Riding the C2C
Cycle touring across Britain
August 2011
The Sustrans C2C cycle route is perhaps the most well known and popular of the many long distance cycling routes in the UK, with a variety of options for riding between the Irish Sea coast in Cumbria and the North Sea in Teeside or Tyneside. It is far from the easy option with a total distance in excess of 200 kilometres (the actual distance depends on your route choice) and a considerable amount of climbing (and descending) along the way. It was the first coast to coast cycle route (in truth the possibilities really are endless) and dates all the way back to 1994. Cyclists tackle it on a variety of machines, from mountain bikes to all-in road bikes, and over anything between 1 and 5 days. Generally ridden from west to east to take advantage of the (normally) prevailing weather in this country, it can also be tackled in reverse, indeed some cyclists will ride it one way and then promptly turn about and ride it back again. For many that may be a ride too far!
Having ridden the C2C myself a couple of times previously, including a one day crossing back in 2008 and a two day crossing with my son Paul a few years earlier in 2005, it seemed to me a splendid idea to tackle the route at a more leisurely pace in order to savour the highlights and also to share the experience with friends. Helen and I planned a ride over three days in the summer of 2011 with our good friends Pete and Sharon for whom it would be a first time. After long and careful consideration we plumped for a route starting in Whitehaven and finishing in Tynemouth. Whilst not adhering strictly to the official route, our ride would follow much of it with deviations where café stops and overnight stays demanded it.
There is a wealth of literature and online resource available which is helpful at the planning stage and, indeed, a whole industry has grown up around the route offering support packages to varying degrees, from transport options 
to full-on accommodation packages. It has always been the case that the key is organising the return journey, having reached the end of the ride. Much the best way would be to pile onto a train and travel back in comfort with the opportunity to reflect on a marvellous experience. Except that in the UK bikes and trains, sadly, do not mix well on so many routes, with a lot of rail franchises only providing a very limited service for cyclists. The line between Tynemouth and Newcastle is a case in point with cyclists not catered for at all (certainly not in 2011), so at the very least by choosing Tynemouth as our end point we were then faced with riding back into Newcastle to catch a train home. The other issue is that most franchise trains only accommodate two bikes and, from our perspective, as there were four of us this meant we couldn't travel back together. To describe this as an unsatisfactory state of affairs is a huge understatement. We lag so far behind our European counterparts in this area it is embarrassing, although there are now encouraging signs from some rail companies that they are trying to address this.
From our own perspective then returning by train was really not an option so we looked at finding an organisation that could transport us with our bikes back to Whitehaven and, as mentioned, there is no shortage of options. Eventually we found a business, Haven Cycles, who would happily provide parking for our cars for the 3 days we were riding and would meet us in Tynemouth and carry us, with bikes, back to Cumbria to be reunited with our vehicles, all at what we felt was a very reasonable cost, and actually far cheaper than the rail option would have been (and therein lies another problem the rail companies need to address).
So all was set, our bikes serviced and ready and our bags packed. Bring it on.
Day 1: Whitehaven to Great Salkeld (100km, 1250m of ascent)
An early start was the order of the day, having enjoyed a lovely meal the night before (perhaps too much?) and we found ourselves in Whitehaven at a very early hour, unloading the bikes and getting ready for our day in the saddle. And it was a tough old day, comfortably the longest of the three and with a lot of uppy-downy along the way. But the scenery would more than make up for it as we rode through the English Lake District, an area more than familiar to me as I was living in Cumbria at the time and knew it intimately. I knew my camera would be busy and there would be plenty of opportunity to stop and enjoy it all.
The aim was to travel light and we carried what we felt was the minimum necessary – spare cycling gear, a change of clothes for the evenings, roadside repair bits and bobs and some food. On top of that I had route maps and, of course, my camera. All this ensured the combination of rider and bike was as light as possible. Having safely secured our cars at Haven Cycles HQ we rolled down to the harbour in Whitehaven and made our way to the hard-to-miss C2C sign, down at the water's edge on one of the slipways, for the obligatory photograph. Amazingly the sun was shining, there was blue sky and the portents were good (probably too good to last). And, with that, we were off.
The first part of the day starts comfortably enough as the C2C follows the old railway line out of Whitehaven heading up the valley to Cleator Moor, with gentle gradients that go hand in hand. There is an industrial heritage here, as there is on much of the C2C in fact, and the route celebrates this with industrial sculptures along the way.
