The Classic Coast to Coast Full Itinerary

The Cycling - Introduction

The Coast to Coast cycle ride is one of the most scenic, varied and popular bike rides in Britain. The sense of achievement from cycling right across the country in 3 days, passing through National Parks, remote valleys and lovely villages, is hard to beat.

Highlights

• 3-day journey makes a perfect long weekend
• Bag transfers so you can cycle light
• Lovely accommodation and good food
• Well planned – so you focus on cycling

Our C2C Credentials
CycleActive has been running C2C holidays since 2000 and with our office based almost exactly on the middle of the route we think we know it better than anyone else. Our strong connections with local guesthouses means you get the best places to stay, best service and great food throughout your holiday. Our experience as a tour operator means everything runs smoothly, from start to finish, so you can relax and enjoy the journey.

If you want to find out more about the cycling, the route or anything else about the C2C please just give us a call and speak to one of our team.

Day 1 - Arrival in Penrith

Your trip begins on Thursday evening when you arrive at our chosen guesthouse in Penrith. Once you’ve checked in and received our rider pack you're free to try any of the numerous bars, cafes and restaurants in this bustling market town. With the guesthouse just a 2 minute walk from the centre, and 5 minutes from the station, you're perfectly located to enjoy your stay here. If you came by car, we'll show you where to park up for the whole weekend - you won't need it again until you head home.

Day 2 – The Lake District

After a huge breakfast of freshly cooked Cumbrian produce, you and your bike will be transported out to the start point of the C2C in Whitehaven, on the Irish Sea Coast. With detailed maps of the route, the benefit of good signing and advice from our expert local guide, you should be fully equipped for the first leg of the journey. This first day of the C2C takes you through the northern section of the Lake District National Park. This is Britain's largest park, and you'll be travelling past some of its most impressive peaks - Skiddaw, Blecathra and the northern reaches of the Helvelyn range. You'll also encounter a great number of traditional Lakeland villages, as well as the focal town for this area - Keswick - which has a great selection of cafes for lunch time. Today's ride ends back at the guesthouse in Penrith, giving you the chance to sample more great Cumbrian pub food, or a restaurant meal at any of the English, French, Italian, Spanish, Indian or Chinese places in town. We'll be happy to recommend some of the best options for you.

Cycling: 50 miles, Meals included: Breakfast

Day 3 - The Pennines

Another big breakfast sees you on the road, this time direct from the guesthouse. By spending two nights here you've save the hassle of moving on and packing up on day one, but this morning that's not possible, as you area heading for the Pennines. As you pedal your way into the Eden Valley, we'll transport you bags ahead to the next guesthouse, right in the heart of the Pennines. Today you'll encounter your biggest challenges, and as you coast down towards the river Eden from Penrith you'll see the first Pennine ridge rising up before you. The scenery takes a dramatic change now, as the sheer peaks of the Lakes become rolling valleys and open moors. We keep the distance a little lower today to account for the hills, but there’s no doubt that everyone gets a sense of achievement the first time they ride to the summit of Hartside Pass.

Cycling: 45 miles, Meals included: Breakfast

Day 4 - Descent to Newcastle

The final leg of the journey brings you through the last of the Pennines, and soon the North Sea comes into view. You wind down through the quiet villages towards the outskirts of Newcastle, where a network of carefully planned tracks and trails ensure that you stay away from any major roads as you follow the Tyne into the city. This is a superb ride in itself – passing along the bustling waterfront where the famous Millenium Bridge, Baltic Gallery and The Sage are all located. The C2C route ends at Tynemouth castle and priory, looking out across the harbour and into the North Sea. Here you'll also find our driver, waiting to bring you and your bikes back to Penrith (meanwhile, we'll have collected your bags from your Pennines stop and brought them back ready for your arrival). Congratulations are now in order, as you celebrate the success of your journey across Britain and return to Penrith.

Cycling: 42 miles, Meals included: Breakfast

FURTHER INFORMATION

Choosing the Right Holiday
At CycleActive we carefully grade our trips according to both the level of fitness you need and, for mountain biking, the level of skill you need. We also offer personal advice to anyone who needs it, by email or on the phone, to ensure that you find a holiday suitable for your abilities and desires.

Fitness grade 2-3. This means you need to be a moderately fit cyclist as the C2C does involve three full days of cycling over hilly terrain. You can take your time as this tour is not guided, so you don’t have to stay at the pace of others, but you do need reasonable stamina. For those who want extra challenges we have additional off-road options planned too.

Skill grade A-B. The main C2C route follows backroads and well graded tracks so you do not need experience at off-road riding to be able to enjoy it. However, if you want to ride off-road then there are some excellent options – some marked on the official map and some known to us, which we’ll map out for you when you arrive.

Geography & Climate

This is a hilly ride through varied terrain and at different times of year it can be very warm or very cold. We recommend that you travel with a good variety of cycle clothing to allow for the range of temperatures. A full kit list will be sent to you on booking.

Accommodation & Food
We have made this tour as comfortable as possible so you can enjoy a good place to finish each night, with a hot shower and tasty food. All guesthouses have been carefully selected by us and offer a very high level of service to all of our clients.

Cycling Support
This trip is unsupported and unguided so once you head out on your cycling days you are responsible for your own safety and your own journey from point to point. The route is well signed and there is a detailed map produced by Sustrans specifically for the route, so finding your way should not be a problem. We do give you contact details for our staff and the guesthouses, which you can use in an emergency, but extra transfers to collect you or drop you off may incur additional costs.

Cycle Rental
If you want to use your own bike we recommend either a road bike, mountain bike, a hybrid bike or a sturdy touring road bike. You can complete the ride on regular road bikes but some of the traffic free sections are a bitrough for skinny tyres. You can divert round these section with ease. If you want to rent a bike please contact us to discuss your needs and we
will reserve a bike for you. We use current model Trek mountain bikes, in excellent condition and fitted with fast rolling on/off road suitable tyres.

Clothing and Equipment
On booking, a detailed list of useful and essential items will be sent to you. You must bring your own cycle helmet that must be worn for all cycle rides. All clothing and equipment must be packed in one small to medium sized bag, either a soft holdall or soft rucksack. This is the maximum luggage allowed as all bags are carried in a minivan across the Pennines and space is limited.

Pre-Travel Information
When you book a more detailed pre-travel pack will be sent to you with information on what to bring, where to go, which maps to buy and so on.