This website has been a valuable
guide to the choice of route, café and bed and breakfast
accommodation, the high quality of these added a lot to the enjoyment
of the ride.
David - for whom C2C means Café2Café.
His 3rd trip; previously Workington/Sunderland in 1998 and Whitehaven/Sunderland
in 2003.
Judith - previous longest bike ride
around 10 miles
Cath - on the 2003 trip but still
doesn’t own a bike, borrowed one again – a special one without
panniers
Adam - owner of the lightest bike
but handicapped by Cath’s stuff as well as his own so that removed
the advantage.
 The
four of us chose a peak weekend in July for the trip so approached
Whitehaven by pincer movement to ensure we would have no problems
getting on the trains. 2 came via Carnforth (wonderful station
with Brief Encounter connections) and enjoyable views over Morecambe
Bay, the other 2 via Carlisle and arrived at Whitehaven 1 minute
apart. Adam managed to arrive with a puncture (the only one of
the trip)
After dipping our wheels and
taking the photo at the C2C sign we were full of enthusiasm and
raring to go so we set off and managed to cycle less than 100yards
to Zest for lunch – a good spot with interesting food. Now fuelled
up, the first part of the route is gentle and it is quite surprising
to look back at the distant sea and realise that you are climbing
as well.
At the end of the railway track the Lakes come into view and today Ennerdale
Water and Pillar were shimmering in the heat. The route skirts the Lakes and
then, surprisingly quickly, you descend a hill to Loweswater and then you are
really in the Lakes surrounded on all sides by typical scenery.
We stopped for a paddle in Loweswater; the cows were doing the same on the
far bank and then went on to our B&B, Meadow Bank at Lorton. A welcoming
place with a wonderful breakfast.
Unbroken sunshine and it’s going to be hot. Start with the climb up to Whinlatter
and expected grumbles, we split at the off road climb 2 staying on road, 2
off – on is quicker but off had more shade. The warnings on the site about
the off-road descent from Whinlatter meant we stayed on the road down to Braithwaite
and followed the pleasant route into Keswick by Newlands. We stopped at Peddlers
which was heaving with cyclists with many thousands of pounds worth of bikes
parked outside, Saturday being market day in Keswick we went shopping- it was
too hot, we later saw that Keswick was the hottest place in the UK the whole
of the week, so got back on our bikes for the quiet and shade of the railway
path and stopped beside the river Greta for lunch and another paddle. The railway
path is a delight, criss-crossing the river.
 The
gated road by Blencathra was really nice as there was a hint
of a breeze, previously I have then returned to the A66 by the
official route which seems a pointless dog leg, today we went
via Berrier which is a bit longer but gives good views around
the back of Blencathra, then follows pleasant quiet roads and
is much better cycling.
The Cycle Cafe just past Greystoke was open – bliss sitting in their front
garden, reading the papers, lovely fresh food and watching other cyclists whizz
by; it’s only open Fridays and Saturdays but is not to be missed. Easily into
Penrith and then the new official route with it’s dangerous but fun surprise
bend and into Langwathby.
Langwathby was holding their scarecrow festival that weekend, most houses had
a scarecrow outside, the pub had a scarecrow with his head down a toilet “Never
Again”, the station had a train spotter – it made for an entertaining walk
around the village. Langwathby also has a speed display that flashes driver’s
speeds at them, as we walked towards it, it registered 4mph! so then we just
had to run towards it and measure our top speed, a stunning 17mph!
Even hotter and the climb up Hartside was no easier for it.
Unless you are determined to cycle the whole  way the first
and final sections of off road
are pleasant with sections of walking, but avoid the middle section. After
Garrigill we took the off road option to Nenthead - the road option seems to
go up forever followed by a descent hanging on the brakes - the off-road route
is longer but passes a couple of remarkably isolated houses and gives a different
view.
As you approach the mines we discovered you can contour east on a good
track once you are near Nenthead, this avoids the first 100 feet of the climb
from the village and sometimes these things are important.
The excellent Hemmel café was open at Allenheads and then it was a delightful
run into Rookhope where we stayed at the Old Rectory. Excellent food and hospitality.
Leaving the Old Rectory was hard, Colin was keeping us entertained, but the
heat was only to get worse. Up the incline and then the lovely single track
with a few surprisingly deep puddles to the 100mile café and the start
of the Waskerley Way (I have tried the road option via Stanhope before but
won’t bother again, it has a lot of up and misses the good bit on the moor).
As you cruise down the Waskerley Way the vegetation gradually rises around
you and you realise you are back near sea level.
 The
Newcastle route lacks the entertaining sculptures of the Sunderland
route but has better scenery, a lovely gradient and most important
today, shade. The surface on the Derwent railway track is just
right and is followed by a scenic bit by the river and then the
Tyne is full of interest. It is also a wonder that you can get
right to the Tyne bridges with virtually no interaction with traffic,
leaving the Tyne after the end to make the short ride to the station
was a shock; the traffic and noise seemed really bad after the
tranquillity of the C2C.
|