Pete was keen to make a detour off the route in Cleator Moor to find his birthplace on a backstreet in the village. Amazingly not only is Queen Street still there but the house itself was also still standing (unlike many of the houses in the street). Pete posed very proudly outside the front door and insisted on riding up and down a few times and promptly picked up a puncture! And we hadn't even done 10 kilometres.
Having fixed his wheel we were back and on our way, now heading towards Ennerdale and the heart of the Lake District, the hills now looking ominously on the skyline. At the moment, though, the gradients were still kind and the sun was still shining. The route leaves the old railway line at Kirkland and now the serious stuff began in earnest as we climbed up over the shoulder of the Ennerdale fells, revealing some splendid views into the valley with the sun glistening on Ennerdale Water down below. A little further on we chanced upon a roadside tray of flapjacks for sale outside a farm near Lamplugh, just the ticket for recharging our batteries.
The character of the ride had changed quite dramatically and we now found ourselves riding up and down on rolling terrain, skirting the western fells before plunging steeply down Fangs Brow to Loweswater, a fast descent with lovely views designed to distract the unwary cyclist when it was definitely wise to keep your eyes on the road. The road alongside Loweswater is lovely, with views of the lake and the shapely outline of Mellbreak appearing through gaps in the trees. We were now in the proper Lake District, and it was still a fine morning, perfect for the occasional photo stop. We turned left along a narrow winding road which tracks along below Low Fell through Thackthwaite village and overlooking the delightful Vale of Lorton. The rolling parcours rolled some more, demanding much of tiring legs before we rolled down and crossed the River Cocker and up into the village of High Lorton, which signalled the first of the big hills of the day, namely Whinlatter Pass.
Whinlatter has been used on the Tour of Britain on a number of occasions and also features in the annual Fred Whitton Sportive, the original and still (in my view) best British sportive event. And whilst not the hardest of the Lakeland passes it is still challenging enough with gradients up to 20% on one section. The views, however, more than compensate for this hardship as you climb up in amongst the glorious north western fells which, in August, are still blessed with the lovely heather in bloom. For Helen, Pete and Sharon this was a tough ask but the reward was lunch in the delightful surroundings of the Whinlatter Visitor Centre, bathed in summer sunshine. This C2C lark is ok really.
What goes up must come down and the post-lunch riding started with the fast technical descent to Braithwaite village which nestles at the foot of the pass and within a stones throw of Keswick. Our route now took us into the Newlands valley and through woods to Portinscale but not before we had stopped for a coffee with a work colleague of mine who lived in this idyllic part of the world. We were completely distracted by her animal menagerie which had recently been added to with the arrival of a clutch of new puppies which naturally enough demanded our attention and fell firmly into the cute bracket. The coffee was good too.
Keswick in August can be exceedingly busy but we were able to skirt around the town centre, heading for the now defunct railway station on the north side of town and where the next part of the route goes off-road and along the disused Penrith-Workington railway line, accompanied in the valley by the river Greta which the path crosses and recrosses numerous times before bursting out onto the busy A66 trunk road at Threlkeld. To avoid the traffic Sustrans now sends the C2C rider immediately off the A66 and through Threlkeld village, a maze of slate-roofed stone cottages which nestle snugly beneath the steep south-facing slopes of Blencathra, one of Lakelands finest mountain massifs.
From here the route loosely follows the line of the A66, joining it (on the pavement) in places and also using the old A66 road which the new road has now converted into a quiet alternative for cyclists. A gated road follows the slopes of Souther Fell after Scales, again with cheeky little inclines to test the lungs and legs, eventually popping out in Mungrisdale village by the well appointed Mill Inn. Well, it would have been rude not to.
By now the day was getting on and we still had a little ground still to cover to get to our overnight accommodation in Great Salkeld. Added to this the weather was taking a downward turn and rain was threatening. We headed away from the A66 and through the village of Greystoke, passing a splendid cyclist's café (sadly time did not allow us the luxury of yet another stop), and then through the lanes and into Penrith. On a different day we might have spent some time here, but as a honorary Cumbrian I opted for moving on – Penrith would wait for another day. The last part of the day's ride, with legs now getting tired as we neared the 100 kilometre mark, was over the forested slopes of Penrith Beacon and down to the Eden before turning north and finally rolling into Great Salkeld where the Highland Drove Inn was a welcome sight for tired cyclists. A long soak in the bath, a cheeky pint and a hearty evening meal later, all in the company of a couple of friends who live nearby and had joined us for the evening, somehow served to adjust the balance and all was right with the world. Until tomorrow morning at any rate!
