Coast to Coast - Cumbria to Tyneside - advice please!

[gedstaxi]

A new forum member so please be gentle with me!!

We are looking to organise a small group to do the coast to coast in June 2014. This will be a mixed ability group of work colleagues with probably a mix of road and hybid/mountain bikes. We are planning to do it over 3 days so that it is a reasonable challenge for all levels but not too daunting to put newbies off completely!

So many questions .(and I cant even think of all of them!)...but maybe you can just give me any of the advice you have about it if you completed this run relatively recently!?

I realise there are several "routes" - which one is most suitable for all abilities/bike types?
Is there a "not quite so hilly" route!?
where did you stay?
Is there clear route markings along the way?
etc etc!

 

[Cush]

I would use the Hadrian s Cycle way from St Bees and stick to the Coastal path to Carlisle and after that make adjustments as you need too. Plenty of B&Bs and a few hostels

 

[mcshroom]

I would say the flattest (note: not flat!) route is the Hadrians Cycleway. It's also the route that stays closest to civilization. C2C from Workington is a little flatter than from Whitehaven, but not much.

Here's the Hadrian's guide - http://www.cycle-routes.org/hadrianscycleway/

 

[Cush]

Watch the Hadrian's cycle way East of Carlisle it makes some unnecessary detours just to make up the mileage.

 

[gedstaxi]

Thanks folks for all your suggestions!

So, the Hadrians Cycleway looks like the one to research further - is this going to be OK for road and hybrid.mountain bikes - and not going to p**s off one group more than the other? i.e. not too much road and not too much scrambling?! (I'm happy either way just have heard some grumblings already!!)

I had just been looking at the C2C so will now dig a bit deeper on this one re accommodation etc.

Thank you!
G

 

[Cush]

The C2C has good stretches of off and on road but is a lot harder than the Hadrian Cycle way, which is basically on road but long stretches are quiet and there are variations you can make but its main advantage is the railway that runs close to it from Ravenglass all the way to Newcastle. Then you can make a detour into foreign parts and go as far as Sunderland and still be within reach of a railway.

 

[theloafer]

Thanks folks for all your suggestions!

So, the Hadrians Cycleway looks like the one to research further - is this going to be OK for road and hybrid.mountain bikes - and not going to p**s off one group more than the other? i.e. not too much road and not too much scrambling?! (I'm happy either way just have heard some grumblings already!!)

I had just been looking at the C2C so will now dig a bit deeper on this one re accommodation etc.

Thank you!
G

lots of great info here http://c2c.freeforums.org/

 

[Cypher]

My brother & I are going to have a go at the C2C this year aswell (whitehaven to sunderland) We are both getting back into our bikes last summer so we will keep an eye on your post & make suggestions if we can. GOOD LUCK with yours.