Bike Cycle Transport Northeast

Experts in Cycle Transportation

Sea to Sea (c2c) Cyclists

TDK Travel are fast becoming the number one choice for transporting passengers, Luggage and cycles to the start or from the finish of the C2C & W2W..

Transporting from 1 - 64 cyclist’s at any given time with cycles and luggage to the start of the C2C at Whitehaven or the W2W at Walney Island and most other cycle routes around the northern half of the UK from the lake district in the West to Tynemouth in the East..

This year we are also offering a baggage/luggage transfer service across the Pennines, when we are already over in the Whitehaven area dropping cyclist’s off  we will call  into your accommodation transferring your luggage from the western side of the Pennines making it a cost effective way for us on the return journey and less expensive for cyclist’s to transfer there luggage..

we have available vehicles from 4 & 6  seater cars to 8 & 16 seat minibusses to be on hand no matter what size your party.

About the C2C route

The Sea to Sea (C2C) cycle route was developed by Sustrans in partnership with various Local Authorities, Groundwork West Cumbria, North Pennines Tourism Partnership, 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 and has an average of between 12,000 and 15,000 cyclists completing the route every year.

The route is made up of approximately….

Main Roads – mainly short sections thru urban areas – 4%
Minor Roads – quiet, country roads – 50%
Cyclepaths/Off Road – disused railway lines etc – 46%

The route is best ridden from West to is part of the much larger National Cycle Network of over 5000 miles, is Britain’s most popular long distance cycle route and is based on minor roads, disused railway lines, off-road tracks and specially constructed cycle paths. The route (especially the purpose built cycle paths) is designed for the whole range of cyclists from families to club riders and doesn’t favour either ‘roadies’ or ‘off-roaders’. Along the route where there are off-road sections you have the option of taking the surfaced alternative. Although still a challenge with some seriously hard climbs – the highest point being over 2000 feet – the C2C is still completed every year by thousands of recreational cyclists as well as the more committed bikers. For the more ambitious cyclist, the C2C can easily be combined with the Reivers route to produce the stunning 310-mile Reivers/C2C round trip. Visit the website for more info on the Reivers.

Sustrans operates an accreditation scheme for those who wish to record their journey, by completing a stamped card at points along the route you can apply for a commemorative t-shirt (details are with the official route map from Sustrans).

In 1995 Sustrans work with the route was recognised by the British Airways sponsored ‘Tourism for Tomorrow’ when they won the global award for the C2C cycle route. In 1998 the C2C became the first U.K. destination to win the Smithsonian Environment Award, this was awarded to honour a project that has made ” a lasting contribution to protecting the environment”. In 1999 the C2C won a Silver Medal in the Green Transport Category at the England for Excellence awards organised by the English Tourism Council. Sustrans in partnership with others have developed sculpture trails along the C2C, these have been recognised by winning the British Gas ‘Working for Cities’ and Independent/Gulbenkian  East to take advantage of the prevailing winds (supposedly!) from the West as well as having the gradients in your favour i.e. short uphills and long downhills! 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.

At 140 miles long the C2C, which‘Travelling Hopefully’ awards. The sculptures also make an interesting diversion to the task in hand and make for some bizarre photographic opportunities!

Off-road details
The C2C has a good mix of ‘off’ and ‘on road’ sections and has, I think, got the balance about right to suit most cyclists. For the experienced off-roader there is nothing on the C2C to worry about and even for the majority of other cyclists there is nothing you won’t be able to manage provided you take it sensibly and accept your bikes and your own limitations. Order your route map from Sustrans, consider the following points and plan your route (off or on-road) to suit your fitness, your bikes capabilities and your own personal expectations of what you want from the C2C. Whatever you decide to do don’t completely rule out the off road bits as these can be massive fun and that is, after all, what you are doing the C2C for.

Further down you cross a forest track (go straight on; on no account should you turn right and follow the track for 2 miles as I did in 2000 -sorry again Lou!) and then carry on downhill on an excellent piece of singletrack which eventually levels out to meet the road route into Braithwaite.

Whinlatter Forest – mile markers 23 to 26
The off-road route down Whinlatter is a brilliant, fast descent through the forest with occasional glimpses of Bassenthwaite Lake far below and is suitable for all bikes except those with the skinniest tyres. The first section is taken just after the long pull up from Lorton and is 1.3 miles long on the right hand side of the road, this is an undulating, well graded forest track which leads you to a short stretch on the road before pulling into the visitor centre and the start of the downhill stretch which twists and turns to Thornthwaite. Parts of this bit are steep and it is all too easy to pick up speed only to be confronted by a looming corner which you cannot make. Enjoy the descent but respect it, a fall here could leave you with a very nasty ‘gravel rash’ or worse!

 The track itself is very rocky and loose in places and has a tendency to ‘puddle up’ after rain on the upper flatter level. There is a long steep pull up prior to reaching the top level which is very hard work, most cyclists will have to bite the bullet and get off and walk their bikes up although it is rideable all the way if you are a hardened off-roader adept at rocks and very loose stones! At the top of the climb the track levels out and you are rewarded with a brilliant ride of 3 miles over quiet moorland with absolutely stunning views – on a clear day!  

Hartside – milemarkers 64 to 70
The off-road route up to Hartside summit is without doubt the hardest on the C2C, it is very steep in places and sometimes virtually un-ridable. After rain sections of the track can be very wet and boggy underfoot and even after a spell of fair weather the terrain can remain wet for a long time. Mountain Bikes are your best bet for tackling this section although I have heard of people riding (and pushing!) hybrids up here!

The second section is over and up the side of the moor and is in places practically impossible to cycle and is also by far the wettest terrain. This is the place you will almost certainly have to get off your bike and push. Beware also that there is an old ‘Pack Horse Bridge’ half way along this part that has no sides or handrails and you should dismount and walk over this, it has been the scene of a couple of accidents resulting in severe injuries over the past few years.

The track over Priorsdale is an easy off-road ride mainly on a well surfaced  track which should pose no problems for most cyclists. The route then travels through the old mine workings and into Nenthead on a rocky and sometimes steep descent. Caution should be exercised on the descent as it is very easy to build up speed and a crash here will hurt!

The surface now is rough on the Incline with loose stones and protruding rocks making it difficult to get a decent rhythm going. The first 200 yards are very steep followed by a slight leveling out then the long, gradual pull up but once you reach the top (and sometimes it feels as if you never will) the views looking back over Rookhope are stunning and an excellent section of off-roading awaits you.