The C2C Cycle Route. Jeremy Evans

      Some parts of the C2C are best suited to mountain bikes, but when the going is really rough there are always suitable road options (Stage 4, looking west)

      SUSTRANS AND THE C2C

      On 11 September 1995 UK Charity Sustrans received £43.5 million from the National Lottery to create the National Cycle Network (NCN), a series of traffic-free paths and quiet on-road routes that connect to every major town and city and pass within 2 miles of 75 per cent of the population, stretching 14,000 miles across the length and breadth of the British Isles. In 2012, over three million people made 485 million journeys on the National Cycle Network, which was extended by 500 miles. Based on average car emissions, the potential carbon dioxide saving of Network journeys was around 884,000 tonnes. Trips made by children on the National Cycle Network numbered 81.4 million, including an estimated 18.4 million to and from school. Sustrans’ maintenance responsibilities along much of the Network cost £1 million during 2012, and as a charity they are reliant on donations and funding to be able to keep these much-loved routes in great shape.

      Riding through Lorton Vale on the edge of the Lakeland fells

      ‘Terris Novalis’ is among the most impressive sculptures on the C2C route

      The NCN was created and developed by Sustrans as part of its work to promote walking and cycling, both for local everyday journeys, and for longerdistance leisure rides. From the 17-mile Bristol and Bath Railway Path where it all began, to the latest new flagship route – the 170-mile Way of the Roses through Lancashire and Yorkshire – the Network scales mountains, crosses divides, races through cities and takes leisurely ambles through the countryside.

      The Sea-to-Sea (C2C) route is perhaps the best known and most iconic of all Sustrans routes, and when you look through the pages of this book, it’s easy to see why. It was originally created by Sustrans as the first long-distance cycle route in the country, as well as the first fully coast-to-coast route. It came about after Sustrans built local routes at either end of the ride, and then decided to develop a route linking them together, using substantial sections of traffic-free paths, It is now the UK’s most popular ‘challenge’ cycle route, passing through the northern Lake District before climbing the Pennines, ‘the roof of England’, and then descending to the railway paths of County Durham.

      Whether on-road or traffic-free, the NCN has grown to become an integral part of the UK’s transport network and carrying over one million journeys every day, it has exceeded all expectations. There are now more miles of Network than there are of motorways with over 50,000 signs, 10,000 seats and thousands of bridges, viaducts and tunnels along its fascinating routes.

      So whether it’s for business or pleasure, commuting or just for fun, travelling on the network has something for everyone as well as being a fundamental part of how people in the UK get around everyday.

      The start of the off-road route across Stanhope Common, just opposite the Rookhope Inn (Stage 4)

      INTRODUCTION

      Downhill past Grove Rake Mine along Redburn Edge – the finest downhill section on the west–east C2C (Stage 4)

      Do you like beautiful scenery, excercise and plenty of fresh air? Are you interested in Britain’s remarkable industrial heritage? Do you enjoy visiting village pubs and cafés? Are you up for cycling up and down a few hills? If the answer is yes, you will love riding the C2C.

      The Coast to Coast (C2C) is a superb 219km (136 mile) cycle route across northern England that connects the country’s Irish Sea and North Sea coasts. It passes through the Lake District and Pennines, home to some of Britain’s most dramatic landscapes. In addition to endless wonderful views across the countryside, the C2C offers a great selection of interesting places to visit. The route is accessible and enjoyable for bike riders from novice to expert, including children of most ages. It is equally enjoyable as a leisurely tour for recreational riders or as a full-energy ride for those who enjoy ‘cycle sportif’.

      The C2C first opened as a formal route in 1994. It is a cyclist’s version of Alfred Wainwright’s famous Coast to Coast Walk, but follows a shorter route with considerably fewer hills. The route was designed by Sustrans (see Sustrans information) and is now Britain’s most popular long-distance cycle route. Thousands of cyclists complete the C2C each year, but there is plenty of space and it never feels crowded.

      Great care has been taken to make the C2C as cycle-friendly as possible. Approximately half the route follows dedicated cycle paths or off-road tracks that are traffic-free. Most of the other half follows quiet roads that are particularly well suited to cycling. There are a few short sections on busier roads in built-up areas, but these are relatively stress-free.

      In this guide the route is described over five days – an ideal pace for leisure cyclists and families that allows time for detours to look at places of interest along the way. (Shorter itineraries are also included for those who enjoy a challenge.) The detailed route information, accompanied by OS maps, is suitable for cyclists of all levels, and the guide offers lots of help with planning and undertaking your C2C adventure.

      The final traffic-free part of Stage 1, with the outskirts of Keswick directly ahead

Why do it?

      The route can easily be completed in five days by those with a basic level of fitness. If you cycle further and faster, it’s possible to ride from sea to sea in four, three or two days – and, for the super-fit, even in one day. Riding the route is an excellent way to get trim and healthy – you will feel in great shape by the end of it.

      Most of the C2C route follows traffic-free cycle tracks or quiet minor roads, allowing you to enjoy cycling with minimum stress or danger from traffic. Excellent signposting makes the route easy to follow with straightforward route planning using a conventional map or GPS.

      There is plenty of accommodation along the way, which makes planning an itinerary easier, as well as a very good choice of places to eat and drink. In addition, there are bag-carrying services operating along the route and companies offering package trips, including accommodation (see ‘Specialist C2C companies’).

      The C2C is a great challenge. You will feel justly proud of the achievement of cycling from sea to sea!

Choosing your route

      The route in this guide is described from west to east, as this is often held to be the ‘best’ direction in which to cycle the C2C – however, the choice is yours (see ‘West to east or east to west?’, below, and a summary of the east–west route in Appendix D).

      The C2C has two different start and finish points at both ends of the route – a choice between Whitehaven or Workington on the west coast and Tynemouth or Sunderland on the east coast.

      Cyclists riding the C2C for the first time would be advised to start from Whitehaven (or nearby St Bees) and finish at Tynemouth. However, consider starting from Workington if you’d prefer less hill-climbing on the way to Keswick, and finishing at Sunderland (if you don’t mind missing Newcastle) if you’d prefer to avoid the somewhat tortuous final section to Tynemouth.

      West coast

      On the west coast, the routes from Whitehaven or Workington to Keswick are very different.

      Whitehaven is the most popular start point for the C2C, leading directly to the Lake District,