I’ve decided that I’m going to do the C2C later this year, taking in The Lakes, The Dales and the North Yorks Moors and staying off-road as much as possible.

The obvious thing to do woud be to use the Rat Race, The Crossing, route, which is 200 miles, but I’m wondering whether anyone has details of any other potential routes that they could let me know about.

For the record, I’m lanning to do this solo and unsupported, so I’d welcome any other ket considerations around bike (hardtail or FS), Tyres, Gears (3×10 / 1×11 etc).

Many thanks.

I did the ‘Woodcock’ C2C self supported last year. Although I didn’t realise I set off on the same day as the Rat Race crossing. The Rat Race version has less hike a bike.

I rode it on a hardtail with a mix of Revelate and Wildcat Gear handlebag bag, seatbag and fuelpods.

For tyres I went with Maxxis Ikon 2.4 front and 2.2 back, they were excellent BUT I was lucky with the weather – it was bone dry and over 30 degrees.

The Woodcock route is generally great although I did have a mild sense of humour failure bog trotting before Tan Hill in and pushing up a 1 in 3 ‘bridleway’ that looked like a quarry near the aptly names Crackpot!

Whichever route you do I’m sure you will enjoy it.

Sorry to hijack thread with more questions:

1. Any views on whether the boggy parts likely to be ridable late May bank holiday weekend 22nd-25th?
2. Is there a nice route starting in Oxenholme and riding via Grizedale trails etc? GPX links appreciated.
3. It would be convenient to end at Northallerton (have family there etc and there’s a fast direct train back to London). Is the riding in the North York Moors really good, is there a remote epic feel etc?

Ideally I’d ride from Oxenholme train station out east through Coniston, pop out near Wasdale/Eskdale, ride north to pickup http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=woicbzhhtgvzlysz and follow it to Northallerton.

I have the VG Lake district guide book, if anyone has suggestions from that.

Thanks for any comment/tips!
Peter

Boblo and I rode it last year.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/BikepackingfromStBeestoWhitby

Boblo rode his 80s Marin, I rode a 29er. It makes little difference what you will be riding as there is some significant pushing. There is a load of climbing so lots of gears will be your friend.

I echo the above. The hike a bike before the Tan Hill pub was an epic. We were extremely lucky in that it was dry. Were it wet it would have been a howler. The climb after Crackpot was a low point too.

It is an epic route. The variety of terrain keeps every day fresh. We only had rain one morning, it would have changed the character of the ride completely if we had had more.

Look out for hedgehogs. They may be more than a little angry.

twowheels – the boggy parts will not be rideable after any significant rain you will be pushing sections and getting wet feet!

North York moors are stunning – definitely feel remote.

Thanks jerseymountainbiker.

Probably I will bail if there has been heavy rain.

Me and a friend did it in 2009, based on the woodcock route, although less messing around in the lakes. We had 2 routes essentially the wet weather bail out route for each day, although we only used it day one. We did St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay over 6 days staying at youth hostels, we had my wife doing the support vehicle bit and ferrying sleeping bags etc. although full suss was good in the lakes it was less useful later in the week, but a more xc bike than an orange would work. We went mid May it was super wet until we got to the pennines then it dried up a lot. many parts of the first 3 days (to Reith) involved walking with the bike up steeps and across boggy ground. I wasn’t prepared to get blisters from walking!
It was a brilliant thing to do and often think about it and what I’d do differently next time, more training and a lighter bike top of the list. Happy to send you gpx files of the routes we planned, and can send you a link to the blog we did too. Relatively short but would give you a sense of it.

And gore tex boots are your friend.

Firstly, thanks to all those that have taken the time to reply to my original post. It’s incredibly valuable insight and greatly appreciated.

Secondly, I’m starting to realise the enormity of what I’m trying to achieve and all the things that need further consideration prior to departure.

Initiailly may plan was to do this over the course of three days, bivvying down for two nights along the way, but I’m not so sure how realistic that now is, even though I’m of a good fitness level, especially give the additional weight of the kit I’ll have attached to the bike and the backpack. That said, that’s still the aim.

Love the pictures that mcmoonter has provided, and I’d be grateful if pnik could point me in the direction of his blog and forward on the GPX files.

Cheers

I`d love to do this. got to find a riding buddy stupid enough to do it

Julesward – it took me 6 days, carrying everything, well actually 4 full days and 2 half days due to transport arrangements. Looking back on it now I am really glad I did it, the scenery is stunning. With a loaded bike you have to accept you will be pushing sections, just embrace it and take the chance to look round and enjoy the views.

I will sort out the gpx of my route (or rather one for each day).

Bivvying will be fine, the reason I chose to do this was to allow me to keep going each day and stop whenever I felt like it without being tied to having to make a predetermined destination each night, it gave me a lot of freedom and took the pressure off.

Good luck with the planning. I will do it again in a couple of years after I havebagged a few other classic long distance routes.

I did the Woodcock-based route solo near on ten years ago, using the Packhorse service – I have to say that I was decidedly glad of having a roof over my head, a hot meal and a pint in the evenings. I did 5 days of riding, with a day off in the lakes and one near my parent’s home ( Northallerton ). Carrying everything that you might need, water, etc was enough for me – carrying camping gear would not be a lot of fun IMHO.

I *might* still have the routes kicking around ( in Tracklogs format ) somewhere if they would help.

