Sea to Sea
Ride through changing landscapes on a self-guided Sea to Sea cycling holiday.
Sea to Sea
https://www.contourscycle.co.uk/sea-to-sea
A self-guided road cycling holiday coast to coast across England from Whitehaven to Tynemouth.
From £440 per person
From £440 per person
From the Georgian streets of Whitehaven, our Sea to Sea 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 Sea to Sea 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 | £440 | |
| C-C2C2 | From Whitehaven to Tynemouth | 3 days riding | £570 | |
| C-C2C3 | From Whitehaven to Tynemouth | 4 days riding | £700 |
Travel to Whitehaven where your first night's accommodation will be 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:
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.
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 Sea to Sea, 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:
