Sea to Sea Cycle Route
Encyclopedia
The Coast to Coast or Sea to Sea Cycle Route (C2C) is Great Britain
's most popular long-distance cycle
route (national routes 71 and 7) and is based on minor roads, disused railway lines, off-road tracks and specially constructed cycle paths. It crosses the Lake District
and the Pennines
in the north of England.
At 140 miles (225.3 km) long, the route is designed for the whole range of cyclists, from families to cycling club
riders. Off-road sections have an alternative surfaced track. Although a challenge with some hard climbs—the highest point being over 2000 feet (609.6 m) - the C2C has an average of between 12,000 and 15,000 cyclists completing the route every year.
The route should not be confused with the Coast to Coast Walk
, a long-distance footpath which takes a different route between the two coastlines.
and part of the National Cycle Network
(NCN) in partnership with various Local Authorities, Groundwork West Cumbria, North Pennines Tourism Partnership, Forest Enterprise and the Lake District National Park
amongst others. The route was opened in 1994 running from Whitehaven on the west coast of Cumbria
to the North East coast at Sunderland. A northern branch splits off from the main route at Consett
, following the route of the Derwent Walk, passing through Tyneside
and ending at Tynemouth
.
In 2005 a complementary route was opened further to the south. This, titled the Walney to Wear route (W2W), is designed to be slightly tougher and longer. It runs from Walney Island
in south west Cumbria to Sunderland via the North Yorkshire Moors and Durham
.
's Terris Novalis at Consett
, sheepfolds by Andy Goldsworthy
at various points in Cumbria and Alison Wilding
's Ambit in the River Wear
at Sunderland. Eduardo Chillida
had been commissioned to create a work for Whitehaven
, but the project has not been completed.
On the Consett to Sunderland line, there are The Old Transformers by David Kemp below Pontop Pike mast near Annfield Plain
and four steel cows near Beamish Museum
(artist unknown).
before passing through Penrith and the Eden Valley
with its lush valleys and sandstone
villages. It then starts the climb up to Hartside Pass and onto the Northern Pennines - the "roof of England". There then follows an undulating ride as the C2C meanders through old lead mining villages, such as Garrigill
, Nenthead
and Rookhope
, and down into the Durham Dales
before entering the old steel town of Consett
. From here it's an easy ride through one of Britain's old industrial heartlands to the North Sea
and Sunderland. There is also the option of starting at Workington
and/or finishing at Tynemouth
and also a link route at Penrith to join up with the Glasgow
to Carlisle section of the National Cycle Route. The route is made up of approximately:
The C2C is best ridden from West to East to take advantage of the prevailing winds
from the West and the more favourable gradients. Tradition dictates that you start the ride by dipping your back wheel in the Irish Sea
and only ends when your front wheel gets a dip in the North Sea
at the finish. It is typically completed in 3–5 days, though it has been completed in a single day, (Record currently held by Luke Wallace at 10 hours 11 minutes and 45 seconds East to West).
The route links to other parts of the NCN so can be used as part of a longer cycle tour
.
Route maps for the C2C and detailed route guides from other publishers are available from Sustrans.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
's most popular long-distance cycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
route (national routes 71 and 7) and is based on minor roads, disused railway lines, off-road tracks and specially constructed cycle paths. It crosses the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
and the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
in the north of England.
At 140 miles (225.3 km) long, the route is designed for the whole range of cyclists, from families to cycling club
Cycling club
A cycling club is a society for cyclists. It can be local or national, general or specialised. The Cyclists' Touring Club, CTC) in the United Kingdom is a national association; i-Team and are internet clubs; the Tricycle Association, Tandem Club and the Veterans Time Trial Association, for those...
riders. Off-road sections have an alternative surfaced track. Although a challenge with some hard climbs—the highest point being over 2000 feet (609.6 m) - the C2C has an average of between 12,000 and 15,000 cyclists completing the route every year.
The route should not be confused with the Coast to Coast Walk
Coast to Coast Walk
The Coast to Coast Walk is a 192-mile unofficial and mostly unsignposted long distance footpath in Northern England...
, a long-distance footpath which takes a different route between the two coastlines.
History
The C2C was developed by SustransSustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
and part of the National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
(NCN) in partnership with various Local Authorities, Groundwork West Cumbria, North Pennines Tourism Partnership, Forest Enterprise and the Lake District National Park
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park is located in the north-west of England and is the largest of the English National Parks and the second largest in the United Kingdom. It is in the central and most-visited part of the Lake District....
amongst others. The route was opened in 1994 running from Whitehaven on the west coast of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
to the North East coast at Sunderland. A northern branch splits off from the main route at Consett
Consett
Consett is a town in the northwest of County Durham, England, about southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is home to 27,394 .Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town: below the ground was coking coal and...
, following the route of the Derwent Walk, passing through Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
and ending at Tynemouth
Tynemouth
Tynemouth is a town and a historic borough in Tyne and Wear, England, at the mouth of the River Tyne, between North Shields and Cullercoats . It is administered as part of the borough of North Tyneside, but until 1974 was an independent county borough in its own right...
.
In 2005 a complementary route was opened further to the south. This, titled the Walney to Wear route (W2W), is designed to be slightly tougher and longer. It runs from Walney Island
Walney Island
The Isle of Walney, also known as Walney Island, is an island in the United Kingdom which lies off the west coast of England, at the northern tip of Morecambe Bay. It forms part of the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, and it is separated from the mainland at Barrow by Walney Channel, a narrow channel...
in south west Cumbria to Sunderland via the North Yorkshire Moors and Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
.
