C2C - Who's done it?

singletracksurfer

Which way is best for middle section?

Heard Mosedale (from Kentmere to Shap) is horrible so thinking of an alternative along Long Sleddale (is road or bridleway best option along here) to the A6 then Borrowdale to Tebay.

Thanks.

trav3

which route are you doing ? i did the route which mostly follows the wainright route from st bees up through ennerdale over into buttermere up honister camped in seathwaite
then up greenup edge down into gasmere we were supposed to go up great tongue to grisedale tarn but because of all the carrying up greenup and down my mates shoes fell to bits we had to go to ambleside for replacements .done great tongue and the descent from grisdale tarn since and its crap from ambleside we went up" the struggle " on road over kirkstone pass down into patterdale and along bridalway along side of ullswater camped in pooley bridge.because of all the yomping we were now behind schedule so we did a long road ride over shap all the way down swaledale and camped near bolton on swale {about 80 mile }then road through northallerton to osmotherly onto cleveland way past scugdale hall then onto urra moor and bloworth crossing food at the lion inn head towards rosedale then iffy bridalway to fryup dale downinto glaisdale camped here . last day is a mix of descent road and crap tracks with a screaming road downhill to finish the route is by kevin hodgson if we could have got hold of him after second day he'd be dead but over all it was a good trip i would do more research around the lakes for more ridable tracks if i were you but hey all part of the fun

Blackadder

ive just done sustrans one which is good

it can be done all on raod or some on and some off

midsfella

Some great tips guys, i am infact riding the C2C in august for a local charity, and have already posted on here asking for advice on routes books etc. There have been a series of programs on the tv about walking the C2C and to be honest im even more confused now after watching them.....

Can anyone recommend the best book, and route, i am aware that some walking is going to be necessary but would like to limnit this to a minimum.

Thanks in advance.

Midsfella

betski

The orginal sustrans c2c takes the shortest route (by bike) accross the breadth of england so there shouldn't be any walking involved unless you get lost. personally, i would take a slightly longer route and avoid starting in whitehaven and also avoid finishing in sunderland, purley for aesthetic reasons- The last 20 miles you're riding through housing estates. Walney to Whitby is about as good as it gets for scenery all the way along.

sniper68

midsfella wrote:

Some great tips guys, i am infact riding the C2C in august for a local charity, and have already posted on here asking for advice on routes books etc. There have been a series of programs on the tv about walking the C2C and to be honest im even more confused now after watching them.....

Can anyone recommend the best book, and route, i am aware that some walking is going to be necessary but would like to limnit this to a minimum.

Thanks in advance.

Midsfella

Posted on your original thread.
This is the best book:
http://www.wainwright.org.uk/coast_to_coast/index.html
Or alternatively
http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk/
The Sea to Sea(C2C) runs from Workington to Sunderland and is on easier trails/roads/disused railways.I'm sure you could jumble both routes around a bit to get a more ridable route.The C2C is marked with blue fingerposts(in Cumbria at least),the Wainwright route obviously isn't.Its only really the first day/Lake District section that's a hike-a-bike on the Wainwright route.


The TV program is the Coast to Coast(Wainwrights St Bees Head to Robin Hoods Bay)The C2C(sea2sea) is a completely different trail.

tptvmbircn

betski wrote:

The orginal sustrans c2c takes the shortest route (by bike) accross the breadth of england so there shouldn't be any walking involved unless you get lost. personally, i would take a slightly longer route and avoid starting in whitehaven and also avoid finishing in sunderland, purley for aesthetic reasons- The last 20 miles you're riding through housing estates. Walney to Whitby is about as good as it gets for scenery all the way along.

I second this, living in sunderland you get a load of glass on the tracks too, completed the c2c 3 times now, love it, the rough spots are whitehaven, consett > sunderland. Its such a shame however does not stop anybody cycling around here.

Stephen-Hawking

I've done the basic Sustrans route,w as a good laugh and enjoyable, Sunderland end not great, but it's only an hour or so at the end. No walking at all though.

Am doing the Reevers route in a few weeks which is longer but takes in Keilder forrest, which should be good. And doesn't end in Maken territory.

tptvmbircn

Stephen-Hawking wrote:

And doesn't end in Maken territory.

Makem haha, one day twisting the arms of my other half i'm sure to live in the countryside! and end the ride without big headed yobbo charvs giving you grief.

James Latham

Hi, I am doing the coast 2 coast in July in aid of Help for Heroes. Could anyone recommend what bike I should use?

Route is here;
cycle-challenge.co.uk/route2.html

tptvmbircn

James Latham wrote:

Hi, I am doing the coast 2 coast in July in aid of Help for Heroes. Could anyone recommend what bike I should use?

Route is here;
cycle-challenge.co.uk/route2.html

I've done it on hardtails always, bit rough at rookehope but nothing too drastic, i've seen an apollo crappy full susser on there before and the guy looked content about it all haha.

Distance wise on the back of that to sunderland you're talking about 142-147 miles i seem to clock up.

James Latham

You dont think I would be better off getting a road bike? The organisers dont seem to know what's best! one has told me a mtb and the other a road

We are both a reasonable fitness and can manage all day mtb 30 mile trails. Do you think we'll be ok?

tptvmbircn

James Latham wrote:

You dont think I would be better off getting a road bike? The organisers dont seem to know what's best! one has told me a mtb and the other a road

We are both a reasonable fitness and can manage all day mtb 30 mile trails. Do you think we'll be ok?

to be fair the last time i done the c2c there were a few carrera roadies there and they did'nt have trouble so i would put it down purely to preference in that case.

James Latham

Cheers for the advice.

I saw this and though a road bike would struggle www.c2c-guide.co.uk/offroad.htm

tptvmbircn

well bypass old coach road to be honest, rookehope incline you will be able to go off road mite have to get off at the beginning but rock dodge haha, however, there is a road alternitive, instead of turning left continue straight forward and you end up at the turnoff to waskerley cafe, i think its 6 and two 3's difference personally.

g3n1u5

I did whitehaven to tynemouth (C2C) last weekend

I was on a HT with semi-slicks which coped fine, i wont fancy the dewent walk on a road bike with slicks its known for punctures :roll:

The best was to Parkhead Cafe is the on road route, the Rookhope route is a mess at the minute

James Latham

what kind of fitness level are/were you at g3n1u5? Im not too bad but not sure what i've let myself in for! Can handle fairly rough 20m mtb trails no prob but 75 miles....

g3n1u5

my fitness is OK for riding -

I started doing alot of road riding in Feb/March time as well as my normal trail riding at weekends - i did my training all on a set of old mtb tyres then switched to semi slicks just before the ride and you can really feel the difference

I was doing around 100miles a week in training

the first day is the hardest, asuming you stop in alston and complete it in two days - going up hartside pass after 60 miles is a killer and the fact the cafe was shut was slightly annoying :evil:

the second day you have 20miles of rolling hills and moores and a hell of a climb up rookhope or crawley side bank but from parkhead station its all down hill

just make sure you keep eating and drinking and i'm sure you will be fine

its a hell of an achievement and i'm still buzzing now - went up to parkhead cafe on sunday for a quick blast and chatted to people doing the C2C in great weather rather than the rubbish we had

oh and my reward - a weekend at glentress in 2 weeks 8)