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bill-lancaster	12 Feb 15:47
Joined: 06 Jan 2013 Posts: 3 Bike:	Am planning to do the c2cin May this year. This being my first long distance bike trip I have a few concerns and hope to get some help from this forum. I fancy the Workington to Sunderalnd because it seems the shorter(131 miles) and least hilly of the many possible routes. Studying the Sustrans map(NN7A) the route seems complicated. How well signed is it? I've been trying to find a gpx/xml file for the route but can't find one - any ideas? I also see that Google maps have a bike route facility. It shows a route Workington-Carlisle-Hexham with a mileage of 117 miles. Has any one tried it? Any thoughts would be welcome.

bill-lancaster

12 Feb 15:47

Joined: 06 Jan 2013

Posts: 3

Bike:

Am planning to do the c2cin May this year.
This being my first long distance bike trip I have a few concerns and hope to get some help from this forum.
I fancy the Workington to Sunderalnd because it seems the shorter(131 miles) and least hilly of the many possible routes.
Studying the Sustrans map(NN7A) the route seems complicated. How well signed is it?
I've been trying to find a gpx/xml file for the route but can't find one - any ideas?
I also see that Google maps have a bike route facility. It shows a route Workington-Carlisle-Hexham with a mileage of 117 miles. Has any one tried it?
Any thoughts would be welcome.

dan_b23	15 Feb 12:01
Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Posts: 21 Bike: My Profile	How many days are you doing it in? There's not much difference in distance whether you start from Whitehaven or Workington. Whitehaven is the traditional starting point and has the C2C sculpture that you can take your photo with. All the routes are hilly as you are going through the Lake District and the Pennines. Going via Hexham avoids the big climb to Hartside but there's lots of short sharp hills that still take it out of you! Plenty of GPX files available... this is a good website: http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/cyclemap/Cumbria - take your pick of starting point. http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/RoutesLinksCycle/penrith-to-consett-cycle-route http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/RoutesLinksCycle/consett-to-sunderland-cycle-route Hope this helps!
My Latest Route: Apr 2010 Ponteland to Matfen and Kirkheaton Loop

dan_b23

15 Feb 12:01

Joined: 12 Mar 2009

Posts: 21

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My Profile

How many days are you doing it in?

There's not much difference in distance whether you start from Whitehaven or Workington. Whitehaven is the traditional starting point and has the C2C sculpture that you can take your photo with.

All the routes are hilly as you are going through the Lake District and the Pennines. Going via Hexham avoids the big climb to Hartside but there's lots of short sharp hills that still take it out of you!

Plenty of GPX files available... this is a good website:
http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/cyclemap/Cumbria - take your pick of starting point.
http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/RoutesLinksCycle/penrith-to-consett-cycle-route
http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/RoutesLinksCycle/consett-to-sunderland-cycle-route

Hope this helps!

My Latest Route: Apr 2010 Ponteland to Matfen and Kirkheaton Loop

dawes-rider	16 Feb 08:50
Joined: 27 Feb 2011 Posts: 38 Bike: My Profile	hi there bill we done the route a few years ago startred at keswick leaving the car in a back street then cycled the route to whitehaven, followed the coast down to workington then back to keswick. the route was well sign posted. we then left keswick and cycled to alston YHA, one piece of advice do not take the short cut avoiding the A686 as it it just a slogg walking along a track, we did it with a chap in his 60s and all that was going through my head was grid ref as to where the helecopter was to land to pick him up! yes it is hilly but well worth it. from alston we took the route to newcastle although the route to the city was very nice the route through was very disappointing , wish we had decided on the sunderland finish. we stopped at the now closed newcastle YHA then followed the route to Haddians wall stopping at Greenhead YHA before returning to keswick for the drive home. overall the route was well signposted and enjoyable we covered 287 miles in 5 days hope this has been some use
My Latest Route: May 2013 Newark Route 64

dawes-rider

16 Feb 08:50

Joined: 27 Feb 2011

Posts: 38

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hi there bill
we done the route a few years ago startred at keswick leaving the car in a back street then cycled the route to whitehaven, followed the coast down to workington then back to keswick. the route was well sign posted.
we then left keswick and cycled to alston YHA, one piece of advice do not take the short cut avoiding the A686 as it it just a slogg walking along a track, we did it with a chap in his 60s and all that was going through my head was grid ref as to where the helecopter was to land to pick him up!
yes it is hilly but well worth it.
from alston we took the route to newcastle although the route to the city was very nice the route through was very disappointing , wish we had decided on the sunderland finish.
we stopped at the now closed newcastle YHA then followed the route to Haddians wall stopping at Greenhead YHA before returning to keswick for the drive home.
overall the route was well signposted and enjoyable
we covered 287 miles in 5 days hope this has been some use

