Coast to Coast advice

[ColinJ]

the drop into Pateley Bridge Greenhow Hill was not as bad as I’d be warned, in fact I loved it.

You had been warned so you knew what to expect and clearly knew how to descend it safely, so I can see why you enjoyed it.

However, the air ambulance was called out to seriously injured cyclists 3 times there in 2011. Cyclists had fatal crashes on the descent in 2013 and 2015, and the rider I saw with his face caved in was lucky not to have added to the death toll.

So, a nice descent, but not one to take risks on!

 

[Sea of vapours]

I think the problem with the descent of Greenhow Hill is that it's a wide road and well surfaced; it seems 'major' and people don't associate such big roads with steepness and sharp corners. In reality, it's not really terribly steep - 15% perhaps, at times - and the corners are far from actually sharp. It's really not at all hazardous if people 'read the road' and don't allow a feeling of 'big road security' to lure them into excessive speed. Given how many very strongly worded signs there are at the top, it's remarkable that anyone descends too fast :-\ Personally, I also like descending it :-)

I don't like ascending it though: too much traffic struggling to pass on what is a relentless slope which has most cyclists going decidedly slowly. It's much nicer to go up Peat Lane, which is parallel to it, starts at the very bottom and finishes just below the quarry at the top.

 

[mjr]

If you want it really easy, do it with Saddleskedaddle
https://www.skedaddle.com/uk/cyclin...QRSC2rRTjPwQ2USxBZZJC6QZiyqArKu0aArAqEALw_wcB

They will book everything and transport your luggage every day. We've used them before an they are very good. Yes you might be able to save a little bit booking independently, but don't underestimate the cost and hassle of sorting luggage transfers whilst on the go. That was absolutely seamless.

It comes with increased risk, though. From a ride report I read, that is a company which doesn't allow you to reorganise and complete the route if something unexpected happens, including the company cancelling a day due to a weather warning, and if you try to ride further than their approved stop (intending to return to it, maybe by taxi), they may threaten to dump your luggage, cancel onward accommodation, report rental bikes to the police as stolen and keep all payments! Read their terms carefully before buying, especially 3.2(iii) "if we have to curtail your trip after you have departed due to unavoidable and extraordinary events, then we may make a partial refund of the cost of your booking to you, but only where we are able to obtain refunds from our third-party suppliers. In this event, we reserve the right to retain from any refund made to you an amount sufficient enough to cover the costs that we have incurred in relation to organising and administering your trip."

 

[Mike_P]

Greenhow Hill is best done as slow down as going up and have a spare set of brake pads to hand. The alternate is go down the almost parallel Peat Lane which is a nice quite road in contrast to the B6265. At first it seems as if the route should use it until it descends at a ridiculous gradient around a couple of right angle bends. So steep there is actually a step in the carriageway. With any weight on a bike it really is one to get off and walk.

 

[Lookrider]

It comes with increased risk, though. From a ride report I read, that is a company which doesn't allow you to reorganise and complete the route if something unexpected happens, including the company cancelling a day due to a weather warning, and if you try to ride further than their approved stop (intending to return to it, maybe by taxi), they may threaten to dump your luggage, cancel onward accommodation, report rental bikes to the police as stolen and keep all payments! Read their terms carefully before buying, especially 3.2(iii) "if we have to curtail your trip after you have departed due to unavoidable and extraordinary events, then we may make a partial refund of the cost of your booking to you, but only where we are able to obtain refunds from our third-party suppliers. In this event, we reserve the right to retain from any refund made to you an amount sufficient enough to cover the costs that we have incurred in relation to organising and administering your trip."

Really ???
That's appalling
Self organisation is part of the fun to me ...although I appreciate it's not for everyone and some just want to turn up and go
Regarding skeadle route in ç2ç there diversion around rookhope to blanchland/edmundbuyers seems strange to me ??
You have to go up and over into a valley to get to blanchland
Edmundbuyers is in the base if valley so you have to climb out to rejoin at PARK HEAD ??
in my opinion you end up missing out in the rookhope off rd incline which has stunning views and puts you out at park head
Maybe it's for accommodation partners they use
There's only 2 regular places there
The baa independent bunkhouse at £21 a night and fine
There's derwenter arms pub/hotel which is nice and I guess around £80 ( therefore I be asking where they put you for the money you pay as it does not say )
There is many places in Stanhope to stay which is similar ride distance to going to edmundbuyers and Stanhope is on c2c

C2c is easy to organise yourself ( but I live nearby )
Trains are easy from major stations
Accomodation along the way from budget bunkhouses to decent pubs
There's taxi companys here with bike trailers etc if needed
Lots of help on here if OP wanted to do it themselves ...if not
SADDLE SKEADADDLE from Newcastle are a major bike holiday company
PEDALNORTH are more a northern c2c specialist ...they had 2 riders in Derwent arms when me n mates were in the £21 independent bunkbarn

 

[YMFB]

Could someone kindly share a .gpx of the Hadrians Wall ride including NCN 72, thanks

 

[geocycle]

Could someone kindly share a .gpx of the Hadrians Wall ride including NCN 72, thanks

https://cycle.travel/route/hadrians_cycleway

 

[Sea of vapours]

in my opinion you end up missing out in the rookhope off rd incline which has stunning views and puts you out at park head

They're selling a primarily on-road route though, and that bit is very much not suitable for road bikes.

