C2C May Bank Holday Week 2005
As part of our annual training for our cycling holidays in France two of us, myself, Dave and my friend Steve, decided that instead of our normal four day jaunt to Shropshire we would try something a little more adventurous, ie the C2C and back along the Reivers Route. We are both regular cyclists, used to doing 60 miles plus per day at an average speed of around 13 to 14 miles per hour. Having better halves who either work or who are not foolish enough to spend five days driving our gear around the country, we carried all our luggage in paniers and planned to stay in boarding houses. We researched the route, taking note of people's experiences carefully and booked our first night's accommodation in Melmerby. We both ride touring bikes with 24 gears each so we have the capability, if not the legs, to get up hills - plus pride will not let us get off - it is too humiliating. Oh, and we don't do off road if we can help it.

Anyway, this is how it went!

Day One - Whitehaven to Melmerby
Having driven to Whitehaven from Merseyside we parked up at one of the recommended secure parking places and cycled down to the harbour where, after the obligatory photo we had our first stop of the day and probably the best bacon butties ever in the cafe-bar by the docks. Consequently we weren't on the road until 11.30. The route was very well signposted out of Whitehaven and the section on the old railway track very enjoyable. although we missed one turning near Cleator Moorand had to rejoin the route later on.

The narrow lanes down to Loweswater were great and it wasn't until coming out of Lorton to join the Whinlatter pass that we experienced any major discomfort. The "unremitting" in the guide book is obviously a euphemism for "bloody steep" and it was a relief to join the main road again. The old railwat track out of Keswick was very picturesque although a bit bumpy while the gated road at Scales was abit of a pain. After Mungrisdale we took the alternative route through Bernier to avoid the A66 and onto Greystoke and Penrith, although with hindsight we should have avoided the route through the college as it was very bumpy - as I said we don't like off-road.

The climb out of Penrith was hard but it was a long way down to Langwathby before we took the main road to Melmerby, arriving at Mrs Morton's boarding house at 7.00. The food in the pub was excellent and worth staying awake for.
Total Mileage - 62.95
Average Speed - 10.3


Day Two - Melemrby to Whitley Bay - the day from hell
Despite the rain first thing in the morning we set off to climb Hartside Moor at 9.00 and were extremely grateful for the log fire in the cafe 5 miles later. The climb itself was not particularly long, just wet and cold and after an hour's rest and two mugs of tea, there was a slight gap in the clouds so we decide to go to Alston and see what happened. The vague plan was to see how things went and if the rain got too depressing then we would find somewhere to stop for the night and get to Tynemouth the next day. The downhill to Alston is everything everyone says it is and, despite the wind, some front wheel wobble and shivering, it was as enjoyable as it could be in these conditions. We then went up the cobbles in Alston and across the moor to Nenthead with driving wind and rain in our faces. This continued as we went up the really hard climb out of Nenthead and up to the highest point on the C2C where we disappeared into the mist, with Steve shouting warnings about sheep on the road as he swerved to avoid them. There is definitley a case for blue sheep that don't blend in with the mist in these circumstances.

Anyway a nice downhill to Allenheads was followed by lunch in the cafe where we met other C2Cers, none of whom were going very far that day. Undeterred we pressed on to Rookhope where we followed the official route to Stanhope up the side of a cliff. Nowhere on the website does anyone ever mention this climb, which leads me to assume that people ignore the sign and continue down the valley where it is much easier. Things got worse when we reached Stanhope and the dreaded Crawleyside! Everything you have ever heard about this hill is true and more. It is 17% for a long time and when you think you have cracked it and get to the cattle grid it goes up again (into the mist and rain in our case) and then again, making a total of about 3 miles of climbing. We passed a family pushing their bikes at the very bottom, before it got really steep, and afdterwards felt very sorry for them, knowing how far they were going to have to walk. As we reached the cafe at the start of the Waskerley Way the weather was a bit better and it was going to be all downhill so we phoned ahead and booked our accommodation in Whitley Bay. Obviously it then started to rain even heavier and we did the Waskerley Way and the Derwent Walk in driving rain. Nevertheless the views and riding were great and we decided it would be great to do this in nice weather.

By the time we reached the Tyne it had stopped and there was even some blue sky as we went on the fantastic cycle path overlooking the Tyne to Tynemouth. We got lost by Wet'n'Wild (as everybody seems to) but rejoined the route after crossing the harbour and arrived at the finish at 7.50, covered in mud but pleased to have finished.
Total mileage - 75.74
Ave speed - 10.1
Day 3 - The Reivers Route
Having read that the Reivers route was on poor cycle tracks and wasn't very interesting, we still decided to give it a go, only to find that the criticisms were true. We stuck with it as far as Ponteland but then went our own way to Stamfordham before rejoining the route. However, the gated roads and poor surfaces meant it was really not very pleasant at all and we arrived in Bellingham in total agreement with the accounts that said it was better for mountain bikes.
Total mileage - 50.82
Ave speed - 9.9
Day Four - We Branch Out
The Reivers route to Keilder Water and Keilder village was on proper roads so we stuck with it and then took the main road to Newcastleton. This was an excellent section, with nice views and decent surfaces and this carried on as we invented our own route to Canonbie from where we crossed the A7 and added a loop on before rejoining Sustrans route 7 into Carlisle. There was a very well signposted cycle route to the city centre although we had to carry our bikes over a footbridge to get to our boarding house. However, better weather and better roads meant that it had been a much more pleasanrt day on the Reivers than the day before.
Total mileage - 63.85
Ave speed - 12.1