| C2C and back - in a day! About 10 years ago a group of us completed the coast to coast on road bikes from Workington to Sunderland in a day. We left Workington at around 5am. We then stopped for breakfast at Whinlatter Café, stopped for a second breakfast at a friend’s place near Langwathby and then received vehicle support to Sunderland. We arrived around 14 hours after leaving the west coast. I remember feeling very tired and relieved that we had arranged for a lorry to transport us and our bikes back home. On reflection, however, I think it was probably sitting on Roker Pier that I first thought about whether I would be capable of turning around at the sea and cycling back to Workington in the same day. On 30th August last year (2005) I finally set out to try. Actually, my plan was not quite to do a straightforward there and back. I live at a spot between Keswick and Penrith very near the C2C route. Thus it seemed quite a logical challenge for me to attempt to cycle to Sunderland and back before then completing the day by riding to Workington and, finally, back home. So it was a ‘two seas in a day’ ride but following the coast to coast route. Five am provided a very chilly start but the forecast was for dry, warm weather with generally overcast skies. Thus I set off with just a cycling T-shirt, a thin thermal and a thin windproof (that was never used). By Langwathby I was absolutely chilled to the bone but the exertions of the Hartside climb warmed me up and seeing the sun rise really lifted my spirits. Garrigill, Nenthead, Allenheads provided a challenging roller coaster of roads but I began to feel as though I was making progress. I think my route choice of avoiding Stanhope to the north was possibly a mistake but it was not long before I was heading down the long descent to Consett, Stanley and the coast. On the previous attempt mentioned above I had suffered numerous punctures on the cycle track from Consett. As I was now riding a Trek Madone 5.2 with only 22mm tyres I decided to be cautious and follow tarmac into Sunderland. I touched the sea at 10.15am and had my only puncture of the day – swiftly dealt with thanks to one of those amazing (but environmentally rather unsound) CO2 cylinders. Feeling the need for a soft seat and sustenance I found an open pub and had a coffee and a cheese toastie. There was little time to waste, however, so I was soon retracing my steps back westwards. Actually I didn’t quite follow the same roads out of Sunderland as they had rather scared me on the way in. Instead I found some quieter if rather more circuitous way to get back to Chester – Le –Street. It felt a long, long haul up the steadily rising terrain through Consett and up to Waskerley Reservoir. I took the road through Stanhope this time and found the hill over to Rookhope to be something of a low point for me in terms of tiredness and motivation. Somehow you battle on though and the roller coaster back to Hartside was suddenly over and it was easy ground all the way back home. It was now around 5pm and time for some proper food. A hasty bowl of pasta followed and I somehow then managed to persuade myself to get back onto the saddle. Initially I felt leaden and began to doubt the wisdom of continuing. After a few miles, however, my state of mind improved and I actually began to enjoy eating up the miles again. My average speed began to rise and Workington arrived far sooner than I had expected it to. I made my way down to the sea across some very smelly mud – much to the confused amusement of a few onlookers. Light levels were dropping and I turned for home. The less said about the final section the better. In the dark, alone and with an inadequate set of lights I just kept turning the pedals with little sense of pleasure – more just a desire to get it over with. Arriving home there were tears in my eyes but at that point I think they were more tears of relief than of delight. The bike computer told me that I had spent 15 hours and 24 minutes in the saddle. From start to finish had taken 17 hours. The distance read 251 miles. Only once I had taken all that in, showered and crashed out in a soft bed did I begin to smile – and how! I have written this in the hope that it might inspire someone to try something similar – perhaps a purer version actually starting at one of the coasts. Or, maybe, a double crossing following the off road sections…..the possibilities are many and varied. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has tried something similar.
Gary Baum
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