Got 6 weeks holidays off work coming up and had the idea of doing whitehaven to sunderland in a day kicking around my head, and it just wont go away.

Has anybpdy else given this a try? what were your experiences. 140 miles is a long way, however I do a lot of commuting/mtb and have recently completed a number of longer rides and sportives very comfortably. Physically I think I’m upto the challenge.

Thoughts/advice?

thinking of taking this classic route, about 25 miles from Sunderland I ride pretty much past my front door so will be very tempting to throw the hat in at that point but I’m sure I’ll pull through.

http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home … ycle-route

The record for the Sustrans route is 8 or 9 hours IIRC. My top-tip for that route would be puncture proof tyres – it was a bit glassy!

I did it recently. The first 60 odd miles up to Hartside pass is easy (reasonably flat with the exception of Whinlatter, which is pretty tame at a sedate pace with fresh legs). The last 40 miles down to the coast are the easiest miles of them all (even after the long day you’ll be flying). The bit in the middle however, hurts.

Hartside, followed by Garrigill, followed by Nenthead, followed by Allenheads…..by the time you get to Crawleyside you’ll want to cry. But when you get to the top you can smile again. Easy cruising for the remainder of the ride.

Took me 14 hours (12 hours riding time). That was keeping an average speed of about 13mph. Big averages are hard to hold in these hills, but theoretically if you started hard….the hills only form a small…ish part. It’s whether you can still manage the hills after that pace (they are as big as they come and stack up one after the other). I would advise starting early!

Great advice butcher, luckily I live very nearby to Stanhope and ride a lot of the hills you mentioned pretty regularly. Hopefully that will give me an edge.

Let us know how you get on will you? I’ve been wanting to do this for a while too.

Study the weather forecast & choose a day with a tailwind

Certainly will Martin, will most likely be first week of August. Will keep updated.

I’m a regular in those hills too. They’re still tough after 100 miles! But knowing what to expect gives you a good advantage. Outside of the North Pennines it’s easy, at least in comparison. And if you can do that first 100 miles, you’re home free.

North Pennines sound tough. It was rough even drirving them. But why would want to do all that only to end up in Sunderland??!

I lived in the North East for 20 years and went there 3 times. Followed the signs to the city centre and ended up are on the top of a multistorey carpark. It was empty though. Class act.

Had some (free) tickets to see England under 21s at R(j)okerPark. Couldn’t see because of the pillars. My memory of Roker Park is coloured by the mother-in-law’s, who as a child (80+ years ago)fell in a pond there before the football ground was even built…

What could be cool is going to the end of South Shields pier; now that’d be a good ride!

Why not try it in the opposite direction? The incentive to get away from Sunderland as fast as possible would certainly help your cause.

Got 6 weeks holidays off work coming up and had the idea of doing whitehaven to sunderland in a day kicking around my head, and it just wont go away.

Take your time – what else are you going to do with the 5 weeks & 6 days