Coast to Coaast - Whitehaven to Sunderland

[anonymous-user]

we plan to do the offroad route in three days in May, all fairly accomplished mtb riders, anyone done it? any advice?

[936ADL]

I did it with a mate three years ago over three days.

Take time over the route and beware of unrideable bridleways in the Lakes. we stayed in Keswick and then Garrigill. A long(ish) third day but the last 20+ miles off the pennines is downhill.

A great experience, you'll love it.

[stu8975]

pablo said:

we plan to do the offroad route in three days in May, all fairly accomplished mtb riders, anyone done it? any advice?

Technically its not hard, Old Coach road and Rookhope off road are the most technical climbs (you will struggle to ride all of the old coach road, although its easier to ride it than walk it), if you aren't doing the Old Coach road route, its pretty easy, as long as you have done some climbing prep you should be OK. It's probably around 70% cycle paths/road so you don't need fat knobbly tyres. 1st time I did it we missed the turn out of Keswick to avoid the Old Coach Road but still managed it in 2 days with relative ease (but I was fit then). Are you doing any training..if so, where?

[anonymous-user]

old coach road.... looks like a nice challenge! (i'm a roadie now, climbs are my friends!)

[stu8975]

pablo said:

old coach road.... looks like a nice challenge! (i'm a roadie now, climbs are my friends!)

Be aware them rocks are all pretty loose and bigger than they look in the pic (think half bricks), you basically have to ride up the left hand verge (about 5in wide) as you won't get anywhere trying to ride straight up, roughly about 3mph up it, my mate didn't attempt it (started walking from the bottom) and took him about 45mins to get to the top(with a few stops). Easy road climbs are nothing compared to riding that.
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