[Closed] Coast to Coast trip report - Foxfield to Whitby

watching

PS. Tell us about the Oiz too

Looks great. And without the crap 3rd day the regular c2c comes with.

Right then, Day One...

Foxfield to Sedbergh

60 Miles
7,868 ft of ascent (yes, I'm an imperial dinosaur when it comes to units of measurement)

Dropped off outside Duddon Mountain Rescue HQ in Foxfield (briefly wondered if this was an omen). Straight onto tiny back lanes and farm tracks leading upwards past Broughton in Furness (which is a lovely little town for folk looking for starting accommodation), up to the base of Broughton Forest. From there, I decided to get straight onto the fireroad which climbs parallel to the delightfully named River Lickle. At Natty Bridge it joins the main bridleway heading for Walna.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139850226_677264d7b9_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139850226_677264d7b9_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joFQCj ]c2c natty-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

A brief boggy bit gave me the chance to stop and take in the fantastic views of the Scafells to the north west, and then it was time for the familiar half-pushing, half pedalling last stretch of the pass.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139850441_9dd023f9c4_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139850441_9dd023f9c4_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joFQG2 ]c2c walna-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

Launching off downhill, it occurred to me that this loose, steep section was the first chance I'd had to test the handling of the fully-loaded Oiz. It had gone fine on 2019's Jennride, but now it was a different kettle of fish entirely. At the first switchback, the bike decided that holding a line on rubble and turning were not things it really fancied doing at the same time, so I ended up emergency stopping and then keeling over sideways in front of a load of walkers with the bike on top of me. 🙂

Walna Scar car park was packed, and I wasn't stopping in Coniston, so on to Grizedale up the Lawson Park BW, then down 'Bacon Slicer', the first bit of which has been wrecked by forestry work. Then it was up the Bogle Crag fireroad to The Fox descent, which has also been slightly wrecked by 'sanitisation' work...

After Claife, the Bowness Ferry was packed with yoofs on Ebikes pulling their hoodies up to meet the face covering requirements, and Bowness was the usual melee of sunburnt bodies and bad-tempered drivers.

My experience on Walna meant that I decided to give the baby head rocks of Garburn a miss, and skirted over to Kentmere via High Borrins.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308253_5892f3a9a3_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308253_5892f3a9a3_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joD4vX ]c2c kentmere-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

From there the usual bastard road climb up led to the Sadgill byway and Longsleddale. Now progress got swifter before a short BW cut the corner to the northbound A6 and a climb up to the head of Borrowdale (not that one). The valley has a Scottish feel to it, for some reason.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139849881_e6b52483ae_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139849881_e6b52483ae_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joFQwn ]c2c borrowdale-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

An 'undulating' road to Sedbergh and a brief climb led to my perch for the night.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50140088242_6fcccfb242_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50140088242_6fcccfb242_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joH4o3 ]c2c sunset-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

Ohhh liking this. keep going.

Wasnt the Oiz handling a factor of pretty much any fully loaded bike though?

Yep - I think my previous experience was 'semi-loaded' 🙂

Now then, day two

Sedbergh to Osmotherley

74 Miles
7,170 ft

A chilly morning in the western Dales, with the odd spot of rain.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50140087787_91468f9852_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50140087787_91468f9852_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joH4fc ]C2C camp-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

Headed to Dent, pausing in the car park in a cloud of midges to try to adjust the bars to get a bit more upsweep as I was getting some shoulder pain. Somehow I'd convinced myself I'd put them on upside down. I hadn't.

On to the first climb of the day - Arten Gill.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139849826_6402de349b_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139849826_6402de349b_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joFQvq ]c2c Arten-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

After crossing the main Ribblehead road at Newby Head, the trail carried on up to the Cam Fell Ridge, and the arrow-straight Roman road descent down to Bainbridge. Having ripped a tyre to shreds on this very descent about a week earlier, the brakes were on a bit more today.

The beautiful Dales village of Askrigg was next, and a seat outside the cafe for a cake and a coffee. Then a hideously steep road climb (at one point I was gurning and weaving so much that an oncoming farmer slowed down to offer me his water bottle out of the window) 🙂

After that the route heads on rolling tracks (mostly downhill) towards Castle Bolton, before heading directly the shooting moor between Wensleydale and Swaledale. Whenever I see a pretty shooting hut, I have to stop for a picture.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308033_08c40f8101_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308033_08c40f8101_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joD4sa ]c2c carperby-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50141641166_5239d424f8_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50141641166_5239d424f8_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joR21A ]greenhow-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

Throughout the day, the distant silhouette of the North York Moors, my destination for the evening, stayed on the horizon, but never seemed to get any nearer, like the backdrop on the 80s arcade game Outrun.

