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I'm thinking of doing the coast to coast. I'm not bothered about trying to do it non-stop, probably looking at 3 or 4 days.
I'm used to doing rides in the Peak i.e. Jacobs ladder and Cut gate etc and I sometimes get nearer to 50 milers on local (flatter) rides.
Anybody have some pointers?
I have started looking at www.c2c-guide.co.uk for ideas.
The site you mentioned is good, mate has done it twice in a couple of days and once in a day into a headwind!
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My wife and 11 other ladies did it a couple of weeks ago in 3 days. They were a varied bunch, some hadn't ridden for years, some do sub 30 mins on a hilly 10 mile TT but they all managed. They went down Allendale to Hexham and finished down the Tyne valley rather than go through Consett because they'd heard tales of locals throwing stones at them (and because there's a particular tea shop in Corbridge they like).
They stayed at Greystoke in a fab place and Allenheads in the pub. Some stayed at 'The Mansion' in Whitehaven the night before they set off. Named by someone with a sense of humour. I wouldn't . . .
I've done it in a day - it's fine and the last 40 miles is pretty much downhill all the way. I did it on a 29er with cx tyres on - if I did it again I'd be on a 'cross bike I think.
Also it's very popular and busy with cyclists. That may be good or bad depending on your viewpoint.
HTH
ta folks - useful stuff
The C2C is a 2 day job, the Coast to Coast (to robin hoods bay) offroad is a different affair, that will take 5 days at least with moderate fitness and its a lot tougher
We are doing it in a few weeks over 3 days, its all booked up now...doing it for fun, so records will be broken 😉
With a mixture of both on and off road, depending on the weather...
Day 1 Whitehaven to Kirkoswald, Penrith
Day 2 Kirkoswald to Rookhope
Day 3 Rookhope to Sunderland
The c2c site pretty much has everything you need, I have the map and small guide book which is very useful.
There are many other variations, and I assume harder routes?
A mate of mine is doing St Bees to Robin Hoods Bay and taking 6 days, so I assume the terrain is much harder?
That's the offroad coast to coast referred to above.
We did the Tim Woodcock off-road one in 4 hard days
http://www.mbruk.co.uk/mbruk_CoastToCoast_details.htm
The C2C [by comparison] is much easier, if that's what you're looking for and can be done in 1.5-2 days by experienced cyclists
The C2C is a nice ride and there's lots of interesting things to see along the way, especially on the Consett to Sunderland stretch - the transformers near Consett, the JCB cows at Beamish, and the Lambton Worm bit, which you can ride along, just on the edge of Chester le Street. Oh, the Grey Horse pub in Consett is right next to the track too. 😉
You can also do a Hadrian's Wall ride a bit further north which is a quite decent for a pootle.
Do the mans route here are a few pics to inspire 😉
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/sets/72157624943948623/
[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5037248066_3e7188a235.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/5037248066/ ]Are we nearly there yet![/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5042189659_75ece07369.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/5042189659/ ]bogtrotting coast to coast![/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5036686847_2691053b9a.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/5036686847/ ]Walna scar Rd[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5037823626_0ccf7c111c.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/5037823626/ ]Tan Inn help yourself![/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5040575187_029ab13322.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/5040575187/ ]Not a good time for a puncture![/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5040576499_35d5f26056.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/5040576499/ ]The End[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
You have changed your mind 🙂 3 days and 4 hours of riding hard as ****
The 'man's route'?
But one of the bikes is pink! 😆
nice new little book out re c2c:
http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/649/title/the-c2c-cycle-route
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got a copy the other day as a freebie as I contributed to it.
The C2C is a nice ride and there's lots of interesting things to see along the way, especially on the Consett to Sunderland stretch - the transformers near Consett, the JCB cows at Beamish, and the Lambton Worm bit, which you can ride along, just on the edge of Chester le Street. Oh, the Grey Horse pub in Consett is right next to the track too.
And my house
rather than go through Consett because they'd heard tales of locals throwing stones at them
Wasn't Me!
I just laugh at people having to dismount to get through the weave/gates. Usually it's people on CX bikes. I've seen an old couple ride through them on a tandem.
I'd say two days should be ample, the majority of the traffic is west to east, you'll have a tailwind most days.
I still think it'd be more fun East to west though.
If you have a mixed group I think 3 days for the c2c is the best option, makes it a more relaxed affair, not much fun seeing part time cyclists hitting the wall. Base your days riding at about 10mph aaverage speed.
Me and my son just did the c2c and reivers in 4 days on road bikes, thoroughly enjoyable and we were lucky with the weather.
A warning to anyone thinking about doing the Reivers, once you enter Cumbria the signage is pretty bad, a lot of signs are that weathered they are unreadable, some just aren't there. Best bet would be to get the gpx file for a sat nav, saves stopping to get the map out. No problems on c2c, we went to Tynemouth instead of Sunderland and I used the gps for that day which was handy to keep us right.