Another cry for Touring Inspiration

[Dic Deryn]

So here's the thing!

I have a week off, its a sunny easter, I fancy a 3 day tour!.

I live in North Wales, so am thinking England for a change.

Factors are:
A) I have toured a few times before, Coast to Coast Wales, as well as West (Aberdaron, Wales) to East (Flamborough, England)
B)I don't mind climbing
C) I am thinking tent or hostel
D) I quite fancy another Coast to Coast, thinking Hadrians Wall or Sea 2 Sea
E) Maybe Kielder Forest.
F)I have not camped this early in the year before, so might go the hostel route.

Any helpful hints etc greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Darren

 

[Dic Deryn]

P.S. Not averse to company on the way, if anyone out there are likely to be in the vicinity. :-)

 

[snorri]

Any helpful hints etc greatly appreciated.

If your intended touring area is England, I suggest you pin a map of England on your kitchen wall, or wherever you are most likely to see it. This will give you constant reminders to make a plan. You could perhaps mark previous tours on the map, this would help you gauge the distance you could comfortably cover in the time available.
It's perhaps a little late for this summer, the map has to be catching your attention during the winter months in order that a plan emerges in the spring.
It worked for me!

 

[Dic Deryn]

Now that sounds like a sure way to fire inspiration, I love it.... a well thought out idea ... although a map of England might raise a few eyebrows in our Welsh speaking kitchen..... not least amongst the kids

 

[snorri]

Now that sounds like a sure way to fire inspiration, I love it.... a well thought out idea ... although a map of England might raise a few eyebrows in our Welsh speaking kitchen..... not least amongst the kids

Well yes, but on a map of the world, or Europe, England and Wales look rather small.
Good Luck!

 

[classic33]

 

[Dic Deryn]

Wow, that was easy. An off road tour of the Elan valley, starting in Aberystwyth.... The map made an impression ‍♂️ ⛺️

 

[Pale Rider]

Of the coast to coasts you fancy Whitehaven to Sunderland/Tynemouth is regarded almost as a beginner's ride.

Still a decent tour, but Hadrian's is more challenging, and will probably suit you better as an experienced tourist.

Lots of wide open spaces around Kielder.

I'm not sure how you would tour it, unless you set up base camp at one of the sites beside the reservoir and did a series of day loops.

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

Are you sure? I found the C2C (Whitehaven to Sunderland) much more challenging than Hadrians. The latter doesn’t really have any climbs to speak of, whereas the C2C has at least three beasts.

 

[Pale Rider]

Are you sure? I found the C2C (Whitehaven to Sunderland) much more challenging than Hadrians. The latter doesn’t really have any climbs to speak of, whereas the C2C has at least three beasts.

Yes, I am sure, not least because it's 174 miles against 136.

The coast to coast rides up here are broadly similar in that they are usually taken over three days, day one and three being fairly flat, the middle day being up and down.

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/hadrians-cycleway

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

 

[mcshroom]

I'm with @Richard Fairhurst. The two main climbs in the C2C, especially Hartside are both significantly more challenging that anything on Hadrians. I would even say that Whinlatter is more challenging than anything on there. from Ravenglass to Carlisle on the HCW is almost flat, especially after crossing the river in Workington.

I used to run a night ride from Carlisle to Newcastle along the HCW. I wouldn't have tried doing the same with the Penrith-Newcastle section of the C2C is is much tougher.

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

Yes, I am sure, not least because it's 174 miles against 136.

The coast to coast rides up here are broadly similar in that they are usually taken over three days, day one and three being fairly flat, the middle day being up and down.

Hmmm - I'd compare them as coast-to-coast rides, so Carlisleish to Tynemouth (85 miles, 1200m climb, max altitude 250m) vs Whitehaven to Sunderland (131 miles, 3100m climb, max altitude 600m). You can indeed start NCN 72 at Ravenglass but I wouldn't personally call that bit a coast-to-coast ride or particularly "Hadrian's" - the Wall began at Bowness, just west of Carlisle. But each to their own!

 

[mcshroom]

The section from Ravenglass to Bowness might not follow Hadrian's wall, but it does follow the route of the coastal mile-forts that were part of the same defensive system.

 

[Dic Deryn]

This is my conundrum.. I want a challenge but also aware that changeable April weather may change the whole dynamic of the tour ‍♂️

 

[Vantage]

... although a map of England might raise a few eyebrows in our Welsh speaking kitchen..... not least amongst the kids

Draw a red circle around each town/village/etc you'll be passing through and tell the kids they are towns you'll be conquering for the Welsh?