Help Please

[PMB]

My friend has been tasked with orginising a route for a charity C2C route from Workington to south shields but it's proving to be a bit of a struggle. The issue is the first day which is from Workington to Troutbect nr Penrith. This is a 4 day ride with quite inexperienced cyclists so he is looking to avoid busy main roads and whinlatter pass! Is this possible? If anyone has an uploaded route they could share that would be great

Thanks

Paul

 

[the snail]

have you looked at the sustrans route NN7A?

 

[vernon]

There is a well established route by Sustrans whose mission is to avoid busy roads.

Go to the Sustrans web site and purchase a C2C map and use that as a starting point for route planning. You need to remember that the route crosses the Pennines so it is not flat. Some of the less fit riders might struggle at times on the middle stretch.

Penrith is nearly half way to the east coast! At that pace you are looking at a three day ride.

Has your pal looked at one of the C2C web sites? The link is to a particularly helpful one.

 

[PMB]

Thats a great link thanks.

Paul

 

[Brains]

Blimey, Penrith in a day with beginners - you'll have to be on your way by dawn!
(We did it in 4 days with the first night at Keswick, we used the Sustrans map/route)

 

[theloafer]

hi paul
get hold of offcial route map and use that there is bits you can detour around some of the climbs but after penriththe only way is up hartside is not that steep but is a very long grind to those not used to climbing...also at rookhope you have 2 ways to go... up to the old railway or stay on the road down to stanhope then up crawlyside a very steep climb but once at parkhead its all down hill to the coast

larry
ps what type of bike are been used by the way

 

[mcshroom]

Hi PMB

If you are starting from Workington then you won't be going over Whinlatter (shame as the view and ice-cream van at the top are good), although that doesn't mean that the route is flat.

There is a track round the bottom of Ling fell which joins the Whitehaven route at Branthwaite, although the Sustrans map warns of a steep rough decent on part of it. I haven't been that way myself.

Another option for getting to Keswick is to go around the North and East of Bassenthwaite Lake by going through Dubwath, up the B5291 to Kilnhill and along the A591 back to Keswick. The A591 is significantly quieter than the A66 but does mean you have to cross the A66 at the roundabout outside of Keswick.

From what I have ridden (up to Keswick) and driven past (as far as Penrith) I don't remember there being any significant sections where you have to ride on the A66. On the few occasions there are no alternatives I think there's an off-road path at the side of the road.

Where are you intending staying by the way? Penrith is quite a long way for a 4 day ride, I'd be looking more at riding to Keswick or Threlkeld on Day 1. There's very little climbing past Stanhope (in fact it is pretty much downhill) so you can afford to have longer finishing days instead of trying to pile lots into the more undulating western section.

 

[PMB]

Hi all

Thanks for the replies. Just to clarify i'm not doing it, its a friend from work so not sure on the types of bikes/exactly where they are stopping etc. The first night stop is at troutbeck nr Penrith which is only a few miles down the road from Threlkeld as far as i can see. I think he ahs managed to garner a new route now using the info i have got from here.

Thanks again

Paul