Coast to Coast advice

[gavgav]

We’re thinking of taking on the Coast to Coast route, as the main challenge for 2025. 3 days of cycling, with overnight in Whitehaven beforehand and possibly for the final night as well.

Can anyone please provide tips on companies they’ve used, who will book accommodation and provide transfer of riders and bikes back from Tynemouth to Whitehaven, etc, or alternatively any tips on doing it independently, suitable guest houses/bunkhouses, etc and how you got the bikes back to Whitehaven.

Any tips appreciated, thanks.

 

[PaulSB]

I can't recall the places I stayed but returning to Whitehaven is a simple three hour train ride from Newcastle. It's a Northern service who are generally good with bikes.

 

[Punkawallah]

Start at Whitehaven - the prevailing winds are with you, and you have no option but to get home.
Don’t go over Hardnott and Wrynose passes. Your legs will not thank you for it.
The Lake District has lumps in it. Plan to under achieve until you get out of it.
Good luck!

 

[gavgav]

Start at Whitehaven - the prevailing winds are with you, and you have no option but to get home.
Don’t go over Hardnott and Wrynose passes. Your legs will not thank you for it.
The Lake District has lumps in it. Plan to under achieve until you get out of it.
Good luck!

Thanks. Yes I’ve driven over those and certainly won’t be cycling over them! 😱

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Here’s the route.

https://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes...-to-coast-whitehaven-to-tynemouth-cycle-route

Simply work out how far you want to go each day and book accommodation with one the booking apps that offer free cancellation.

You can use trains to get to / from start / finish easily enough.

 

[richardfm]

Here’s the route.

https://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes...-to-coast-whitehaven-to-tynemouth-cycle-route

Simply work out how far you want to go each day and book accommodation with one the booking apps that offer free cancellation.

You can use trains to get to / from start / finish easily enough.

That's a route, here's another
https://cycle.travel/map?from=White...5474199,-3.5885335&toLL=55.0177847,-1.4256042

 

[Jameshow]

Start at Whitehaven - the prevailing winds are with you, and you have no option but to get home.
Don’t go over Hardnott and Wrynose passes. Your legs will not thank you for it.
The Lake District has lumps in it. Plan to under achieve until you get out of it.
Good luck!

You miss the best bits!! 🤣

 

[Jameshow]

I did Morecambe to Whitby via kirkstone pass, Kirby Stephen, reeth yha. Second day Richmond, over to Whitby.

North York moors have lots of hills!

 

[Lookrider]

Bikes back to Whitehaven??
That will depend on your finish point
If it's Tynemouth you will have to backtrack the 10 miles or so to Newcastle fur the northern train
To Carlisle then Whitehaven
LNER Also go to Carlisle on the Newcastle Glasgow train
From
The local METRO trains goes from Tynemouth to Newcastle but only allows 1 bike on each carriage
There's 2 carriages on a metro train

If you finish at Sunderland you can ride back into the city a couple miles and get the northern train there to Carlisle then Whitehaven

You CANNOT BOOK bikes on northern rail but the train guards are very accommodating for several bikes
Book your train ticket in advance for massive savings ( £3 from Newcastle/Carlisle)

 

[geocycle]

As above there are lots of C2C options, all good in different ways. The original marked routes start in either Whitehaven or Workington and finish in Newcastle (actually Tynemouth) or Sunderland. I prefer the Whitehaven to Newcastle. Whitehaven to Penrith is a decent first day with one long climb over Whinlatter. There are loads of b and b options in Penrith and some good places to eat. Day 2 could take you to Allenheads where the pub used to be good but I’ve not been for a long time. This is a short but hilly stretch. A third day would take you up the last of the big hills around Rookhope and then lots of downhills to the sea. A two day option could use Alston as the break point but climbing Hartside late in the day is challenging.

https://cycle.travel/route/c2c

 

[Brandane]

Any tips appreciated, thanks.

Have you considered doing Way of the Roses (Morecambe to Bridlington via York) as an alternative C2C route?

 

[presta]

Don’t go over Hardnott and Wrynose passes. Your legs will not thank you for it.

Thanks. Yes I’ve driven over those and certainly won’t be cycling over them! 😱

The hard bits are where all the satisfaction and sense of achievement come from.

 

[Ridgeback Roller]

Myself and 3 friends did Hadrians Cycleway , Ravenglass to South Shields , over 3 days a few years back. It's probably one of the easiest coast to coast routes, not too much climbing and generally very quiet roads. We booked a hotel in Whitehaven for the 1st and last night, after confirming it would be ok to leave a car in their car park and that they had secure cycle accommodation.

Day 1 was a train ride to Ravenglass , then mostly cycle paths to Allenby before diverting inlaid to Wigton, overnighting at the Wheyrigg Hotel ( again secure cycle storage). Day 2 was a longer day, riding very quiet roads along the Solway coast, a busier but straightforward section through Carlisle then quiet roads to Brampton. The route ( very well signposted) then heads up to Gilsland, tracking the wall. We made a mistake here, deviating from the official route we carried on the B6318 to our 2nd overnight stop at the lovely Twice Brewed Inn, in Once Brewed. The B6318 is a very fast road undulating road - I wouldn't use it again! There is an option of a YH at Once Brewed but we fancied the inn! Bikes were locked in a steel container in the car park.

Final day started with a long but gradual climb before lots of country lanes and cycle paths to the outskirts of Newcastle and the riverside cycle path. This being a summer Sunday was reasonably busy with other cyclists and peds, but still very enjoyable. We crossed the Tyne at the Millennium Bridge to take the mostly cycle paths through Gateshead and Jarrow to finish at the Roman Arbeia Fort in time for a look around before our transport back to Whitehaven.

We already knew that a train return that day was not possible due to 'bus replacement' engineering works so had booked transport through
Pedal Power, https://pedal-power.co.uk/transport/
Bikes were loaded into the back of their minibus and we had a relaxing journey back to Whitehaven. certainly not the cheapest way to finish our ride but cheaper than an additional overnight in South Shields. I think it was about £50 a head for the 4 .
Pedal Power offer this service and lots of others such as accommodation booking, luggage transfer etc. Highly recommended based on that one experience.

 

[mjr]

Book your train ticket in advance for massive savings ( £3 from Newcastle/Carlisle)

Just be aware that advance tickets are only valid on a specific train and train operators have been threatening disproportionate (but legal) criminal prosecutions for boarding a train without even cheap tickets, even if you bought one on your phone before being checked (they compare the purchase time with the departure time to prove you committed the crime of boarding without a ticket), with the aim of extracting a top-rate fare plus £150 as a pre-court settlement. Regard an advance as a gamble on getting that train and be prepared to buy a walk-up ticket before boarding anything else.

 

[Punkawallah]

Thanks. Yes I’ve driven over those and certainly won’t be cycling over them! 😱

I got off and walked. Won’t make -that- mistake again!