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Cycling the C2C - logistics help

Fez909

Fez909

toilet expert
Our little cycling group have decided we're going to do the coast to coast this year. Probably in September. There's plenty of tour groups who will take your money to take your bags for you, but it's fucking price, and will mean some of the group won't come.

So, what's the best way to do this?

We're all on road bikes, so panniers are tricky (though not impossible). I think we'll take some inspiration from 'bikepacking' and get some decent frame bags etc.

1676115887446.png

But what about getting to the start and finish with our vehicles (motorised and pedal-powered)?

We're coming from Leeds and starting in Cumbria. Finishing in Tynemouth/Sunderland.

These are the ideas so far:

Car Shuffle

Drive to Cumbria with all the gear. Two cars go to the end of the first leg. Leave one car there. Drive back in the other. Get on the bike. Repeat. For 3 days.

This works, but means 2 hours of driving each day on top of the cycling. Feels inefficient to me.

Train

Drive to Sunderland. Get the train to Cumbria with the bikes. Cycle back to the cars.

This is my preferred option, but the train options from Sunderland to Cumbria not great. And some trains don't have much cycle space etc.

We could also do this in reverse, leaving the cars West, and getting train back to the start to pick them up, but that feels like the wrong way around.

Pay Someone to Do It

Last resort, as will thin out the group due to costs.

-----------

Has anyone done this? If so, what did you do?

Anyone got any other ideas?

Ta!
 
I did it in a diy / no plan style.

I took the train up to Sunderland. My bike had two panniers on the back for a very small tent/sleeping bag etc. Was just enough for april/frost conditions.

Cycled from train station to the start line and then west all afternoon and camped at sunset on a golf course in some hedges. Early start then cycled west and north to spend the second night at Kielder reservoir where i found a camp site and a pub. Third night was also in a campsite just outside the lakes. That was fun cos i camped with some lands end to john ogroats cyclists.

Ended the journey at Workington where i got the train home.

You definately chose the better direction for travel. The wind at points almost brought me to a standstill going the east to west route.

It was brilliant. Absolutely loved cycling with nobody around for hours. Particularly the scotland/kielder section.

My tip - work out how many spare inner tubes you need and double it!!!
 
The East and West Coast 600 is basically coast to coast and back again in a day and a half. With a bit of scenic extra mileage thrown in for free.

1676232262134.png


Here's my bike at the East coast (Bridlington)
1676232358252.png


And at the West coast (Blackpool)
1676232390848.png

You can download the route sheet and GPX files here: The East & West Coasts 600 | Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

If you want a bit of free grub at the start/finish you can still enter this year's event for about £13...
 
a_chap said:
The East and West Coast 600 is basically coast to coast and back again in a day and a half. With a bit of scenic extra mileage thrown in for free.

View attachment 362923


Here's my bike at the East coast (Bridlington)
View attachment 362924


And at the West coast (Blackpool)
View attachment 362925

You can download the route sheet and GPX files here: The East & West Coasts 600 | Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

If you want a bit of free grub at the start/finish you can still enter this year's event for about £13...
Click to expand...
Sounds great but that's above my ability/fitness levels, unfortunately! :eek:
 
Supine said:
I did it in a diy / no plan style.

I took the train up to Sunderland. My bike had two panniers on the back for a very small tent/sleeping bag etc. Was just enough for april/frost conditions.

Cycled from train station to the start line and then west all afternoon and camped at sunset on a golf course in some hedges. Early start then cycled west and north to spend the second night at Kielder reservoir where i found a camp site and a pub. Third night was also in a campsite just outside the lakes. That was fun cos i camped with some lands end to john ogroats cyclists.

Ended the journey at Workington where i got the train home.

You definately chose the better direction for travel. The wind at points almost brought me to a standstill going the east to west route.

It was brilliant. Absolutely loved cycling with nobody around for hours. Particularly the scotland/kielder section.

My tip - work out how many spare inner tubes you need and double it!!!
Click to expand...
So the train is doable? Where were you coming from?
 
Fez909 said:
Sounds great but that's above my ability/fitness levels, unfortunately! :eek:
Click to expand...
My thoughts entirely. Not sure where you're starting from in Cumbria? but it's an interesting problem.
2or 3 bike packing bags for sure. Less is more and don't fork out on expensive bags.

I'd have thought finishing in Sunderland you could book a train back to Leeds with LNER somewhere on the East Cost Mainline?

Getting to the start is harder. Could you pay someone to take you there in a people carrier with all the bikes? Might be easier.

I've done 2 more diagonal C2C and both times I ended/started nr a main station as all routes go to London annoyingly for you.

Edit, another idea is you hire a shared people carrier and a different person drives each day with all the bags. big enough to get you to and from start?
 
If I was to do this, assuming westerly winds in the forecast - I would Probably go for leaving the cars in Whitehaven, cycle across west to east and get the train back from Sunderland or Tynemouth.

If you go to Robin Hood's Bay then you'll need to go to Whitby or Scarborough for trains back.

Some people I know that did the Hadrian's Wall route actually left cars in Hexham, then trained to Whitehaven. Over several days then cycled to South Shields and trained back to Hexham.
The only person to fall out used the AD122 bus back to Once Brewed !
 
When I did it with a small group we had a transit type van and pootled across West to East and we took it in turns to drive the van from the starting point of the day to the finishing
point of the day. The van was of course used to transfer one bike and everyone's luggage.
The other time I did it there were two of us, no motors, we carried everything we needed on the bikes and took 3 days I think. It was no problem. But we did do it on road. The previous time
was mainly off road meaning it was much better travelling really light.
 
Did the first stage of this yesterday. Weather was not kind to us. Started off hot and muggy and ended with a couple of hours of miserable rain. Thankfully, it wasn't cold, too.

I have soaking shoes to put on today, and a sore under carriage. Legs don't feel too bad considering it was my longest ride, either most most elevation I've ever done.

Today is the same elevation, with only 2/3rds the distance. So, a much hillier ride. And very wet again.

Here's a cheesy shot of us in happier times:

PXL_20230910_075430432.ACTION_PAN.jpg

:)
 
Yesterday was tough. Really tough. Wasn't prepared for those hills. It took way longer than it should have. So spent a long time with soaking wet feet (7 hours I think). Was colder than it has been, but tolerable. Very little rain, too, which I was so grateful for. If it rained yesterday like predicted I might have felt like abandoning!

Shame we didn't get to enjoy any views from the highest point :D

IMG-20230912-WA0005.jpg
 
Pity about the lack of a view at Hartside ...
Bet you missed the cafe that used to be there !

Good Luck for today & the rest of the route.
 
Last time I was there was on a C2C ride about six years ago. I was shepherding a rider who'd been struggling (a lot!) on a charity ride, and one of the highlights for me was the look of awe and wonder on her face when she made it to the Hartside café. :thumbs:

She was quite literally amazed that she'd ridden all the way up there!
 
So, the last day was nice :)

Downhill for hours/miles. Nice (in comparison) weather, and didn't take the entire day!

Finished off in Tynemouth with some lovely fish and chips, feeling pretty good. I called it a "luxury cycling day".

Here's an extremely flattering image to sum up the mood :thumbs::facepalm::cool:

WhatsApp Image 2023-09-13 at 06.58.58.jpeg​

 
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