I did it in 2010, using the Packhorse service as a result of comments on here. Having bikepacked the Cairngorms the previous year I was quite content to make the choice for what turned out to be an excellent service, it was a luxury, but a pleasant one. The comments on the Tan Hill bogs are fair, we had prior warning and used the road for the section to avoid the faff. Also did Wryknott and Hardnose (slowly, very slowly in my case) since the Walna Scar route had just had a visit from JCBs, if I remember correctly. Have a gpx track if you want it for comparison. Going over Black Sail Pass in the fog is something I will not forget for a long time, cracking route and a wonderful 6 days

If you’re gonna do it in 3 days, prepare yourself for 3 very hard days out. I think I’d be inclined to go super lightweight and forget the camping/bivvying as the extra weight might just induce a sense of humour failure along the way. I’m not sure it’d be much fun in 3 days but you may well be a (hateful) super fit MTB wallah.

I’m a masochistic individual and really fancy the mental and physical challenge.

One of the key challenges that I can forsee is around navigation. Are there any portable SatNav units out there that have a charge tht would last for three days?

I,m fairly fit and tried to do it in 3 days but ended up scampering off a hill on the North York Moors at 10pm at night in a howling storm , the woodcock route is great and a must do hardest bit I found was the trek to shap from Gatesgarth Pass it was a bog fest we carried all our kit and stopped at a YHA in Grasmere and Reeth at the Dales mtb centre
We did like a beer mind and it was a round each a night 6 pints was the law 🙂
[url=https://flic.kr/p/8Fyxjt]bogtrotting coast to coast![/url] by Richard Munro, on Flickr

I’m a masochistic individual and really fancy the mental and physical challenge.

You’d be better off getting a spanking from a big lass with a good strong arm then. 🙂

You’ll be riding through 3 national parks – IMHO if you do that with your head down, rushing to get from one side of the country to the other you might as well stay at home on a turbo trainer.

Good point well made, Cranberry. Do you know any?

Are there any portable SatNav units out there that have a charge tht would last for three days?

The Garmin Etrex has great battery life and uses AA batteries so is easy to keep going.

As I was doing the trip in a little more leisurely fashion I used the Garmin 810 with a Power Monkey solar panel/battery strapped to by bar bag. Un-limited power (well the sun did shine for me). This kept by Garmin, Gopro, Camera and Phone going during the trip.

Re. batteries- how about anything with USB power together with something like http://www.ianker.com/product/79AN7917-BA ? (I use that with my phone, and it has plenty of juice for a few days. It weighs 230g).

@jerseymountainbiker if he’s going for a 3 dayer, there’s no way he should be carrying all that crap. He won’t have time to piss around with cameras, GoPro’s etc anyway.

Good point well made, Cranberry. Do you know any?

A gentleman never tells.

As for Satnav, just make sure that it takes AA/AAA batteries and take spares wrapped in clingfilm to keep them dry.

I did the route in a September, and the section to Tan Hill Inn actually killed my Nokia 8310 by going arse over tip into a bog. I remember sitting in the pub with a pint and water sloshing around in between my sealskinz socks and boots. Happy days!

I’ll be travelling as light a possible, so the GoPro and the like will be staying at home for this trip.

Thanks for the link twowheels, and the tip regarding the batteries from cranberry.

The general consensus seems like Tan Hill’s a bloody nightmare. Can’t wait!

I’ve done it twice
Once carrying all the kit and once using packhorse
iMHO, get packhorse to carry your kit. It will make the whole experience more enjoyable
There are some steep ups, and good descents that are all ruined with a load of kit

easygirl Thanks for the advice. Out of interest, which Packhorse service provider did you opt for?

Cheers

Did Woodcock route Sept some years back. Aiming for 3 days. The rain. Oh the rain.
Train to Whitehaven on the Friday evening, cycled to Egremont via St Bees in the pouring rain. Soaked before we started – but stayed in a cycle hostel in Egremont. Getting a takeaway for dinner on a friday night in egremont was like entering a battlefield.
Basically, it p1ssed it down heavily for 3 days – everywhere was flooding.
Tried to stick to the woodcock route faithfully – what a mistake – the bridleway down to the Duddon is unrideable and guess what – it uses the stepping stones.
So we had to hike-a-bike 1.5 miles down the gorge.
Bailed out at Staveley as the rain increasing and getting dark – didn’t fancy mosedale to Shap in that weather. Found last B&B room in Stavely – chintzy double bed for me n Dave.
Morning sprint up to Kirby Stephen on the road, then slog over the top. Weather foul again – cut out the south loop in swaledale from muker area – road to see Stu at Dales Bike Centre (good place to stay) for new spoke and headset for Dave. Made it to the foot of the moors by dark.
Last day still foul – missed out north loop at start of moors as needed to get to Whitby for train – going over towards RHB the clay was so think and wet our wheels stopped turning and couldn’t even lift the bike.
Fish n Chips in RHB were nice.

Would I do it again. Of course. What an experience.

just too much hike-a-bike though on that route. Many better routes.

@postierich – I recognise that bit – although when I was there, you’d have been under another foot of water.

I’ve spent most of my life going to the lakes and the only other time I’ve seen it as wet as that was the weekend of the fateful 2008 OMM in Borrowdale.

Jules
It’s called packhorse, excellent service, our kit was always at the next b&b before us, made the riding more enjoyable, did it in 5 days

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