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Thanks! Yes, we want it to be reasonably challenging, while also wanting to be able to say the whole thing was enjoyable.
We can probably get a free lend of a camper van to transport the bikes to wherever we start/finish, although I'm not sure the owner would be too happy unless wherever it's parked overnight is super secure.
At the moment I'm thinking we drive up on a Friday, stay in a B&B on the east coast on the Friday night and set out early on the Saturday. Stay somewhere on the West coast on the Sat night, then ride back on the Sunday. Stay in the same B&B and drive back down on the Monday.
Any tips for places to stay at either end are greatly appreciated.
J0nathan-
To be honest, the hotels at the beginning and end we didn't have much luck with - Whitehaven is a strange place which is a mixture of economic depression, pretty side streets and an early example of a grid layout that lends itself to boy racers. On the other end, I managed to stay above a late-night student boozer in Newcastle and didn't sleep much! We took it pretty easy and stayed an extra night in Alston, though, which is a lovely place.
h2o
It’s quite lumpy -you’re crossing the Pennines. I did that route a few years ago and the way we went took us up a pretty steep approach to Alston - it was a bit of a grind. The downhill into town was fun though.
The route is well marked out by Sustrans and is very enjoyable and light on traffic. There are some gravelly bits though (reclaimed train lines) so super skinny tyres aren’t ideal.
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/sea-to-sea-c2c
I’d say there and back in one go is ambitious. If you eat hilly 600s for breakfast then have at it, but sounds like you’re aiming for something more social -I’d suggest making a long weekend out of it and enjoying some of the views.