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| Roker, Sunderland Start |
Martin Price claimed to have arranged for a fair easterly wind to help the Calder annual C2C ride from Sunderland to Whitehaven.
The six riders, Tom Butler, Jonny Croston, Matt Dodsworth, Martin Price, Michael Vennard and Kevin Watson were happy with Martin’s choice of start, which apart from the favourable wind, meant that most of the hills would climb up the less steep eastern slopes.
The group were in good spirits at Waskerley Cafe, the first scheduled stop, having made a good pace through the urban route out of Sunderland and the tough climb over Stanhope Common, legendary amongst older cyclists as the climb used in the now defunct Vaux Star Trophy Cycle Classic.
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| Jonny Croston, Martin Price. Hartside Summit |
Leaving Waskerley for the second section in the rain, there was the wet steep descent into Stanhope before a series of remorseless climbs over the Northern Pennines, starting with AllenHeads and culminating in the long exposed climb of Hartside which is overlooked by England’s highest point outside the lake district, Cross Fell. This was mid May and Cross Fell was covered in snow. On the Hartside climb, which tops at 1,903 feet, the temperature was 2 degrees!
Michael Vennard had pressed on alone on this climb, knowing that the summit cafe was the second scheduled stop where there would be a regroup. Matt Dodsworth wasn’t far behind, followed by Kevin Watson and Tom Butler. Further back, Jonny Croston was going through a bad patch with Martin Price nursing him up to the cafe where they arrived a couple of minutes behind the others.
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| Michael Vennard happy to be off |
At Hartside summit you can see the Lakeland Peaks and the Solway Forth and Irish Sea, but today there were only occasional hints of Blencathra’s bulk through gaps in the low cloud.
All six started the long fast drop to Penrith together with Tom Butler clocking speeds of almost 60 mph at times; he didn’t believe what he was seeing. Jonny Croston began to feel better and the good progress continued as they passed between Keswick and Skiddaw to Braithwaite where they started up the final obstacle, Whinlatter Pass. The final scheduled stop was early on the climb overlooking Bassenthwaite through the trees.
Nearer the top, Martin Price punctured, but was quickly on his way again and rejoined the group down the other side of Whinlatter and into delightful Cumbrian lanes in the sunshine towards the coast. Here Matt Dodsworth began to feel the effect of hunger knock, but he hung on to finish with the others on the harbour at Whitehaven.
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| Finishing |
They arrived just after 6pm, 10 hours after they left the North Sea for a welcome beer and then the drive home. Kevin Watson was recording the European Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Chelsea and went to great lengths to prevent anyone from revealing the result. At home he settled down to watch his recording of the match, but as the TV came on, it was showing the News with pictures of a jubilant Roman Abramavich betraying the result for Kevin.
C2C Video
Michael Vennard’s Route:
First Part of Route
(problems in Sunderland so not complete)
Second Part of Route
(stopped before Whitehaven)