Day 2: Great Salkeld to Parkhead (69km, 1620m of ascent)
Our second day dawned grey and overcast, the prospects were mixed but it would hopefully stay dry as we took on the Pennines, undoubtedly a hard day ahead of us. After a restful night weary limbs were recharged and a hearty breakfast set us up for the rigours that lay ahead. After rolling out from Great Salkeld and sailing down and over the tranquil River Eden the hard work was about to begin as we hit the lower slopes of the long climb to Hartside.
Mention of Hartside in any cycling related discussion seems to engender many emotions, primarily of apprehension and fear. This is something I have never really understood. The C2C is riddled with many daunting climbs, some of which are indeed very steep, but for me Hartside is a climb to be savoured and enjoyed. It really is not particularly steep but in the long list of British climbs it is long and perhaps this is what gives it its reputation, particularly for those who don't really know the climb. As mentioned, I lived in Cumbria for many years and made frequent forays up Hartside by its various routes, many of these ascents being time trials (perhaps I am just a glutton for punishment). It can undoubtedly be an unforgiving place, the summit being at 1903 feet above sea level making it one of the highest passes in England. On a day when the weather gods are angry it can be an exceedingly tough place to ride a bike but when the sun shines and there is a tailwind it is a delight.
Today we were lucky – it was dry, the wind was light and it wasn't cold, which for August can be considered unusual! As we rolled down into the little hamlet of Renwick and took the right turn onto the Hartside road we drew a collective deep breath and set ourselves for the 45 minutes of graft that lay ahead. The road wound its way past fields with glimpses out over the Eden valley, but our eyes were fixed on the road ahead which was climbing, always climbing. Gradually we rose above the farmland pastures and the landscape changed to moorland and finally our little road merged with the main A686 Penrith to Alston road for the last 3 kilometres to the summit. The gradient eases noticeably at this point and in a time trial ride it is time to shift onto the big ring! The summit now came into view and we finally rounded the final hairpin to pick up a gentle tailwind which literally blew us to the summit and elation. Hartside conquered – it was a feeling worthy of reflection and we stopped to enjoy not just the moment but the views back over the Lake District, which was now firmly behind us. The summit is famous for the Hartside Café, now sadly no longer there after a fire destroyed it in the spring of 2018 (there are plans to rebuild at some point in the near future). It is a popular stopping point for bikers and on a weekend the car park is often full with motorbikes from all parts of the UK. Cyclists make use of it too, though for us today this was not on the timetable. Instead we joined the many riders who were gazing out over the Eden valley far below and tried to identify the many Lakeland hills which can be seen from this splendid vantage point. Then it was time for the obligatory selfie with bikes by the summit roadsign. It was a salutary thought that this was not the high point of today's ride. There was still plenty more climbing to come.
The descent from Hartside to Alston is a cyclist's dream. 8 kilometres of continuous descent, none of it steep and on wide open roads with good visibility. It was time to enjoy being on a bike after the hard work of the previous hour and there were cries of delight from members of our party as we sailed gleefully down and crossed the River South Tyne before turning up onto Alston's cobbled high street. Now it was time to make a scheduled café stop and to this end I had opted for the lovely Blueberry's Tea Shop on Alston's cobbled square. Yes, it was grey and overcast, but inside our collective sun was shining as we sat at a table outside the café watching the world go by and enjoying a well earned coffee and cake. Now all was right with the world again!
At this point in the journey the route changes direction and now heads south east up the Nent valley, always climbing gradually but relatively easy riding, albeit on a main road but with little traffic to distract us. The industrial village of Nenthead is some 438 metres above sea level and lies in the very heart of the Pennines. Sadly, east of Nenthead the only way is up and it is really at this point that the C2C properly becomes tough with a succession of deep valleys and high moorland to navigate. Nenthead village has a strong lead and silver mining heritage and the climb out of the village took us past the old mines before turning left onto a road over the moors to Allendale. This section is steep (the 16% roadsigns confirmed what our legs were telling us) and eventually brought us out on the high moorland of Black Hill, at which point we left Cumbria behind us and moved into Northumberland . At 609 metres this is the highest point of the C2C and we collectively threw ourselves onto the grass at the side of the road to have a good rest. The sun even came out to celebrate!
