C2C - Coast to Coast
A self-guided road cycling holiday coast to coast across England from Whitehaven to Tynemouth.
3 to 5 nights
141 miles
Moderate to Demanding / Strenuous
From £350 per person
C2C - Coast to Coast
Ride through changing landscapes on a self-guided Coast to Coast cycling holiday. We provide accommodation, luggage transfers, maps and guidebooks.
C2C - Coast to Coast
https://www.contourscycle.co.uk/c2c
A self-guided road cycling holiday coast to coast across England from Whitehaven to Tynemouth.
From £350 per person
From the Georgian streets of Whitehaven, our Coast to Coast cycling tour covers the full breadth of northern England, one shore to the next. Often known as the C2C route, this cycling holiday incorporates testing climbs and stunning views to create a memorable challenge to undertake at your own pace.
Winding roads lead the way through the glittering heart of the mountainous Lake District and onward into the Pennines, before descending to Northumberland and the industrial cityscape of Newcastle.
This is not an easy route to complete: the ascents are considerable and frequent. If you're looking for a challenge, however, a cycling tour along the Coast to Coast will be immensely rewarding. Those tough climbs grant access to far-reaching views across a wide range of English landscapes, while the many layers of local history give the ride a truly epic feel.
Triumphing over the route's highest point at Black Hill, surrounded by hard climbs and stunning descents.
Visiting a wide array of English towns, from seaside Whitehaven to the outdoorsy hub of Keswick and the friendly, remote settlement of Nenthead.
Picking up a pebble from Whitehaven beach to carry with you to the shoreline at Tynemouth, a journey across the breadth of England.
| Code | Tour | Duration | Price per person | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-C2C1 | From Whitehaven to Tynemouth | 2 days riding | £350 | |
| C-C2C2 | From Whitehaven to Tynemouth | 3 days riding | £450 | |
| C-C2C3 | From Whitehaven to Tynemouth | 4 days riding | £550 |
Travel to Whitehaven where your first night's accommodation has been booked
Whitehaven to Alston. 77.5 miles (124km)
Alston to Tynemouth. 63 miles (101km)
Depart from Tynemouth after breakfast
The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than 2.5 miles from the trail to your accommodation.
Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:
You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:
You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:
Flat ground leads out of Whitehaven to gradual climbs and descents past Loweswater. Whinlatter poses the first steeper climb, awarding a pleasant descent to Keswick. The route rises up to Threlkeld and, on the off-road alternative, continues this climb along Old Coach Road all the way to Troutbeck. The on-road route rises and falls less taxingly, with a mild sloping descent through Greystoke all the way to Newton Reigny. The off-road route joins it partway.
The route hits two sharp, steep climbs toward Langwathby and two milder, longer ascents into Renwick, after which it's a long, hard climb to Hartside. The steep descent into Leadgate requires some care, and is followed by further climbs after Garigill and again between Nenthead and Allenheads, including the route's highest point at Black Hill.
All this hard work makes the descent into Allenheads itself exceptionally rewarding. A stop here might be wise: there’s a steep ascent ahead before the slope down to Rookhope, which continues down to Stanhope if you take this optional route. If avoiding Stanhope, the route rises rapidly through Rookhope before becoming one long, sloping descent all the way to Tynemouth itself.
Good tarmac roads form the majority of the Coast to Coast, which favours quiet lanes and traffic-free streets, with a few busier sections. An off-road alternative stretches from Threlkeld along the Old Coach Road, but a road-based option is always available.
To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:
