Tandems.co.uk

I’ve just read the report of the epic C to C done in one day.  Having done this several times before on a single (but not all in one day) Iappreciate the effort.  As it happens, I was in the Lakes yesterday and drove over some of the route - it’s so easy in the car.  I am full of admiration for Jonathon and his pal, managing the climbs on a tandem although I tend to disagree that Hartside is the most severe climb.  Whilst it is long, it’s steady and a good rhythm gets you up.  I think that some of the later climbs are much more punishing, especially as you are ususally more tored by the time they present themselves!!  Think about the climb out of Garrigil or the hill out of Allenheads

I have ridden the C2C 3 times, and have done the off road option up Hartside each time and it sort of breaks up the climb into more easily manageable chunks.  The locals call the road from Carrigill to Nenthead the Cut, and the bottom bit is like a house side.  I did the short route (Workington to Sunderland) non stop a few years ago, 12 hours and 6 minutes it took (but that was pedalling time not the total time), its a long day out.  John rode the long route from Whitehead to Tynemouth in 10 hours!

We’ve not ridden the C2C on the tandem, but we did the North Pennine Cycleway on the tandem in 2 days and that was challenging, its a great route, the first day is proper hilly. 

My favourite ride in the North for tandeming is the Coast and Castles the more gentle terrain really suits the tandem

I’ve done the Coast and Castles and we started at edinburgh and travelled south.  I was a little unimpressed - especially at the section near to Holy Island which runs alongside the railway line.  Also we had a headwind and driving rain so it wasn’t the best of conditions.  As far as the Northern section of the Pennine Way is concenred, I think that the route and scenery are far superior to the C2C - in fact I would vote that as my favourite longer ride

Hoping to do the C2C on the tandem this summer with a young strong stoker - my son - if I can persuade him.  That should help with the climbs.  We’ll be doing it in three days to make a more relaxing trip

I’d agree with you about the North Pennine route I prefer it to the C2C, its a much nicer start and finish, but there is something special about a coast to coast ride, which I guess is why the C2C is so popular.

When I rode the Coast and Castles I did so with 7 girl friends, we did it from Newcastle to Edinburgh, and had terrible head winds too, but we just sat in a really tight bunch, and chatted of course.  We had a luggage transfer too, which contained gin and tonics amongst other things, so maybe it was the social that made the ride so much fun.