My Latest Route: May 2013 Newark Route 64

bill-lancaster	17 Feb 03:36
Joined: 06 Jan 2013 Posts: 3 Bike:	Thanks so much for the helpful advice. One of my concerns was that of navigation, so its good to hear that the route is well sign posted. Am paying particular attention to the advice re the A686 shortcut since we are both slightly more than 'in our sixties'! Also I have since realised that if I set my mobile phone satnav (Android/Google Maps) to fairly near destinations (30/50 miles) it seems to follow the Sustrans very closely. Thanks again!

bill-lancaster

17 Feb 03:36

Joined: 06 Jan 2013

Posts: 3

Bike:

Thanks so much for the helpful advice.
One of my concerns was that of navigation, so its good to hear that the route is well sign posted. Am paying particular attention to the advice re the A686 shortcut since we are both slightly more than 'in our sixties'!

Also I have since realised that if I set my mobile phone satnav (Android/Google Maps) to fairly near destinations (30/50 miles) it seems to follow the Sustrans very closely.

Thanks again!

txbnet	17 Feb 07:52
Joined: 29 Jun 2010 Posts: 149 Bike: My Profile	It was interesting to read these comments, especially with regard to sat nav. I have an edge 605 but am not really using it to its fullest extent because I cant read the screen very easily without reaching into my back pocket for glasses! Not easy to do when on the move. So I tend to use it just for logging my routes and stats rather then in gaining any directions. But I do find google maps a godsend, although of course only when stationery! One down side is the navigation application on my android phone chews the battery up very quickly so its used only sparingly. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of the solar powered chargers as it might be capable of keeping the phone charged up during a long ride? They seem to be about Â£15 on eBay so it may be worth a punt. Any thoughts anyone?
My Latest Route: Jan 2011 Whitley Bay to Bellingham

txbnet

17 Feb 07:52

Joined: 29 Jun 2010

Posts: 149

Bike:

My Profile

It was interesting to read these comments, especially with regard to sat nav. I have an edge 605 but am not really using it to its fullest extent because I cant read the screen very easily without reaching into my back pocket for glasses! Not easy to do when on the move. So I tend to use it just for logging my routes and stats rather then in gaining any directions. But I do find google maps a godsend, although of course only when stationery! One down side is the navigation application on my android phone chews the battery up very quickly so its used only sparingly. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of the solar powered chargers as it might be capable of keeping the phone charged up during a long ride? They seem to be about Â£15 on eBay so it may be worth a punt. Any thoughts anyone?

My Latest Route: Jan 2011 Whitley Bay to Bellingham

bill-lancaster	17 Feb 08:15
Joined: 06 Jan 2013 Posts: 3 Bike:	Yes, I only recently discovered Google Maps now incorporate bike tracks. I am definately going to get a solar powered back-up, one that can be charged from a USB first, then using solar to keep it topped up. I think I can get 4/5 hours out of my HTC Desire if I switch it off during long straight stretches. The glasses thing is a problem for me too, have thought about using a Bluetooth headset and listen to satnav instructions.

bill-lancaster

17 Feb 08:15

Joined: 06 Jan 2013

Posts: 3

Bike:

Yes, I only recently discovered Google Maps now incorporate bike tracks. I am definately going to get a solar powered back-up, one that can be charged from a USB first, then using solar to keep it topped up. I think I can get 4/5 hours out of my HTC Desire if I switch it off during long straight stretches.

The glasses thing is a problem for me too, have thought about using a Bluetooth headset and listen to satnav instructions.

txbnet	17 Feb 14:21
Joined: 29 Jun 2010 Posts: 149 Bike: My Profile	I've taken the plunge and ordered a solar charger which will do my sat nav and phone on my longer tours. I'll let you know how it goes!
My Latest Route: Jan 2011 Whitley Bay to Bellingham

loafer	24 Feb 17:57
Joined: 23 Jul 2010 Posts: 65 Bike: My Profile	here is a friends route info might help you http://c2c.freeforums.org/c2c-workington-sunderland-on-a-secteur-14-15-april-2012-t885.html also my garmin route,s from whitehaven -sunderland which is a better option as a starting point day 1 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717207 day 2 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717152 day 3 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717099

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