Pictures:
1. The 'Lock, Stock & Broomwagon' team begin the Coast to Coast route from Whitehaven to Sunderland.
2. Coast to Coast route end. Ready for the return route the next day!
3. The team begin the return route home from Wear to Walney.
4. Finishing the challenge at Sandy gap, Walney. Time for a well deserved rest!
We would like to congratulate the ‘Lock, Stock and Broomwagon’ cycle team for completing a Coast to Coast cycle challenge to raise much needed funds for St Mary’s Hospice. The 6 riders from Ulverston making up the team included: Wendy and Anthony English, Claire and Dave Watson, Mike Jewell and Keith Denison. The interesting team name was derived from the term ‘Broomwagon’ – traditionally the van which sweeps up the exhausted stragglers at the end of each stage of the Tour de France.
The team completed the Sustrans Coast to Coast (C2C) route from Whitehaven to Sunderland in 2 days, returning by the Wear to Walney (W2W) route over the following 2 days.
Riding for up to 8 hours a day, the first leg of the route took the team to Alston, a distance of 78 miles of very hilly Lake District cycling, including the 580 metre summit of Hartside. The second leg of 61 miles took them to Sunderland, which included the highest point of the route, Black Hill at 609 metres. When the team arrived in Sunderland they had just enough time to dip their toes into the North Sea, eat (a lot) and sleep, before turning around and aiming the bikes back towards the Furness Peninsula. The return route took them a bit further South past the famous Tan Hill pub, the highest point on the W2W route at 527 metres. The team commented that this was the hardest part of the journey – in which they battled 50 mile per hour winds. After 78 miles, they enjoyed a welcome rest at Kirkby Stephen. The final day in the saddle took them 75 miles through the Howgill Fells and the beautiful South Lakes to arrive on the West Shore of Walney at Sandy Gap.
Support for the journey was provided by Claire Watson of Gill Cycles, Ulverston, who kindly offered to transport everyone’s luggage to each destination. Claire then rode back to meet the team en route. The team made sure that she didn’t miss any of the hill climbs! Additional help came from DC Cycles, Ulverston, who offered to donate sports nutrition products to help keep the pedals turning.
St Mary’s Hospice and the cycle team would like to thank of all of those who sponsored the team for each stage of the ride.
