Coast to Coast Cycle | Cycle Route in the North of England

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About & Details
Itinerary

The Coast to Coast route is the classic cycle route in the north of England, on a par with (but not along!) Wainwright’s famous Coast to Coast walk. The cycle route runs from the Irish Sea at Whitehaven to the North Sea at Sunderland. It’s a deservedly popular route and a classic challenge, covering 225km (140 miles) in three days. Altogether, it makes for a truly memorable trip

Quick Facts

An unparalleled opportunity to experience the great variety of the north of England: the old port of Whitehaven, the Coal country of West Cumbria; the heart of the Lake District; the Eden Valley; the wild moors and lead mines of the North Pennines and Weardale, old Durham railway routes, and the renascent industrial and commercial zone of Tyneside. It’s also a terrific personal challenge that involves three hard days of cycling to get you across the country.

About & Details

This route is part of the National Cycle Network, administered by Sustrans. It is designated route Nos. 71 and 7, and is signposted throughout. About half of the route is traffic-free, while half is along small country roads. A small amount is on main roads. It is possible to do the whole trip on roads, but incorporating the off-road sections is recommended, and the following description includes them. The 3-day itinerary makes for a fun-packed trip, which is quite doable for the average cyclist. The most severe section is an off-road ascent up a steep track to Hartside summit between Penrith and Alston. The overnights are in Whitehaven, Greystoke, and Allenheads.

Inclusions

Qualified and experienced cycle leader(s)
Three nights’ accommodation twin room hotel with breakfast or B&B
Baggage and equipment transfers (This is limited to 1 bag per person, however extra bags can be transferred at a small supplement)
Professional Event Organisation
Group first aid kit with qualified first aiders
Public and Product liability insurance is included. Participants must have their own accident and travel insurance
Financial Protection: in the unlikely event of insolvency, all our trips are protected in accordance with the 1992 Package Travel Regulations.

Exclusions

Bike hire; but this can be accommodated on request.
Personal accident and travel insurance.
Lunch and dinner on the trip

Please note: all participants should have insurance for travel and equipment to be covered during your ride and in transit

Optional Extras

Single Room Supplement £90 per person per night (subject to availability)
Extra night in Whitehaven prior to start (twin room, needs 2 people) £95 per person
Extra night in Whitehaven prior to start (single room) £180 per person
Extra night in Sunderland at end of event (twin room, needs 2 people) £95 per person
Extra night in Sunderland at end of event (single room) £180 per person

Please select from Optional Extras at checkout.

Departures

We normally run this trip over a weekend, Friday to Sunday, however if you would like to do this at any other time, including midweek, then please contact us.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Whitehaven to Greystoke
You start from the picturesque ancient port of Whitehaven, and then continue along small roads to Clator Moor, in the heart of West Cumberland coal country. From there, in a short distance you’ll enter the Lake District National Park and pass by two of the most attractive, peaceful, and least known of its lakes: Ennerdale and Loweswater. You’ll continue over Whinlatter pass at over 300m to Braithwaite and Keswick. The wonderful setting includes views of Skiddaw, Derwentwater, and Borrowdale. A short way after Keswick comes the magnificently-sited Castlerigg stone circle and the village of Threlkeld, in the shadow of Blencathra, and with views of the Helvellyn range.
Some sections here are on the historic Penrith, Keswick, and Cockermouth Railway, which was an engineering feat from the 1860s and makes for fairly smooth running. There’s a succession of villages with wonderful local names like Troutbeck, Mungrisdale, Penruddock, Blencow, and Greystoke. You’ll stop at this last one for the night.
Distance – 38 miles (61km) Climb – 3,250 feet (990m)
Day 2 - Greystoke to Allenheads
A demanding day of cycling through Penrith and the marvellous Eden Valley.
In the morning, you’ll pass round Penrith and go through undulating terrain in to the glorious Eden Valley. Bliss does not last long: very soon you’ll be tackling the fabled Hartside summit, which takes you to the very roof of England at around 575m. This hill takes you from verdant green fields on to the Pennine moors, right up to a well signposted viewpoint at the top. This is the watershed, which means that the water takes a downhill course from here – but man is less intelligent, and there are a few other summits to go. What follows is a descent to Alston, one of England’s highest market towns, set in the South Tyne valley, and the lovely village of Garrigill set in its own valley next door. A steep ascent on a track leads to a more pleasant moorland ride to Nenthead. From there you cross over the highest pass on the route at 609m over from the Tyne valley to the Allen with its fascinating lead-mining history. You’ll stay at Allenheads.
Distance – 37 miles (60km) Climb – 4,025 feet (1226m)
Day 3 - Allenheads to Sunderland
The morning starts with the final push over the top and into Weardale, and past some delightful villages including Stanhope, St John’s Chapel. The off-road section involves an ascent over the fell via the side valley of Rookhope and along the Waskerly Way – a particularly enjoyable section of off-road. From there, the going gets much easier, as you follow old Durham colliery railways down into the lands of the North East. The route to Sunderland continues along peaceful roads and is enhanced by some fine artworks, the new Stadium of Light, and the beach at Roker. Dip your wheels in the North Sea, and time to celebrate your achievement!
Distance – 45 miles (72km) Climb – 2925 feet (891m)

Notes:

This itinerary is a guide only. It can be subject to change dependent upon viability, course members’ fitness, weather conditions or for any other reason.

The Route

Reviews

Find some of the reviews our wonderful customers have left for us below, or read them all here!

Heather Parr
3 months ago

Maximum Adventure exceeded expectations, planning a trip for me last minute and off season through the glorious Lake District. The hotels were top rate, as was the food and my daily gluten free sandwich. Nathalie got the route guide sent to me in a couple of days and the baggage service was impeccable. It was the only tour guide company that responded immediately to my last minute request. Looking forward to more adventures with your company!!!

