C2C Day 4

Crisp cold morning in Rookhope and it turned out the moorland route was closed due to grouse shooting. Down valley to Stanhope and then stiff climb to Parkhead where we joined the disused railway. The next 2 hours were pretty fast at almost exclusively down hill. Some suburban sustrans hopping around Consett but soon back on railway and whizzing past Beamish and Stanley. Eventually dropped down to the river Wear and there was a rubbish bit amongst some industrial estate but the final few miles along the river path were great. Its almost like one linear park and sculpture trail. Finished on beach at Roker in lovely sunshine. It lived up to the hype: one hill and downhill all the way. 42 miles. Finished by 1430 and now car and train faff for every one to get home

C2C Day 2 Keswick to Penrith

Easiest ever gimpcamp day with an unhear of half three finish.  This even involved a leisurely coffee stop and a pint in a pub at lunch.

Nice disused railway east of keswick and then lanes into farming country as we left lakeland.

Penrith is a nice little town with plenty of interesting buildings and nice residential squares. Went to see castle and then down into town for some carbo loading fash and chaps ahead of all the big hills tomorrow.  Only 25miles

C2C Day 1 Whitehaven to Keswick

Arrived in Whitehaven to lovely warm sunshine. Relaxing wait for gimps to arrive following their hire car faff in Sunderland and then set off on old railway to ennerdale. Great little route. Climb over to lorton and pub stop at Kirkstile. Nice past Loweswater and then steady climb up to whinlatter pass.
In the gloaming we did a bit of the blue mtb trail and then with lights on we whizzed down to keswick and the yha. Curry later and bed. 30miles ish.

Devon Coast to Coast Day 3 Tavistock to Plymouth

Another great day to end a lovely and varied ride. The short sharp showers were over so quick they were barely noticeable and when the sun came back out it was warm out of the breeze.

Tavistock bunkhouse was brilliant (best facilities any of us had seen anywhere) and a bargain breakfast in a cafe as we waited for ed's uncle Charlie to arrive after a complex cross Devon train/cycle.

Off out of Tavi and onto a new section of route with a sweeping tunnel and the new Gem viaduct. Climb up towards Yelverton and some open common land with fell ponies and views to Dartmoor.

Bit of a faff getting the recumbent down some rough trail to the old railway again and then a long gradual descent to Plymouth.

Once we got to the tidal part of the river the trail gentle undulated through parkland before we crossed the river to the business end of Plymouth (think of the stink of old fish and waste treatment). Up over the East Hoe before dropping back down before the final short climb up to the West Hoe. Great views of the sound and a fitting end point.

Brilliant ride for a long weekend with plenty of interest and rest points along the way.

Please have a look at Chris's charity site as he is using this ride as a fund raising opportunity to volunteer shelter building in the Dominican Republic
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/devonc2c

One final note for any recumbent or trike riders...we met no impassable motorbike gates...but the sections marked as rough by sustrans maps were a challenge wirh limited ground clearance!

All done

Devon coast to coast Day 2 East Yarde to Tavistock

Another post died. Arghh

Nice disused railway, quite lanes, lunch in Okehampton dodging the start of the rain,  very wrt to Lydford,  pub to dodge rain for a few hours, dry to Tavistock, great viaduct, curry.

Devon Coast Day 1 Ilfracombe to East Yarde

There was a long post written for rodat but is disappeared into the abyss as it tries to publish.

In short lovely weather nice riding mainly on old railway's and accommodation in a yurt with live blues at the campsite cafe and homegrown/made evening meals.