The Sea to Sea Cycle Route (C2C)

The C2C cycle route, opened in 1994, follows a specially created trail from the lighthouse at the port of Whitehaven on the Irish sea coast, to the lighthouse at Sunderland on the shores of the North sea. In the course of it’s 140 mile passage the C2C takes in some of the best of the scenery that the Lake District and the wild Pennines have to offer.

The C2C is Britain’s most popular cycle route and was developed by Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, along with various government agencies. Almost all of the 140 mile C2C route is based on minor roads and cycle paths, so that cycling can be enjoyed to the full without worrying about traffic, and there are off road sections as an option to tarmac in some places.

Four days cycling will cover the journey, but you may want to linger and enjoy the sites and scenery along the C2C route more fully, in which case six days affords a fairly leisurely outing. There are many points of interest on or near the C2C trail that merit a detour, not least the beautiful cathedral city of Durham. Riders can get their C2C route maps stamped at various points along the trail, those who complete the route qualify for the C2C t-shirt!

The Sherpa Van Project makes the trail easy and convenient with a special arrangement devised specifically for the C2C. Our vans provide daily baggage deliveries between hotels, B & Bs, and campsites along the whole length of the C2C trail, and when you have finished the ride we can transport you and your bikes back to the start point, should you want to retrieve a car. Most C2C riders take advantage of the prevailing winds and travel from west to east.

Services available on the C2C
C2C Door to door baggage transfer
Our charge is £79 for baggage movement and return transport for you and your bike back to the start of the C2C trail, or £39 per bag (2 bags minimum) for baggage movements only. The price is the same whether you take 5 or 7 days to complete the C2C.

C2C Accommodation booking service

Typical C2C Itinerary
C2C Stage 1: Whitehaven to Keswick (31 miles).
C2C Stage 2: Keswick to Langwathby (27 miles).
C2C Stage 3: Langwathby to Allenheads (30 miles).
C2C Stage 4: Allenheads to Stanley (29 miles).
C2C Stage 5: Stanley to Sunderland (16 miles).

General C2C Information
The C2C trail takes 5 days to complete depending on your chosen route. The best season for the C2C is April to early October. The C2C starts at Whitehaven and ends at Sunderland or Newcastle.

For more information about the Sherpa Van Project and our support services please click here. Alternatively, book our daily baggage transfer service for the C2C here, or your C2C accommodation here.

Which Trails do we Cover?
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