Eventually, the tracks turned downhill and the welcome sight of the Dales Bike Centre at Reeth arrived. Not only was the cafe serving food through their perspex screen on a pile of pallets, but I could find some chamois cream in the bike shop to try to alleviate some serious saddle rub.

On to the difficult business of getting through a mostly tarmac 35 miles to the Moors. I'd toyed with bivvying up near Marske, but decided it was better to endure it at the end of day 2 than risk it wrecking me at the start of day 3, as my body does not like road-bashing for anything more than a few miles. Besides, it was only 4pm.

At five on the dot, I rode through Richmond and started the slog across the Vale of York. Which wasn't too bad. within a few miles, my route was avoiding the worst of the traffic and taking little-used lanes as I passed the landmarks of eastward travel - the A1, the East Coast Mainline, and finally, the A19. I opted for a small campsite so I could have a bit of a lie-in before starting the shorter final day to Whitby.

Brilliant Stuff. Watched your progress on strava. They are some BIG days you put in Martin.

Looking forward to the last installment.

Have bivvied in that hut in the last shot.

Which café in Askrigg? The really good one on the left further up the hill apparently shut down last year as their landlord was selling the property. Be good if it was still going.

Vale of York is even more boring when you are a 17yr old kid doing the Wainwright Coast to Coast walk.

Have bivvied in that hut in the last shot.

Shhh... 🙂

The cafe is opposite the church on the left as you ride up the hill. I forget the name - but it's more of a cake/sandwich place with a few tables outside on the pavement than a proper cafe. Looks pretty new, though. I had some kind of nutella/flapjack confection.

Brilliant post, some serious mileage and altitude there too.
Bet the pint in Whitby was particularly lovely!
Well done and thanks for sharing!

Bet the pint in Whitby was particularly lovely!

No pint...I was due to drive back when my wife turned up with the car... 🙁

That brilliant - well done.

Have you done any of the Great North trail - I'm thinking about doing the section from Appleby down to Mary Townley at the end of august and wondered about how techy the terrain was south of Hawes.

Not at all techy for the Dales section really. Short travel xc hardtail would be fine, rigid OK too for the most part. It's my local patch so ask away if you need any more.

And so to Day Three.

Osmotherley to Whitby

40 Miles
3,844 ft of ascent

It's the easy day! Just a couple of awkward climbs and then ride the tailwind down to the seaside. 🙂

Actually woke up pretty fresh after a lie-in at the campsite. My lift home wouldn't be at Whitby until well after six, so there was little point setting out before 9. A leisurely breakfast, before giving the other campers some amusement as I crammed everything into drybags and pootled off.

A short pedal up past the sheepwash stream, then over into the pretty valley of Scugdale. I'd ridden this section of the Cleveland Way before, so knew to avoid the direct BW route up next to Barker's Crags, which was a hideous push/carry even with an unloaded bike. Instead I carried on up the byway which heads directly east. A mixture of pushing and riding led quickly to the boundary gate.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308498_3d7155f19e_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308498_3d7155f19e_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joD4Ab ]c2c scugdale-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

Then there was a fast descent into the next valley on an interesting sunken track. Other, techier options are available.

At Chop Gate my knowledge of the route ended. I'd used the Strava heatmap function to plot a course, but that doesn't tell you if a route is better as a climb or a descent. The Bilsdale Hall bridleway started off pretty rideable, but was a proper push from the halfway mark onwards.

After a bit of a slog, the summit of Urra Moor was nearby, with sweeping views past Roseberry Topping to industrial Teesside.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139850406_dfe40f965e_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139850406_dfe40f965e_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joFQFq ]c2c urra-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

Things had been relatively slow going for the first 10 miles, but the next 10 went by in a flash. The trackbed of an old railway line contours around the southern edge of the moor, descending slightly, and with a tailwind, it was top gear pretty much all the way to the Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge. Their garden was set up with well-spaced tables, and I was prepared to hand over my details for track and trace purposes and lay into a pint and a bowl of chips.

Then it was back on the trackbed of the Rosedale Railway for a bit more swift progress.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308448_6a49aacb48_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308448_6a49aacb48_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joD4zj ]c2c rosedale-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

The price of all this was a slow push up over towards Glaisdale Moor. Hard labour and stop start riding made me think there was probably a better option somewhere else. At the head of Great Fryup Dale, I decided not to push my luck with a tight, technical descent into the valley below, and stayed on the ridge on fast shooting tracks to soak in the views.