Chris Evans
3 months ago

David and I walked the Speyside Way in September 2023 and very much enjoyed the adventure. Maximum Adventure Ltd organised our nightly accommodation and uplifting of our luggage in a seamless manner, which made the whole trip so easy with no stress. This is the second time that I have personally used Maximum Adventures Ltd and I would recommend them to others as they offer a friendly and efficient service.

Göte Fredriksson
4 months ago

We realy appreciated the tour we did on Hadrians Wall path in May.Beautiful scenery, decent weather, god arrangements including lodging, transport, bagagehandling etc. We came well prepared . In this preparation Maximum adventures gave us great support, as we are coming from abroad with no knowledge of conditions on the path. We had great BnBs and could concentrate on de daily walks that gave us great pleasure.Thank you England and Hadrians Wall path for your friendly reception and well mantained walking path.Thank you Maximum Adventures for your good service.We would love to come back in the future.

Jerry Kashinski
4 months ago

Maximum Adventure did a great job for us. With less than a month's notice, it set up an itinerary, lodging and luggage porterage for a walk from Carlisle to Newcastle, England along Hadrian's Wall. The lodging was fantastic, as was the itinerary and support during the walk. We'd definitely use Maximum Adventure again and would recommend them without reservation!

Fiona Reilly
5 months ago

I was part of a climb on 23/09, didn't think I would make ut, but I did. The descent was a different story.. I got jelly legs and lost my confidence. If it wasn't for James, my Sherpa would never have made it. Can't thank him enough, Will, met you briefly.Both of them were very knowledgeable, we had the most amazing views at the summit...the pain is still worth it and

Tom Graham
5 months ago

I walked the West Highland Way with my dad and brother. The organisation was excellent by Samantha. Itinerary and instructions were clear and all the bookings and luggage transfers went smoothly. As a result we were able to ensure the fantastic walk and not worry about anything. I would happily recommend Maximum Adventure to others.

Sarah Bracken
5 months ago

Absolutely brilliant guide - knowledgeable, interesting and humorous in addition to looking after our safety so well - making sure we ate and suggesting when to layer up! Would highly recommend!

Diana Straub
6 months ago

We just got home from our 8-days Hadrian's Wall hike and we just loved it!Everything was perfectly organized!We had great B&Bs and hotels with very friendly, welcoming and helpful staff. Our favorite was the Dacre House with Clare. But then again, all were great!The luggage was always at the day's destination, no matter how early we got to the accommodation.The description of how to get to the accommodations were clear and precise.The road map and the guide book were waiting for us as we got to the first B&B and were very helpful and interestingThanks, Maximum Adventure!

Kristin Hentschel
6 months ago

Praise for the West Highland Hike and the Maximum Adventure planners, esp. our planner Samantha. Great experience in every regard.

Simon Bradish
6 months ago

Booked for the 3 UK Peaks adventure, it was organised perfectly and everything when to plan. Accommodation was good, transport excellent, our guide (Patrick) brilliant, so cannot fault the trip and adventure. I personally expected too much from myself and was unable to fully summit as this adventure is not for beginners, I climbed Kilimanjaro in 2003 when I was 42 and twenty years later, although relatively fit, my endurance didn't last. So I did a half summit for Ben Nevis & Scafell, thanks to Patrick for letting go back down on my own, it was brilliant. With Snowdon, a half summit is tricky as you can't descend the way you go up, so I decided to do some hiking in the area while the rest of the group did the climb. I took a chance and went to the ticket office and managed to get a single return ticket up to the summit of Snowdon at 9am which returned down by 11.30am. I was hoping to see my group on top and spring a surprise but the weather was terrible. I highly recommend the trip but make sure you are fit enough otherwise as there is an emphasis on time, so a slow walk up is going to slow everyone down and really delay the trip. Have Fun, Simon Bradish

Charity Information

How to take part for Charity

To do this challenge for a charity there is a non-refundable registration fee, payable to Maximum Adventure at the time of booking. You can then choose between the two different options below.

Self-Funding

Pay a registration fee at the time of booking then the balance due 10 weeks before departure. With the self-funding option, you personally cover the full cost of the challenge. This option means that there is no minimum sponsorship target due, but we encourage you to raise as much money as you can for the charity.

Minimum Sponsorship Pledge

Pay a registration fee at the time of booking and confirm with your charity their minimum fundraising requirements for the balance. This will typically be double the cost of the adventure, less the registration fee. With the minimum sponsorship pledge option, you must submit 80% of your fundraising target to the charity 10 weeks before the departure date.

More Information

For more details of how fundraising works please read our step by step guide here or contact us for help.

Maximum Adventure work with lots of charities to offer our events as fundraising opportunities. You can find our Charity Events from the ‘Menu’ in the corner of your screen or from our homepage. If your chosen charity is not listed, please contact us and we will be happy to approach them on your behalf.

Why book with us

We know you have a choice of companies providing trips for your next adventures. Here are some of the reasons you should choose to travel with Maximum Adventure:

We are an established adventure travel business
We have been trading since 2002
We are financially protected in accordance with the 1992 travel regulation
Knowledgeable and available office staff
Qualified leaders and guides with ascents ranging from Ben Nevis to Mount Everest
All activities are risk assessed
We will provide you with the best service available
We are aware this is your holiday/your challenge and will do our best to make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience
We have many repeat clients stretching back over a number of years

20+ years adventure organisation experience

Full liability & financial protection

Leading provider of high quality adventure challenges

Great team of staff to support you

Coast to Coast Cycle – Guided (3 Days)

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