want to do c2c Whitehaven to Sutherland

ageis

hi

I 'm after some advice.

I am doing the c2c for the first time.

I'm planning to do some training so I can be reasonably sure I won't end up on the side of the road and needing a lift home.
I also don't have alot of road cycling experience.

What is the route like? Are there any very busy roads?
Are there any climbs on busy roads?
Are there any spares you would bring besides patch kit,food,water,inner tubes, pump,multitool?
Is there somewhere I can get a gpx file? I'm very very bad at directions! I got lost in penrith once took me an 2hr to find the hotel lool.

mrfpb

Its Sunderland. Sutherland is in South Africa.

You will be crossing the North end of the Peninines, so it will be hilly.

Visit Sustrans maps and shop for decent guides.

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/Sea-to-Sea-C2C-cycle-route

Get maps with alternate routes including off road if it suits you.

slowmart

@OP

http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk/

I used the above site to source loads of detail and informed views.

We used a company to move our bags from hotel to hotel and drive us back to the cars at the end of the trip which left us to enjoy the journey.

We stayed in Penrith town centre which based on thinking a night on the town would have been in order after the first day, we ended up going to bed at 9 as we were all knackered. Oh and the pissheads start kicking off at midnight too so avoid unless you like that sort of thing.


It’s a fantastic way to spend a weekend. Enjoy

Brakeless

oxoman wrote:

Just completed the way of the roses C2C over 4 steady days using baggage transfer and transfer service from the end to the start. We used a similar website as suggested by slowmart. Be prepared to have to leave bikes in beer cellars or similar as the tour arrangers will use smaller hotels etc. We had a few minor issues with our arranger so won't mention who, the more you pay the better the service IMHO up to a limit anyroads. Good luck and enjoy. We covered 1200 miles, 2 punctures, 1 disc came loose, 1 tight chain link and 3 garmins failing within a couple of hours on last day, several nettle stings and lots of insects eaten, just to give an idea of what issues we had.

1200 miles in 4 steady days . Typo ?

Brakeless

oxoman wrote:

No 6 riders 200 miles each equals 1200 miles total riding.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

svetty

mrfpb wrote:

Its Sunderland. Sutherland is in Scotland

FIFY

markhewitt1978

ageis wrote:

hi

I 'm after some advice.

I am doing the c2c for the first time.

I'm planning to do some training so I can be reasonably sure I won't end up on the side of the road and needing a lift home.
I also don't have alot of road cycling experience.

What is the route like? Are there any very busy roads?
Are there any climbs on busy roads?
Are there any spares you would bring besides patch kit,food,water,inner tubes, pump,multitool?
Is there somewhere I can get a gpx file? I'm very very bad at directions! I got lost in penrith once took me an 2hr to find the hotel lool.

The C2C has a lot of different route choices, even between Whitehaven and Sunderland (you can go to Tynemouth too). There's routes that you can do that include a lot of off-road riding, especially when you get half way through the Pennines to Rookhope you can then do the rest almost entirely off road. There is some on road riding but none of the roads are massively busy, you'll be fine.

It's about 120-130 miles so the biggest factor you're going to have to decide is how many days to do it in. This entirely depends on your fitness but the 'normal' way to do it is over 3 days riding, 40 miles per day when you've got all day to do is is eminently possible for most people. Roadies however may choose to do the whole thing in one day

pblakeney

mrfpb wrote:

Its Sunderland. Sutherland is in South Africa.

Dunno. A diversion to Assynt could be very pretty, or pretty wet.