Art
A number of public artworks have been commissioned for the route, including Tony CraggTony Cragg
Tony Cragg is a British visual artist specialized in sculpture. He is currently the director of the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.-Early life:Cragg was born in Liverpool in 1949...
's Terris Novalis at Consett
Consett
Consett is a town in the northwest of County Durham, England, about southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is home to 27,394 .Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town: below the ground was coking coal and...
, sheepfolds by Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy, OBE is a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist producing site-specific sculpture and land art situated in natural and urban settings. He lives and works in Scotland.-Life and career:The son of F...
at various points in Cumbria and Alison Wilding
Alison Wilding
Alison Wilding RA is an English sculptor.-Biography:Born in Blackburn in Lancashire, Wilding studied at the Nottingham College of Art, the Ravensbourne College of Art and Design in Chislehurst and, from 1970 to 1973, the Royal College of Art in London...
's Ambit in the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
at Sunderland. Eduardo Chillida
Eduardo Chillida
Eduardo Chillida Juantegui, or Eduardo Txillida Juantegi in Basque, was a Spanish Basque sculptor notable for his monumental abstract works.-Early life and career:...
had been commissioned to create a work for Whitehaven
Whitehaven
Whitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road...
, but the project has not been completed.
On the Consett to Sunderland line, there are The Old Transformers by David Kemp below Pontop Pike mast near Annfield Plain
Annfield Plain
Annfield Plain is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated on a plateau between the towns of Stanley, to the north-east, and Consett, to the west. According to the 2001 census, Annfield Plain has a population of 3,569. Along with much of the surrounding area, Annfield Plain's...
and four steel cows near Beamish Museum
Beamish Museum
Beamish, The North of England Open Air Museum is an open-air museum located at Beamish, near the town of Stanley, County Durham, England. The museum's guiding principle is to preserve an example of everyday life in urban and rural North East England at the climax of industrialisation in the early...
(artist unknown).
Route
The route starts in the former coal mining and industrial lands of Whitehaven, West Cumbria, travels through the stunning scenery of the northern Lake District, heading into KeswickKeswick, Cumbria
Keswick is a market town and civil parish within the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, England. It had a population of 4,984, according to the 2001 census, and is situated just north of Derwent Water, and a short distance from Bassenthwaite Lake, both in the Lake District National Park...
before passing through Penrith and the Eden Valley
Eden, Cumbria
Eden is a local government district in Cumbria, England. Its council is based in Penrith. It is named after the River Eden which flows north through the district toward Carlisle....
with its lush valleys and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
villages. It then starts the climb up to Hartside Pass and onto the Northern Pennines - the "roof of England". There then follows an undulating ride as the C2C meanders through old lead mining villages, such as Garrigill
Garrigill
Garrigill, Cumbria is a small village in the North Pennine region of the UK situated on the banks and close to the source of the River South Tyne...
, Nenthead
Nenthead
The small village of Nenthead in the county of Cumbria is one of England's highest villages, at 1,500 feet. It was not built until the middle of the 18th century and was one of the earliest purpose-built industrial villages in Britain...
and Rookhope
Rookhope
Rookhope is village in County Durham, in England. A former lead and fluorspar mining community, it first existed as a group of cattle farms in the 13th Century. It is situated in the Pennines to the north of Weardale. W. H...
, and down into the Durham Dales
Durham Dales
The Durham Dales is the name given to a large area of landscape in the west of County Durham, consisting primarily of the Durham portion of the North Pennines, in England.- Geography :...
before entering the old steel town of Consett
Consett
Consett is a town in the northwest of County Durham, England, about southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is home to 27,394 .Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town: below the ground was coking coal and...
. From here it's an easy ride through one of Britain's old industrial heartlands to the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
and Sunderland. There is also the option of starting at Workington
Workington
Workington is a town, civil parish and port on the west coast of Cumbria, England, at the mouth of the River Derwent. Lying within the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is southwest of Carlisle, west of Cockermouth, and southwest of Maryport...
and/or finishing at Tynemouth
Tynemouth
Tynemouth is a town and a historic borough in Tyne and Wear, England, at the mouth of the River Tyne, between North Shields and Cullercoats . It is administered as part of the borough of North Tyneside, but until 1974 was an independent county borough in its own right...
and also a link route at Penrith to join up with the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
to Carlisle section of the National Cycle Route. The route is made up of approximately:
- Main Roads - mainly short sections through urban areas - 4%
- Minor Roads - quiet, country roads - 50%
- Cyclepaths/Off Road - disused railway lines etc- 46%
The C2C is best ridden from West to East to take advantage of the prevailing winds
Prevailing winds
Prevailing winds are winds that blow predominantly from a single general direction over a particular point on Earth's surface. The dominant winds are the trends in direction of wind with the highest speed over a particular point on the Earth's surface. A region's prevailing and dominant winds...
from the West and the more favourable gradients. Tradition dictates that you start the ride by dipping your back wheel in the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
and only ends when your front wheel gets a dip in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
at the finish. It is typically completed in 3–5 days, though it has been completed in a single day, (Record currently held by Luke Wallace at 10 hours 11 minutes and 45 seconds East to West).
The route links to other parts of the NCN so can be used as part of a longer cycle tour
Bicycle touring
Bicycle touring is cycling over long distances – prioritizing pleasure and endurance over utility or speed. Touring can range from single day 'supported' rides — e.g., rides to benefit charities — where provisions are available to riders at stops along the route, to multi-day...
.
Route maps for the C2C and detailed route guides from other publishers are available from Sustrans.