Next up was the Rake, a half mile long downhill stretch of country lane which drops down from this highpoint before plunging treacherously into a steep hairpin and across a beck before we took a right turn onto an unfenced road which crosses over the moors above Allendale. This part of the C2C is a real test for bicycle brakes, and indeed cyclist's nerves as we negotiated what can only be described as a challenging parcours. Once down (finally) in Allenheads, and having checked that our brakepads were still intact (they were) we all agreed that it was time for lunch. Allenheads is a typical Pennine mining village and has more heritage (seems to be a theme round here) and notably a heritage centre with cafe. Perfect. And with the sun shining and the sound of whistling brakes still in our ears we settled down to enjoy a tasty morsel as we contemplated what still lay ahead.
Of course, what lay ahead was another steep climb out of the village and back onto the Pennine moors. No warm up either which, after far too long off the bike and with full stomachs was probably not the best plan. The climb from Allenheads winds up through dense woodland and pops out on to glorious heather moorland, resplendent in summer colour and in the afternoon sunshine it positively glowed. The climb tops out at 533 metres (a fraction under 1750 feet in old money) and is marked by the impressive conical stone structure of Shorngate Cross Currick which signifies the county boundary as we now passed into County Durham. Today was a real case of three counties in one day! Another photo opportunity beckoned.
The next part of today's ride was delightful from any cyclist's perspective. The Rookhope Burn has its source nearby and the road now follows the stream as it wends its way with gathering pace down through the Pennine moorlands. The gradient is gentle, one of those where the need to pedal is removed and the opportunity to freewheel down a sweeping swooping strip of tarmac is far too good to spurn. Four gleeful cyclists spent the next ten minutes in cycling heaven as we rolled down this lovely valley and into the village of Rookhope. This, like so many parts of the northern Pennines, is mining country, long since disused, and the remnants of the mining heritage were everywhere. And yet strangely they are not out of place and do not detract from the bleak landscape. There is no other way to describe it all, it has a beauty all of its own.
When talking through the route with the team all those months ago I had carefully described the various climbs which lay in store, mentioned characteristics and features we had to look forward to, so that they were fully aware of what lay in store. I confess that I completely overlooked the climb out of Rookhope, something I have never been allowed to forget. Quite how this came to pass I shall never know but it is a significant climb with a number of steep ramps, although mercifully relatively short as it climbs over the shoulder of Crow Coal Hill before dropping sharply down into Weardale. The team were, shall we say, unimpressed by my oversight but I have to say that, once again, the views out over the Pennine landscape do make the effort worthwhile. And once over the top the descent into Weardale was fast and direct, testing those brakes to the full (again). At the bottom we rejoined the main road from Nenthead that we had left a few hours earlier and sailed into the small market town of Stanhope.
All that separated us now from our journey's end for the day was the small matter of Crawleyside Bank. Mention of this fearsome wall is enough to reduce the team to tears, even now. And yet strangely it merits (to my mind) scant discussion in the C2C route book other than to say that it is steep. Other sources do indeed describe it as the 
hardest climb of the entire C2C route and I don't think this is an exaggeration. It is a brute. For vehicle drivers descending into Stanhope there is an escape lane which is an indicator of just how steep the road is. Examination of the 50000 OS Map shows the tightness of the contours and the road simply tackles them head on. This veritably is a wall in the traditional sense of the word. In situations like this cyclists can only tackle such climbs in a way that suits them best, essentially it was every person for themselves until we regrouped huffing and puffing at a point where the gradient eased sufficiently to allow proper conversation to resume. It wasn't pretty, but we made it. Phew. And now it was gently to the top, a final 3 kilometres out on to the heather moorland and an appointment at the rebuilt station master's house at Parkhead Station on the Waskerley Way. This was our overnight accommodation, run by one of the principal Sustrans designers of the C2C route. She made us feel so welcome and that evening we sat down to the most sumptuous home-cooked meal which somehow put the sufferings of a long hilly day into some perspective. All was indeed right with the world. And it was downhill all the way from here to the sea!
Day 3: Parkhead to Tynemouth (63km, 240m of ascent)
Our third (and final) day riding the C2C dawned clear, bright and sunny. There is no doubt that, on balance, we had enjoyed some pretty good weather for this journey. For the run into Newcastle the blue skies would help our mood. Today was, on paper, much the easiest of the three, with less than 40 miles and only a modest amount of ascent. Downhill to Newcastle and the sea. After another hearty breakfast we saddled up, said our goodbyes to our hosts and sallied forth, heading out across the high heather clad moors along the Waskerley Way.
