UKC

Hi,

Has anyone done the coast to coast route from St.Bees purely on a road bike? Long way off but looking at planning for next May and getting accommodation booked early, got two little people so need to get the babysitters set up as well

Any other advice would be appreciated as well.

Lynsey.

In reply to Lynsety: Not St Bees but have done Whitehaven to Sunderland a couple of times. There's two or three places where the route goes where I wouldn't want to take my best bike, but they're easily avoidable. First one is the bike path by the river after Keswick - we just used the A66 (not pleasant but quick), then I think there's an off road way up Hartside - just ride up the road. Then the main bit to avoid is the old railway line near Waskerley - where the route goes off to the old station, just stay on the road for about half a mile to a right turn, then follow that back to the route.

https://www.strava.com/activities/73610576

In reply to andy:

I was all booked to do Whitehaven to Tynemouth this weekend, but I trashed a disc, and can't even get the bike out of the garage

In reply to Lynsety:
It's the walking (or mtb) route that starts at st bees. The Sustrans routes start at Whitehaven or Workington. On a road bike, avoid the forest roads in Whinlatter by sticking to the main road, it's great. Out of Keswick, avoid the railway line and a66 (live here and hate riding it) by heading up past Castlerigg stone circle out of keswick, and on past Burns farm to cross a66 into threlkeld, then through village and rejoin a66 up to scales on a shared use pavement. Alternatively, the route along the railway line is fine on a road bike with suitable tyres-28c or tough 25's. Hartside is fine on the road too.

In reply to Tom the tall:

Oh that would figure as done the mountain bike one in 2010. Thanks, that's really helpful

In reply to andy:

Thanks, that's great. See you did it in one day, was probably looking at two days and booking a cottage for a week in the middle somewhere. I've done 'ride the North' and managed to ride 80 odd miles but know how much training I did and it felt fine and could have carried on further. How much training did you put in for one day?

Can I ask, is it well sign posted or need to be ridden in parts before hand? That's what we did with the mountain bike route and were glad we did! Certainly sped us up!

In reply to Lynsety:
It's very well signposted. I don't think I ever needed the map for directions while cycling. However, I did try and memorize all the bits where the road and mtb section varied. Apparently you can ride along the Waskerley Way OK on a road bike (my son did this). I road along the B road that goes parallel to it. The Harvey's map that shows the whole route as a long thin strip is useful, but doesn't give you much idea of what's either side of the route.

Getting back to the start by train is fraught with problems. If you finish in Newcastle, you can't take bikes on the metro, so have to cycle the ten or so miles back into the centre of Newcastle. The train from Carlisle to Whitehaven only has three bike spaces, which you can't book in advance. If you are lucky to conductor will just let you stay with your bike at the end of a carriage. However, don't rely on it.

We did it in three days

Whitehaven to Keswick
Keswick to Allenheads
Allenheads to Newcastle

Day two was short and we could probably have got all the way to Allenheads in one day.

In reply to wilkesley:

I've ridden on the Waskerley way on a road bike, and also along the B road - the latter is far preferable. The track has sections of quite rough gravel, which wasn't a lot of fun.

In reply to wilkesley:

Doh! Day 1 was Whitehaven to Penrith, which was why day two was short.

In reply to Lynsety:

Three of us did the C2C from Whitehaven to Sunderland a couple of months back, all on road bikes, and it was fine. we took a leisurely 4 days and stayed in some great hostels at Keswick, Alston (you can watch red squirrels on feeders through the hostel lounge window here!) and Edmundbyers. all 3 hostels were great and are recommended.
No problems with the bikes on the few gravelly parts, or former rail line sections, really enjoyed it, I had panniers on, but took a bit too much stuff as a result as I had the space, but the others both used a 30 ltr back pack which worked well. having enough time to stop at cafes for a cream tea, or stop to take photos was good, doing it over 4 days meant there was plenty of time to enjoy it.