hi people,
i'm looking for a fresh challenge this summer with a few mates. The whitehaven to St Bees C2C sprung to mind. Just wondered if it's worth the effort? Is it ridden mainly on the road or are there any sweet singletrack. Any of your comments would be welcome and much appreciated. 😯
It's not very far between Whitehaven & St Bees - you should be finished long before breakfast on day one 😉
However - I guess you mean Whitehaven to Sunderland or North Shields which is mainly on road or St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay which is off road.
The two rides are are totally different, the former can be comfortably done in 2 days & the later will take ~5
ask me in September when I'd have riden it.
Did the Whitehaven Sunderland route a few years back over 3 days. Though it would do in two. Really enjoyed it, did all the off road alternative bits though obviously nothing really technical and its more or less all rideable.First day turned into torrential rain as soon as we hit the lakes. Stayed in a farmhouse at Greystoke on the first night, we were so wet the farmers wife made us undress in the farm yard before she'd let us in. She did however wash all our kit overnight and had it all dry for the morning. Weather picked up after that, and managed to avoid any moe rain by sheltering in some wonderful pubs till it passed. I'd say the full off road route is a completely different challenge requiring a much higher fitness level. Done sections of it over the years but never been able to find a week to string it together.
aye, the on-road one isn't much of a challenge, even if you do the optional 'off-road' sections. Nice way to see some lovely countryside, but really it's not too difficult to do it in a single day.
Why not do the proper off-road one instead? St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay taking in the Lakes, Dales, and Moors on the way. Plenty of fantastic trails and a real challenge. The Tim Woodcock route's the classic one. We did it in five days which was pretty comfortable--three or four is do-able.
AndyP You must be quite fit if you think It's not too difficult to do in a day. I think it would probably be quite difficult, but not impossible.
Whitehaven to Sunderland twice. Once at a leisurely pace (5 days) with no preparation and carrying all camping gear in trailer and pannier (gf had owned bike for 130 miles, I bought the bike I went on the day before) was a challenge the way we did it but great fun.
Last summer in under 20 hours in bl**dy awful weather. Old Coach Road in the middle of the night in torrential rain with the wind howling "the wrong way" but a massive sense of achievement on completion.
Slept pretty well that night.
Did St Bees to Robon Hood bay last year in 4 days which was pretty tough going, due mainly to navigational issues slowing us down a bit, it's not exactly a signposted trail centre ride! Even in July it was pretty wet and boggy in places, totally unrideable and a lot of soggy wet footed pushing!
Ours was based around the Woodcock route with some changes to suit us.
At the end of the day you could have better fun spending 4 days at the 7 Staines, but it's different, it's the Journey thing. Looking back over the Lakes at the begining of day 3 and thinking you've done them in 2 days is awesome, depends what floats your boat really.
I like trail centres, and I like 'Journeys', but it can be pretty grim at times and you wonder why your doing it, but at the end it's a far greater sense of achievment than getting to the end of a marked trail centre route!!