Coast to Coast - Bowness to Newcastle
Discussion
I am cycling coast to coast, Bowness to Newcastle and just thought I would post on here for any tips and pointers.
I plan to drive to Newcastle, park with a relative, train to Carlisle and cycle back.
I have booked somewhere to stay near Bowness and plan to break the trip into two days, staying at Bardon Mill in the middle.
I have googled a bit and picked route which I have plotted in my Garmin and I think I think I am fairly set but would welcome any tips on things to avoid or things to see along the way from anyone who has done it.
TIA
Mark
I plan to drive to Newcastle, park with a relative, train to Carlisle and cycle back.
I have booked somewhere to stay near Bowness and plan to break the trip into two days, staying at Bardon Mill in the middle.
I have googled a bit and picked route which I have plotted in my Garmin and I think I think I am fairly set but would welcome any tips on things to avoid or things to see along the way from anyone who has done it.
TIA
Mark
I did it about 5 years ago with a mate who was raising some money for a charity. Me and my Mrs and a couple of mates .... my mates are occasional leisure riders (at best) so was a long ish day and the weather was crap. We stayed at a B&B in Bowness if I remember ... an exploding freehub meant we lost 2 hours dicking about looking for a spare rear wheel.
Have a look at my route but from what I remember, we took at off road detour near the river in Carlisle and had to turn back
and the roads heading into Gateshead were shocking .... V busy a roads and dual carriageways. All my fault as I was the route planner. I may have got the route from someone on this very page tho (in my defense 
).
On the right day and avoiding the crap roads its a lovely ride, and statically speaking you should get a tailwind
https://www.strava.com/activities/699139496
Have a look at my route but from what I remember, we took at off road detour near the river in Carlisle and had to turn back
and the roads heading into Gateshead were shocking .... V busy a roads and dual carriageways. All my fault as I was the route planner. I may have got the route from someone on this very page tho (in my defense ).On the right day and avoiding the crap roads its a lovely ride, and statically speaking you should get a tailwind
https://www.strava.com/activities/699139496
Edited by JEA1K on Friday 13th August 17:05
On road only for me.
Many thanks for that link, I will look at your route later this evening but upon first glance it looks very similar to mine.
How steep is the middle bit? I am a novice, I took up cycling ten months ago and being a fuller figured rider I tend to avoid hills! The big one in the middle I can't avoid though......
M
Many thanks for that link, I will look at your route later this evening but upon first glance it looks very similar to mine.
How steep is the middle bit? I am a novice, I took up cycling ten months ago and being a fuller figured rider I tend to avoid hills! The big one in the middle I can't avoid though......
M
Threeracers said:
On road only for me.
Many thanks for that link, I will look at your route later this evening but upon first glance it looks very similar to mine.
How steep is the middle bit? I am a novice, I took up cycling ten months ago and being a fuller figured rider I tend to avoid hills! The big one in the middle I can't avoid though......
M
By the middle bit do you mean The Pennines? Pretty steep in places, as is the route out of the Lake District - especially if you go over Kirkstone Pass!Many thanks for that link, I will look at your route later this evening but upon first glance it looks very similar to mine.
How steep is the middle bit? I am a novice, I took up cycling ten months ago and being a fuller figured rider I tend to avoid hills! The big one in the middle I can't avoid though......
M
The “official” coast to coast as far as I was aware starts in whitehaven and ends in Sunderland or Tynemouth. The idea being you dip your wheel in the sea at either end.
If you start in Sunderland or whitehaven there’s a cycle path the whole way which is a lovely route. There’s so almighty hill to climb but I was relatively unfit when I completed it in 3 days so I’m sure you’ll be fine.
I live in Sunderland the starting/end point is decent right on the beech and you’re straight on a cycle path that’s takes you the whole way
If you start in Sunderland or whitehaven there’s a cycle path the whole way which is a lovely route. There’s so almighty hill to climb but I was relatively unfit when I completed it in 3 days so I’m sure you’ll be fine.
I live in Sunderland the starting/end point is decent right on the beech and you’re straight on a cycle path that’s takes you the whole way
Like another poster I recommend the c2c route from Whitehaven to Newcastle. All of the route is on local roads, cycle paths, old railway paths etc and was very well signpost.
