Cycle across the UK - A coast to coast, sea to sea challenge

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Cycle across the UK

INTRO

map of coast to coast route across England

You'll find here a page dedicated towards biking coast to coast across the UK over 3 days and 150 miles with routes, rider's diaries, training tips and my favourite - the sweaty mile-o-meter. Crazy Legs Crane and Chums have just completed a cycle between St Bees and Seaham in 2011 for a challenge, charity and lots of cream teas (well home-made cakes). We took it slow choosing a home blend of established cycle routes and quiet country lanes suitable for anyone who is cycling fit even if they are not cycling machines.

The route takes in the English Lake District, the Pennines via England's highest pub on Tan Hill, and the cathedral city of Durham before ending at Seaham on the east-coast. We unexpectedly hit a 20%, 17% and a couple of 14% climbs but other than these short and perversely fun nasties the rest of the route is fairly standard for anyone who is cycling fit (oh did I forget to mention the Whinlatter pass, and the 300m climb to Tan Hill?), so if you can tuck a 50 miler under your belt, ride a day in rain and stay dry and travel at a minimum average speed of 7mph including short breaks then you too can do it. We did. All seven of us.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED - WE HAVE HIT OUR £500 TARGET. YOU'RE SUPPORT HAS BEEN GREAT!!

GETTING TO THE START For team members only!! If you're not travelling by train to the start you have to make it to Staindrop, County Durham by 1pm at the absolute latest. This will give you time to leave your stuff behind and cycle 10 minutes to the pick up point at 2pm. Cyclists and bikes will be driven to St Bees in a gert big minibus. If you arrive at Staindrop at 12noon you'll even get a sandwich!! We should end up in St. Bees around 4.30-5pm.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE RIDE We're just a few weeks from the start, it's mid-May and I just cycled home through a squawley shower and it was flipping freezing. What if it rains and blows non-stop for 3 days during our ride? If you haven't done a cycle on a rainy day as part of your training make sure you do to test that you have clothes to deal with wet weather. To fight this potential problem and others here is a list of what each of us need:

1. Waterproof jacket.
2. Waterproof trousers (or a change of bottoms in case you get soaked wearing your first pair and they can't dry).
3. A spare pair of socks (in case your first get really wet)
4. 2 inner tubes (in case of punctures)
5. Alan Keys, Tyre Levers, Spanners that are required to remove your wheel, change your tyre, and adjust your seat and handlebars.
6. Lights and high-vis jackets(in case it gets foggy/dark)
7. 2 water bottles
8. Padded undershorts/kicks (to reduce numb-bum)
9. Sleeping bag (for Friday night and Saturday night)
10. Shoes and clothes for the evenings
11. Clothes to keep warm (it could feel like 4 or 5 degrees in the wind and rain when we're 500m above sea level)
12. Clothes to keep cool (it could be 30 degrees centigrade - oh the vagaries of British weather)
13. Money
14. PANTS!! (Recommended by Gill)

WHAT WE'LL SHARE
15. Maps
16. Advanced tools
17. Sun-block
18. First-aid kit
19. Mobiles
20. PANTS !! (Recommended by Lee)

Key stats: 3 days, 155 miles, 2800m of vertical climb, 8-12 riders, pubs and bee-ay-you-tiful British countryside

route for a coast to coast cyle ride across the uk from St Bees to Seaham

route for a coast to coast cyle ride across the uk from St Bees to Seaham

The gaffer wants to make this website available to everyone, and so here are a list of badges to say that he cares and is trying...