And whilst the official C2C on-road route goes via Stanhope, the alternative on-road route up over Cuthbert's Hill to Blanchland is stunning, and Blanchland is pretty special, making that option much nicer than down to Stanhope and up Crawleyside Bank (in my opinion obviously ...). And it's only about 20-25 minutes extra cycling compared to the Stanhope option, which is nothing on a three day C2C.

 

[Lookrider]

Really ???
That's appalling
Self organisation is part of the fun to me ...although I appreciate it's not for everyone and some just want to turn up and go
Regarding skeadle route in ç2ç there diversion around rookhope to blanchland/edmundbuyers seems strange to me ??
You have to go up and over into a valley to get to blanchland
Edmundbuyers is in the base if valley so you have to climb out to rejoin at PARK HEAD ??
in my opinion you end up missing out in the rookhope off rd incline which has stunning views and puts you out at park head
Maybe it's for accommodation partners they use
There's only 2 regular places there
The baa independent bunkhouse at £21 a night and fine
There's derwenter arms pub/hotel which is nice and I guess around £80 ( therefore I be asking where they put you for the money you pay as it does not say )
There is many places in Stanhope to stay which is similar ride distance to going to edmundbuyers and Stanhope is on c2c

C2c is easy to organise yourself ( but I live nearby )
Trains are easy from major stations
Accomodation along the way from budget bunkhouses to decent pubs
There's taxi companys here with bike trailers etc if needed
Lots of help on here if OP wanted to do it themselves ...if not
SADDLE SKEADADDLE from Newcastle are a major bike holiday company
PEDALNORTH are more a northern c2c specialist ...they had 2 riders in Derwent arms when me n mates were in the £21 independent bunkbarn

PEDALNORTH sorry are a cycle tourism website
The cycle holiday shop that specialises in northern rides and c2c is PEDAL-POWER
sorry for the confusion

 

[Jameshow]

It is a lovely route but if you do it, please take extreme care on the descent of Greenhow Hill towards Pateley Bridge.

Read THIS THREAD first!!

(Don't let that put you off - just exercise due caution!)

Yikes felt like I was watching ER what's you emergency.....
I know the hill well and treat it with great caution....

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

You had been warned so you knew what to expect and clearly knew how to descend it safely, so I can see why you enjoyed it.

However, the air ambulance was called out to seriously injured cyclists 3 times there in 2011. Cyclists had fatal crashes on the descent in 2013 and 2015, and the rider I saw with his face caved in was lucky not to have added to the death toll.

So, a nice descent, but not one to take risks on!

It looks like the long-term plan is to route the Way of the Roses away from Greenhow Hill. The Sustrans map of proposed routes shows it heading south from Appletreewick to the A59, then along a new cycleway built parallel to the road, then heading north again after Deft Hill.

 

[T4tomo]

Really ???
That's appalling

Probably not really. Sounds like a 2nd/3rd hand anecdote with only half the facts / one side of the story.

 

[mjr]

Probably not really. Sounds like a 2nd/3rd hand anecdote with only half the facts / one side of the story.

Second hand. I think the rider used to be on here but has left. I agree it's only one side of the story and personal relationships may have made it play out badly, but it looks entirely allowed within their terms and conditions, doesn't it? You get some convenience from booking a tour with one of those companies but you lose the freedom to react to events as you see fit.

 

[T4tomo]

Second hand. I think the rider used to be on here but has left. I agree it's only one side of the story and personal relationships may have made it play out badly, but it looks entirely allowed within their terms and conditions, doesn't it? You get some convenience from booking a tour with one of those companies but you lose the freedom to react to events as you see fit.

As I say they were really good from our direct experience

 

[Mike_P]

It looks like the long-term plan is to route the Way of the Roses away from Greenhow Hill. The Sustrans map of proposed routes shows it heading south from Appletreewick to the A59, then along a new cycleway built parallel to the road, then heading north again after Deft Hill.

That also uses east of Pateley part of the talked about since the 1960s cycleway along the old railway line which so far only extends from Harrogate to almost Ripley in terms of the old railway - looks like they plan to rejoin it at Birstwith. So long term it certainly is.