Coast to Coast and back again

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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captain offensive
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Joined: 22 Oct 2014, 8:36am

Coast to Coast and back again

Post by captain offensive »

I'm still fairly new to all this touring but its Monday evening, the bike is checked and the panniers packed and tomorrow I'm heading up towards Newcastle for this years mini adventure: Hadrian's cycleway from South Shields towards Workington (stopping overnight in Carlisle), then back along the C2C via overnights in Keswick and Alston towards Sunderland.

Being a mere southerner who normally rides along coastal flat lands this could be a couple of hills too far but I've been doing some extra training and reckon I'm about as ready as can be so wish me luck! :-)

Cheers
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Paulatic
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by Paulatic »

Good luck, hope the weather holds.
If you aren't used to hills then you might find Hartside, heading for Alston, a bit of a challenge. If you are staying at hostels I'd go off route and prefer Cockermouth to Keswick.
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captain offensive
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by captain offensive »

Thanks. Fingers xed for the weather indeed! I'm actually quite looking forward to trying Hartside. I've done done steeper climbs (been picking out some of the best that the South downs and the weald can offer the last couple of months) but nothing that long. Keswick and Alston were chosen to make that day with Hartside a bit shorter! :-)
pete75
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by pete75 »

captain offensive wrote:Thanks. Fingers xed for the weather indeed! I'm actually quite looking forward to trying Hartside. I've done done steeper climbs (been picking out some of the best that the South downs and the weald can offer the last couple of months) but nothing that long. Keswick and Alston were chosen to make that day with Hartside a bit shorter! :-)


Alston is a good choice - by staying there you'll be avoiding Flinty Fell, the climb from Garigill towards Nenthead. IME it's the toughest climb on the C2C with Crawleyside Bank in second place.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
captain offensive
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Joined: 22 Oct 2014, 8:36am

Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by captain offensive »

I had read that and combined with looking like there was basically nothing to do and nowhere took eat in Garigill chose the Alston, stuff in a pub with a flatter start the next day, option! ;-)
Richard Fairhurst
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

pete75 wrote:Alston is a good choice - by staying there you'll be avoiding Flinty Fell, the climb from Garigill towards Nenthead. IME it's the toughest climb on the C2C with Crawleyside Bank in second place.

I'd find it hard-pushed to choose between the two, but yes, I'd definitely agree they're the two toughest. Mind you, my opinion of Crawleyside Bank is somewhat coloured by the fact it was lashing down when I rode it, so much so that I was in full head-down mode and almost ploughed into another rider in front of me...
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captain offensive
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by captain offensive »

Crawleyside bank sounds fun! Is that the climb out of Stanhope? Certainly looks like it could be nasty but I think once up there it's a pretty easy ride down into Sunderland? (please say yes)
pete75
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by pete75 »

captain offensive wrote:Crawleyside bank sounds fun! Is that the climb out of Stanhope? Certainly looks like it could be nasty but I think once up there it's a pretty easy ride down into Sunderland? (please say yes)


Yes it is - along the Waskerly way it's almost all flat or slightly downhill. Decent café at Parkhead station at start of the Waskerley.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
Bicycler
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by Bicycler »

captain offensive wrote:I had read that and combined with looking like there was basically nothing to do and nowhere took eat in Garigill

Has the George and Dragon closed? :( I love Alston though. Cracking beers at the Cumberland Hotel (if real ale's your thing)
geocycle
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by geocycle »

captain offensive wrote:Crawleyside bank sounds fun! Is that the climb out of Stanhope? Certainly looks like it could be nasty but I think once up there it's a pretty easy ride down into Sunderland? (please say yes)


You'll enjoy Crawleyside... I prefer the alternative rough offroad route over the grouse moor from Rookhope, however it will probably be shut for the cyclist shooting season.
captain offensive
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by captain offensive »

Pete. I'm liking the decision to put cafes at the top of the climbs.

Bicycler I think the G&D seems to be open but no food by the looks of it. I'm booked in to the Cumberland so reckon I'll survive.

Geocycle. How rough is that track? Tempted if its open but will my 32s be enough for that track?

Cheers
geocycle
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by geocycle »

captain offensive wrote:Pete. I'm liking the decision to put cafes at the top of the climbs.

Bicycler I think the G&D seems to be open but no food by the looks of it. I'm booked in to the Cumberland so reckon I'll survive.

Geocycle. How rough is that track? Tempted if its open but will my 32s be enough for that track?

Cheers


I did it about 5 years ago on 32s. The incline was very rough at first with lots of loose rocks, most (all?) need to push for a perhaps a hundred metres or so but then becomes rideable and is a great experience. BUT, I do think it will be closed for the grouse season.
PJ520
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Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by PJ520 »

It's a year or two since i did it but Parkhead Station is an excellent B & B with very good restaurant and it's a cruise from there to Consett. Now these things are always changing so do check they are still in business. It's best to make a reservation. Earlier the climb out of Garigill is a killer, the only place I used the 24 in gear on the whole trip. I stopped at the bike shop in Nenthead for a chat, the man told me that people have been known to have brakes overheat descending into Nenthead. It's a fabulous ride and would love to do it again. The worst part was finding there are no toilet facilities at Whitehaven station.

Interestingly the line to Parkhead survived the Beeching cuts; it was needed by the Consett Iron Works which are of course long gone by now.
You only live once, which is enough if you do it right. - Mae West
captain offensive
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Joined: 22 Oct 2014, 8:36am

Re: Coast to Coast and back again

Post by captain offensive »

Hi all,

Its taken me a while (almost a year!) but for anyone that might be interested I've written up the ride I did last summer (Hadrian's Cycleway from South Shields as far as Workington and then back on the C2C to Sunderland). Apart from a disaster about 10 miles outside of Carlisle it was a great trip (Crawleyside Bank excepted :D ). I did the ride over four days (plus a 'prologue' day!) and more for my own amusement have written about it here:

Travelling up and Prologue
South Shields to (almost) Carlisle
Carlise to Keswick
Keswick to Alston
Alston to Sunderland

Hope it might be of interest to someone! Next up - Lon Las Cymru at the end of the month! :-)
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