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308228_3199d51448_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308228_3199d51448_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joD4vw ]c2c glaisdale-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

The track plunged down into the village of Glaisdale, where I made the decision not to climb again and aim for Robin Hood's Bay (which was a good one in retrospect, as the cinder track between there and Whitby was closed for repairs).

Instead, I opted to climb to neighbouring Egton, and pick up the 'Moor to Sea' cycle route, which promised a relaxing finish on small lanes and bridleways. After a brutal climb called 'Limber Hill' to even reach Egton, there were still plenty of ups and downs before I started to hear the gulls and knew Whitby was close.

The arcades, chip shops and cafes were all rammed. I wonder what they made of the weird, dirty-looking bloke with a buff pulled up over his mouth and nose, pushing a bike with strange bags hanging off every corner. 🙂

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308198_961e93be47_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139308198_961e93be47_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2joD4v1 ]c2c finish2-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/76951366@N02/ ]hutchinson2017[/url], on Flickr

To sum up, with a few tweaks here and there, it would be a fantastic route. The Oiz did well, the Shimano 12 speed let me down by being faultless and not giving me any excuses to bail. The only thing I would probably change are the bars, which, when tilted up to provide enough clearance for the drybag, leave the grips pointing slightly downward.

For anyone who fancies a more relaxed pace, I rode past numerous potential wild camping and bivvying sites along the way - I had a number of alternative options if I was making slow progress - so four or five excellent days are possible.

Once this virus is just a memory, a B&B or hotel-aided version would be an absolute blast.

Cheers - happy to answer any questions on the route or how the gear performed.

Brilliant! What a great adventure and enjoyable read too. Thanks for sharing 🙂

Good work. Booked marked to steal route later, yoink!!!

Thoroughly enjoyed reading that.

Thanks for posting that, thoroughly enjoyed it. We did a Ravenglass > Ravenscar version a couple of years back, yours sounds like it might be a better option were we to try again (though probably over a couple more days). That descent into Great Fryup is terrifying on a normal bike, let alone a fully laden one.

@flyingmonkeycorps Actually it was your thread(s) on that which got me plotting something out. The original pre-Covid plan was to do Ravenglass-Ravenscar (or Scarborough), which was about 20 more miles and a couple of thousand more ascent. Not that bothered about skipping the push up Harter, its boggy top, and the harder approach to Walna though. The Wallowbarrow descent is good, though.

A more relaxed pace would give you more options for finding the best descents, but I had only three days to work with, so pressing on was more important. Still felt like a lot of good riding though.

And no, I looked at the Great Fryup descent as I passed it and had zero regrets about missing it out!

Ah glad to hear my incoherent ramblings inspired someone! I'd like to have a other crack at it some time, but I'd definitely mix the route up a bit. Toddler and complete lack of time means it won't be for a while though.

Not finishing with a pint in the Whitby brewery taproom ... what were you thinking?

😉

First 2 days are some serious miles and climbing for off road with kit. Well done.

When Ive done the c2c I found the middle bit boring around Richmond but everything else brilliant.

Great read. ive enjoyed this post a lot. cheers

Not finishing with a pint in the Whitby brewery taproom … what were you thinking?

Not falling asleep when driving home!

I also forgot to drop the bloody pebble I picked up in Cumbria on the beach at Whitby, FFS! All that extra weight for nothing! 🙂

First 2 days are some serious miles and climbing for off road with kit.

Still not quite in the league of the sleep-deprived HT550 types, I'm in awe of their staying power.

Great read - I love posts like this.

Cheers for sharing.

Toddler, working away from home for long periods and another spawn on the way are diminishing my adventures, at least in the short term.

As you were...

with a few tweaks here and there, it would be a fantastic route.

fantastic looking route as is - I'd be really interested to hear those tweaks. I know some of the popular bits of it - Walna, Dent/Hawes, Rosedale etc.

(There's a vague plan to do a trip of some sort having cancelled two earlier this year. Actually, looking at the tent, was that you camped up out of wasdale on last year's jennride having a morning brew when three midge-bitten blokes came past and talked probable bollocks for a minute?)

I didn't take a brew-kit with me on the Jennride. I am fluent in bollocks though, so maybe. 🙂

Not sure about the tweaks myself. I felt some of the pushing could have been avoided in the NYM with a bit of local knowledge. I would probably re-route down to Torver from Walna, and take a slightly different route through Grizedale, given that the descents are a bit chewed up at the minute. Dales-wise, not sure I could have done much better, although I blasted straight through without any deviations to take in better descents, for example around Swaledale. Taking an extra day might be the way to go, with a camp somewhere around Sadgill, maybe another in Swaledale and the third around the Lion Inn. That would give a bit more flexibility, and I could have added some extra off-road around Fylingdales.