Coast2Coast-
St.Bees to Robin Hood Bay -
176 miles
I started my Coast2Coast cycle ride from St. Bees on the West Coast of Britain at 8.30am on Wednesday 12th September 2012- a wet and windy day. With a strong tail-wind behind me and drizzling rain, but with sprits high and looking forward to my challenge of riding across the country, I headed straight up out of the town of St.Bees along the coast towards Cockermouth. Once there, I turned away from the coast towards the Lake District and Keswick. It made for hard going along rolling roads with the extra weight of panniers on the back of the bike, and having to push hard on the gears. My first and quick coffee stop was at Keswick and after 20minutes or so, I headed back out into the rain along the main road A591 through the centre of the Lake District towards Ambleside..
 After stopping for dinner at Ambleside and quick dry off out the rain, I rode around the largest of the lakes, Lake Windermere, which was stunning and beautiful as always with thousands of visitors thinking the same. The climb and main road out of Windermere town seemed like a mountain with all the weight on my bike, and once again made for hard work.
With all the rain in the Lakes there were some amazing river flows and waterfalls, so the rain does give you some amazing sights.
.After riding along the nice roads and lanes of the lakes, I had to ride along the main road to Kendal, which luckily enough, wasn’t too busy. I then headed up and out of Kendal on the one way system and boy oh boy, it went straight up and I climbed for some 1.5 miles. It was a “killer” and my legs were burning as I started to get tired. One further climb was to see me out of the Lakes area and heading into Garsdale Valley to the small village of Hawes, my overnight stay after some 95 miles. Hawes is a very nice English country village, with pubs, little shops and cafés. The Local Visitor Centre found me a great 4star B&B, The Fair View Guest house with friendly and helpful owners. The room itself, was first class as was the local pub.
The next morning after a great full English breakfast and fluid intake for the day, I headed out along beautiful North Yorkshire rolling roads towards Richmond. The Sun was now out and the roads at 8.30am were quiet. It was great, just me, the bike, a map and the views ahead of me.
Through the Valley of Richmond with one of the old railway lines still running.
After passing through the Richmond area, I headed towards Stokesley via the small lanes and the flat lands of North Yorkshire, a welcome break from hills I had climbed the previous day. I made a stop for coffee and cake at Stokesley and asked some local ladies whether it was better to follow the A171 main road to Whitby or the small lanes through the Yorkshire moors and hills. I told them I had a bike with panniers on?? They said the lanes are beautiful and quiet,so with this advice I headed off towards Kildale, Commondale and Danby.
 Yes, it was quiet and yes, it was beautiful but it certainly wasn’t flat. What followed were two of the steepest and longest climbs I had ever attempted. I very nearly had to get off and walk, but managed to zig-zag up and make it to the top. If only I could see those two ladies again, I think I would have a few words to say to them…..
Yes, two climbs at 25% this is what I climbed.. Just about !!
The sheep were walking up faster!!
At Danby I turned off the lanes and went onto the main road, the A171, to Whitby some 16 miles away on a smooth, fast and rolling road with nothing too difficult to climb.
I had a good tail wind behind me and my sprits were once again, high so I put the power down on my pedals and with head down, I started to motor along. I was feeling very happy and on a high and the cars were beeping me and waving as if they knew what I had achieved and how far I had travelled on my Coast2Coast ride.. With one final climb, some 4miles from Whitby, that would be it with a fast downhill ride into the town itself, which was a great feeling! A bit of freewheeling downhill, I felt like the boy from the Hovis adverts some years ago, knowing I was nearly there!!
Whitby from the main road bridge on the 171..
As I turn right from Whitby I was only 5 miles away from the finish, my legs had gone, my back was sore but I kept the legs turning, I was just waiting for the sign to say Robin Hood Bay and there it was.
Nearly there !! But even then, it was rolling hills for next 2 miles and every hill seem like a mountain after doing 75 miles that day. I was just getting over the hills by pushing hard on the pedals.
 Then, around the corner I saw the sign and if anyone has been to Robin Hood Bay they will know that there is one hell of a hill down to the sea on 30% gradient...I was feeling great because I knew I had made it but I still had to brake all the way down the hill to the bottom because it was so steep. The last few yards proved a struggle with all the weight of my panniers/bike etc. but I managed it.
Finally, there it was, the sea of the East Coast and Robin Hood Bay..Two days and 178 miles later I had made it. Its was hard and tough going in some places, but I had ridden through some of the best and most beautiful parts of our country, the Lake District, Richmond Valley and the North Yorkshire Moor, With rain all day on the first day and sun on the second day and good tail-winds I had done and seen it all..
Another tick in the box of the things to do in life, and well worth it. As were the pints afterward…
 
Chris Truett Cyclist 2012 Coast2Coast. |
