We’ve been contacted with the following question:

“I’m looking at doing the C2C in the next few months on a road bike. Any advice on which sections to avoid?”

Yes – it is entirely possible to do the C2C quite comfortably on a road bike. Here are our tips.

* Start from Whitehaven but avoid the Whinlatter Forest route by using the B5292 all the way from joining it on the official C2C route to rejoin the main route in Braithwaite (signed C2C descending through Whinlatter Forest not recommended for road bikes). Also see our post here about the route at Lorton: * Out of Keswick the traffic-free route is washed away so go via the hilly Castlerigg Stone Circle alternative – all on road except for a small decent quality traffic-free section out of Keswick.
* At Rookhope make sure to take the option that drops down into Stanhope. You join the Waskerley Way (see photo above) after a steep road climb – although unsealed this is a well-compacted, decent quality traffic-free path. The option immediately east of Rookhope is more hybrid or mountain bike territory, though it means a lot less climbing.
* Both final section options (to Newscastle or Sunderland) are mainly on tarmac but with a few sections on unsealed traffic-free trail – generally all good quality. So either would be fine on a road bike.