Bike Tour: The Cyclist's Coast to Coast 7 days - 7 days

Make your own way to Whitehaven. 

This is a pleasant blustery Georgian seaside town, with an attractive harbour and remains of pit wheels and shafts from its mining past. There is an interesting harbourside museum and you can visit the church where George Washington's grandmother is buried. 

Having dipped your wheel in the sea, the ride rolls out gently for the first few miles along the former Ennerdale Railway Line. Leaving this, you approach the Lake District with views over Ennerdale Water and then you pedal around Loweswater. The big hill of the day is up over Whinlatter Pass (318m), shortly after the top there are views over Keswick and to the peak of Skiddaw. It is then a fast and undulating descent and ride into one of the most popular towns in Cumbria: Keswick. Literally, an old cheese town, with a market charter going back to the 1200s. From those days the town grew wealthy from local mining, from the popularity of Lakeland poets and writers and finally from the coming of the railways and the growth of popular tourism in the Lakes. There are plentiful shops, pubs and restaurants. Keswick is a town that nestles beneath giant Skiddaw by the shores of Derwentwater. 

The hardest but perhaps most picturesque day. A steep climb out of Keswick takes you to the famous ancient stone circle, which bestrides a hillside reflecting the contours of the mountains around it. Descending to cross the River Greta, you wheel through pretty Threlkeld Village before a quiet road takes you on a loop round the hamlet of Mungrisdale, which at intervals offers beautiful views of the northern Lake District. Next is a long traverse of the Vale of Eden starting with a visit to the 'Green Village' of Greystoke and then on to historic Penrith. 

Today is punctuated by a number of steep climbs culminating in the longest ascent of the trip up to Hartside Summit 1903 ft / 580 metres, which is also the watershed between the Irish and North Seas. Here you enter the Pennines, great viewpoint from the summit over the Vale of Eden and there is a convenient cafe stop, before a fast ride down into the traditional market town of Alston. 

Leaving Alston you begin your ascent into the region of old lead mines, passing through the village of Nenthead. A steep climb out of the village takes you to Black Hill, the highest point on the Coast to Coast (C2C) route, where you transition from Cumbria into Northumberland. Descend into the valley of the River East Allen, passing through the village of Allenheads. Here, you’ll find a heritage centre and a coffee shop, as well as fascinating Victorian pumps, including the Armstrong steam pump, which was historically used to drain water from the lead mines.
 
From Allenheads, the route climbs steadily to the summit at Currick, where you enter County Durham, accompanied by the calls of curlews. This is followed by a long descent into the Rookhope Valley, where scars (or "hushes") from centuries of lead mining are still visible. A short climb out of the valley leads you toward Blanchland, offering stunning views across open moorland before a picturesque descent to Derwent Reservoir. The day's ride ends at Edmundbyers, where you will stay at the Derwent Arms.

Begining the day with a short climb out of Edmundbyers to join the Waskerley Way, a reclaimed railway path. The route takes you across the impressive Hownsgill Viaduct, bypassing Consett, and onto another former railway cycle path along the Derwent Valley. Enjoy beautiful views of the Durham countryside as you ride.

The route eventually crosses the River Tyne and enters Newcastle, passing beneath its iconic bridges, including the famous Tyne Bridge, constructed by the same company that built the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Tyne widens as you approach Gateshead, where the Millennium Bridge and a dedicated cycle café make for an excellent stop.

Leaving Newcastle's suburbs, the route passes Wallsend, the official eastern terminus (or starting point) of Hadrian's Wall. The final stretch leads through docklands and new marinas to the bay near Tynemouth. Here, you can ceremonially dip your wheel in the sea. The ride concludes at Tynemouth Castle and Priory, perched high above the water. Celebrate your achievement at the nearby pub, a fitting end to the famous Coast to Coast route.. 

Arrangements end after breakfast