The Waskerley Way is a wonderful traffic free off-road 16km mixed use path which has been created on the route of the old Stanhope and Tyne Railway, a 19th century mining railway. Confusingly much of the path is marked by stones bearing the inscription S+DR, the Stockton and Darlington Railway. Whatever! It is predominantly cindertrack so is perfectly rideable on a road bike and starts just to the west of Parkhead, heading mainly downhill north-east across the Pennine Moors to Rowley on the outskirts of Consett. No killer climbs, no technical descents, just nice easy riding, a perfect way to start our last day on the C2C. Surrounded by splashes of purple in glorious sunshine we were in heaven and the next half an hour or so was a delight. More whoops of delight, plenty of smiles and a busy camera were a major feature of this part of our journey. As with all good things the Waskerley Way eventually had to end but not before we crossed the magnificent Hownsgill Viaduct, which dates back to the 1830s and stands 46 metres above the valley below. The views from here across the moors are extensive and well worth our stop to take it all in.
Next up is a confusing section navigating through Consett, another mining town (I think most of the towns and villages round here have grown up round a now defunct mining industry). A large proportion of today's route was traffic free and this section was no exception. There were some intriguing sculptures dedicated to the mining heritage of the area, some rather more bizarre than others. Framed against a spectacular Pennine landscape it made for a strange blend. In Consett we found ourselves in a pleasant park and stopped for a welcome refreshment break, taking the opportunity to check our route and try to make sure we knew where we were going. And where we were going was still downhill, all the way to the River Tyne on the outskirts of Newcastle, again offroad on the remnants of a railway trackbed, this being the old Derwent Valley Railway following (surprisingly enough) the winding river Derwent, a Tyne tributary. It was not quite so inviting as the Waskerley Way being a bit more mud than cindertrack and also predominantly in woodland, but pleasant enough for all that.
Before we knew it we had burst out on the banks of the River Tyne and could almost smell the sea (still some distance away). Having negotiated some twists and turns to cross the river via an arch bridge not unlike Sydney Harbour Bridge onto the north side where we picked up another stretch of cycle track which ran rather less attractively alongside the main dual carriageway road which heads into Newcastle city centre. Fortunately before 
long we were diverted onto a riverside track away from the traffic and with just the river, runners and walkers for company. The last few kilometres into Newcastle became ever more busy and revealed the huge number of bridges which cross the River Tyne in this city, the most notable of which is, of course, the Tyne Bridge, probably the most recognisable bridge in these parts. Now we were truly on the last leg of our journey. Time for lunch!
There was something immensely civilised about sitting outside a pub in the shadow of the Tyne Bridge in the sunshine enjoying a tasty morsel and a cheeky beer, watching the world go by. It was all too easy to spend far too long relaxing here and reflecting on our journey so far, but we had an appointment with our return transport in Tynemouth that afternoon and needed to press on. The C2C route here runs alongside the river, passing the many bridges including the spectacular new Millennium footbridge and opposite the weird Sage building on the Gateshead side of the river. There was even a “beach” by the cycle path lending an even more surreal feeling to the Tyneside scene.
Gradually we left central Newcastle behind and then we were into the heart of industrial Tyneside, passing the likes of the Swan Hunter shipyard and a myriad of riverside wharves. By now our route had become NCN 72 and we were riding the Hadrians Cycleway, heading for Tynemouth. This, in truth, was a frustrating part of the journey as riding on the cyclepath was continuously interrupted when we had to cross the many minor roads. It is a sad fact that cyclists rarely have priority in this country which forced us to stop-start many times to cross these roads.
Finally our path rounded a bend in the river and there, ahead, was Tynemouth and our journey's end. The last kilometre was a concrete path right alongside the river mouth before a sharp ramp took us up to the sign which indicated the end of our journey. We had ridden the C2C and it felt very good. Of course, there was time for some photos and then we dashed down to the nearby beach to dip our tyres into the North Sea before meeting up with our driver, loading the bikes on the trailer and beginning the long trip back to Whitehaven and a celebratory beer or two. After 232 kilometres and over 3100 metres of climbing (and descending) it had, indeed, been quite a journey, through some wonderful countryside, and also absorbing a wealth of industrial history along the way. For anyone thinking about taking on this ride I would urge them to just go on and do it. It really is a treat.
