Whitehaven to sunderland coast to coast in thirteen days time

[Simon Breeze]

My wife and I completed it on Saturday. Four days and we went form zero cycling to ready over the course of a year. If no training means you dont cycle much this will be harsh! I am fifty so not as young as I was but we met a 71 year old who was completing it. I did struggle on some of the hills though I am not a club cyclist. Some posts are clearly from people much fitter than me!

The earlier advise about kit is spot on. Minimise it! One or two innertubes is fine, you can pick one up en-route if you are as unlucky as us and get two punctures. You wont be looking to repair punctures just replace the tubes so you just need tyre levers and a pump. The signs are good apart from Consett and Sunderland and we hardly used GPS, dont expect reliable 3G all the way! The C2C Map from Sustrans was an invaluable tool.

Also people have given you good guidance on the hills. to Penrith is relatively flat and it is taxing after that until Park Head, with a lovely downhill stretch into Stanhope to lull you into a false sense of security. The climb thereafter is the last serious one and they save the "best" to last!

Yes Winlatter, before Keswick, certainly isnt flat but it doesnt compete with Hartside into a headwind or Crawleyside bank in any weather condition!

It is a fantastic experience, beautiful and satisfying, we wish you the best! We are already talking about next year.

May the wind prevail for you as it failed to for us.

 

[albion]

"you can pick one up en-route if you are as unlucky as us and get two punctures. You wont be looking to repair punctures just replace the tubes "

That idea looks a bit patchy. The solution is only an extra 20 grams.

 

[Cush]

One little oddity here: I have never understood why no enterprising bod has never opened a bike shop at the top of Hartside or on the outskirts of Alston. I am sure that from April to October it would pay for it's self.

 

[addictfreak]

One little oddity here: I have never understood why no enterprising bod has never opened a bike shop at the top of Hartside or on the outskirts of Alston. I am sure that from April to October it would pay for it's self.

There was a bike shop at Nenthead, not sure if it's still open.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Great route. Don't underestimate how hilly the central section is - everyone talks about Hartside but it's far from the toughest climb en route IMO... the climb out of Garrigill is harder. So maybe lose a couple of inner tubes and take some bananas or energy drink instead! I wrote up a guide based on my experiences cycling the route: http://cycle.travel/route/c2c

That climb out of Garrigill caught me out. All the focus had been on the earlier ones.

It's a fantastic ride, and the other riders and locals we met on route were superb.

As others have said, pace yourself and spin up the hillier bits but most of all, savour the views and the experience.

Good luck and remember, you're doing it for fun, so have plenty of it.



EDIT.

Just noticed the dates. Hope you enjoyed it.