U2C (Ulverston to Sunderland)

Your Trips

June 11th, 2011 by

Jim Carleton writes:

I did a slower hybrid route; Cumbrian Way (Ulverston to Keswick) where I picked up the C2C to Sunderland. Absolutely loved the varied landscapes and even had fun doing the climbs up Hartside and Nenthead in a driving drizzle. Can’t say I enjoyed that nasty little offroad section in Garrigill which I could have easily have avoided but it’s something to talk about. My blog is seatoseadiary.blogspot.com which has stills and helmet cam videos.

I booked the cycling tour through Sherpa Expeditions, it being my first ever long-distance ride and something of an unknown, especially far from home. They provided maps, written directions, luggage transfer and booking of accommodation.

I translated their Cumbrian route into a GPS track and downloaded a C2C GPS track which I broke up into my day segments.

Here’s a little about me;

Home: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Age: 63

Occupation: Retired Computing Specialist (translation, loner-geek)

Riding Experience: Errands, day rides around home, commuting, short day rides on vacation (Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, USA, France, Canada).

Thoughts before C2C: Yikes, Hartside sounds awesome, I’d better do some serious training.

Thoughts after C2C: Wow, I should have started touring sooner, I must do a longer route soon. And why didn’t anyone warn me about Red Bank?

I referred to your site often in my early planning stages and now, having done the ride, come back to it with a cosy familiarity. The ride was over way too soon and I have to admit I’m feeling a magnetic pull towards the E2E.

I am very envious of your National Cycle Network and loved seeing those little blue signs no matter where I went.

Best,

Jim