I have done it a few times over 3 days. Day 1 to Penrith over the Lake District which is not too bad, day 2 to Rookhope which is pretty tough for the first few hours to get over the Pennines then the last day to Newcastle feels pretty much all downhill on really good old railway paths.
I have done it a few times over 3 days. Day 1 to Penrith over the Lake District which is not too bad, day 2 to Rookhope which is pretty tough for the first few hours to get over the Pennines then the last day to Newcastle feels pretty much all downhill on really good old railway paths.
Stu-nph26 said:
The “official” coast to coast as far as I was aware starts in whitehaven and ends in Sunderland or Tynemouth. The idea being you dip your wheel in the sea at either end.
If you start in Sunderland or whitehaven there’s a cycle path the whole way which is a lovely route. There’s so almighty hill to climb but I was relatively unfit when I completed it in 3 days so I’m sure you’ll be fine.
I live in Sunderland the starting/end point is decent right on the beech and you’re straight on a cycle path that’s takes you the whole way
If you start in Sunderland or whitehaven there’s a cycle path the whole way which is a lovely route. There’s so almighty hill to climb but I was relatively unfit when I completed it in 3 days so I’m sure you’ll be fine.
I live in Sunderland the starting/end point is decent right on the beech and you’re straight on a cycle path that’s takes you the whole way
Waskerley way,beautiful run down into Sunderland
Yes, my plan is Bowness-on-Solway to Tynemouth, so broadly the route on Jonathan's Strava link above but just carrying on until I hit the sea.
It is coast to coast but this route was chosen because I have family walking Hadrian's wall over five days and we have timed our journeys to meet in Newcastle at the end for a boozy weekend.
The B&Bs are booked so I am not going to make big changes on this one, plus we plan to meet en-route, but might try the Whitehaven route another time. I quite like old railway based routes so will google a bit more on that for next time.
Many thanks
Mark
It is coast to coast but this route was chosen because I have family walking Hadrian's wall over five days and we have timed our journeys to meet in Newcastle at the end for a boozy weekend.
The B&Bs are booked so I am not going to make big changes on this one, plus we plan to meet en-route, but might try the Whitehaven route another time. I quite like old railway based routes so will google a bit more on that for next time.
Many thanks
Mark
The Cycle Hub Cafe in Newcastle is a good place to stop for a coffee and right on Route 72.
Lots of options in Tynemouth/North Shields, even Harrison Ford likes to cycle around those parts. And, the Tynemouth Lodge is the only pub to have featured in every edition of the Good Beer Guide since it began publication.
Lots of options in Tynemouth/North Shields, even Harrison Ford likes to cycle around those parts. And, the Tynemouth Lodge is the only pub to have featured in every edition of the Good Beer Guide since it began publication.
Edited by LimaDelta on Tuesday 24th August 07:22
Threeracers said:
On road only for me.
Many thanks for that link, I will look at your route later this evening but upon first glance it looks very similar to mine.
How steep is the middle bit? I am a novice, I took up cycling ten months ago and being a fuller figured rider I tend to avoid hills! The big one in the middle I can't avoid though......
M
Its pretty steep from memory ... one of the 'leisure riders' in our group is around 6'4" and 16st and managed it. I'd recommend maybe some lower (than your normal) gearing, say a 32t on the back if you ride a 28t or 30t and crawling up as steadily as you can when it gets too steep. Stay out of the red as much as poss. Many thanks for that link, I will look at your route later this evening but upon first glance it looks very similar to mine.
How steep is the middle bit? I am a novice, I took up cycling ten months ago and being a fuller figured rider I tend to avoid hills! The big one in the middle I can't avoid though......
M
Thanks, my bike was a secondhand purchase and came with 28t but I changed to a 32t quite recently, made a big difference.
I am sure it will be fine, Garmin suggests a little over 2,000 ft on the first day and about 1,600ft on the second. I just had a look over my historical data and was surprised to see a couple of previous local rides totalling similar over a days ride so I am probably just overthinking it.
It's actually Thursday and Friday this week so I will report back.
Mark
I am sure it will be fine, Garmin suggests a little over 2,000 ft on the first day and about 1,600ft on the second. I just had a look over my historical data and was surprised to see a couple of previous local rides totalling similar over a days ride so I am probably just overthinking it.
It's actually Thursday and Friday this week so I will report back.
Mark
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