. We played it safe, but could probably have managed it without a driver as long as we could have carried out clothes on our bikes. We didn't have need for spare bikes, and all the bikes coped well, even the one without any suspension. There was only one puncture, and no major bike failings (but would obviously recommend being prepared for bike malfunctions and taking the right tools just in case) We only used mountain bikes too, but the route was all minor roads or dirt track - so a hybrid bike would have been ok too. I wouldn't have asked anything with thin tyres though.
#4. Try and raise some money for charity
For a lot of people the c2c is a good challenge, and if your doing it in a group, why not try and raise a bit of money for a charity while you are at it! I personally managed to raise a few quid for the Teenage Cancer Trust! It wasn't much - but better than nowt!
Anyway - thanks for reading! Get it on your bucket list! If you have any questions - just post a comment and i'll try and answer.
Post by Stuart Hodgson
'The Hiking Photographer'
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