We did it! Photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/101476515@N04/

It was with a mix of apprehension and excitement that we watched our bikes being loaded on to the trailer, along with all the other C2C riders’ bikes, for the trip from Penrith to the start point on the coast at Whitehaven. Their bikes looked so much more ‘serious’ than ours especially Adèle’s whose bike was around 20 years  old and definitely showing its age design-wise.

As out coach wended its way through the magnificent Lake District scenery towards the coast we discovered that we were the only ones doing the Hadrian’s Way ride. All the others were on the ‘Classic’ C2C ride – shorter than our route but supposedly hillier. We should say even hillier, because we certainly had some challenging hills to contend with on Days 2 and 3.  So as 20 odd riders headed off from Whitehaven in one direction, Jen, Adèle and I pedalled off the opposite way heading for Bowness-on-Solway 55 miles away.

We posed nervously by the C2C sign but this proved to be a gentle hors d’oeuvre to tougher times to come as the route was generally flat following the coastline, much of it on cycle paths and extremely well signposted (as indeed it was the whole way, full marks to Sustrans). Brenda met us with provisions for our lunch time stop at Silloth and the only problems we encountered were a buffeting wind and driving rain on the last stretch around the Solway peninsular.

After being entertained by Lyn’s inexhaustible dogs at the B&B Day 2 saw us head across country and up into Hadrian’s Wall country. Early on we passed through Burgh by Sands where Edward 1 died of dysentery in July 1307 whilst on his way to do battle with the Scots.  Fortunately we were spared dysentery on our trip. There is an impressive statue of Edward 1 at Burgh by Sands – you can see his tomb in Westminster Abbey. After skirting round Carlisle we met Brenda for our lunch stop in Brampton, an attractive market town which strangely closes down at around 3.00pm on a summer Saturday afternoon and whose public toilets are chained up. The kind man in the Tourist Information Office came to the girls’ rescue and I found comfort in a nearby pub.

From Brampton we headed up to the wall.  Much of it has gone but the stretches that remain are very impressive and evoke powerful images of what it must have been like at the edge of the Roman Empire 2000 years ago. 

We stopped for photos at the remains of the Banks East Turret and carried on to be confronted by a steep climb at Greenhead.  This is a 1:6 climb and the steepest Sustrans has ever constructed – so much for this route being less hilly! What goes up must come down, of course, and we enjoyed the descent into Haltwhistle at the end of the day although 30 mph with the brakes full on is rather character-testing.  Haltwhistle is an attractive town which purports to be at the centre of Britain.

At this point we had done 100 miles and the aches and pains were beginning to tell. Adèle had ordered a new saddle especially designed to provide ladies with a more comfortable ride.  She had hoped it would arrive before we left Chobham. It didn’t and she spent a lot of time on the phone to Wiggle to get it sent up from our house in Chobham, where they first delivered it, to Penrith. It didn’t make it to Penrith in time but did arrive at the B&B at Bowness, again after we had left. Brenda went to retrieve it so at least Adèle had it for the final day, Haltwhistle to Tynemouth, which tuned out to be the most dramatic of the trip.  

Naively thinking the final leg was going to be mostly downhill or on the level we were immediately faced with more steep climbs on setting off. This slowed us up but eventually we began descending, eventually picking up the course of the River Tyne which we then more or less followed all the way to the finish. We picked up speed as we were now beginning to get concerned about missing the transport back to Penrith, which was due to leave Tynemouth at 4.00pm.

We skipped lunch and soldiered on but the first mishap was when a bird struggling against the wind flew into Jen’s face. Jen’s shriek was enough to propel the bird away. In the meantime I had swallowed a fly and was looking out for a spider to catch the fly. Along with a couple of fellow cyclists we came upon a railway crossing where there was a phone and instructions to call to check whether a train was due. We were told that a train was indeed coming. We then had to ring again and were told we could cross. Having crossed we then had to ring again to say we had crossed. Bizarrely it was not that long before we arrived at another rail crossing where there was no phone and no Fat Controller overseeing our safe passage.

Our fellow Hadrian’s Way cycling couple were heading for the finish at, in their words, a leisurely pace. I said I hope they wouldn’t mind if we went on ahead as we had a deadline to meet but it wasn’t long before they passed us, sedately.  

Adèle’s knee (injured in a football tackle when she was at primary school) had begun to seize up after 3 days' hard wear. Then Jen clipped a wooden post guarding the entrance to a footbridge over a stream and suffered a very nasty fall. After gingerly getting to her feet and taking a couple of paracetomol she carried on her way but by then we knew we weren’t going to make it in time.   We alerted the organisers but there appeared to be no contingency – if we didn’t make it by 4.00pm we would have to find our own way back the 84 miles to Penrith and we certainly didn’t fancy cycling it!  Fortunately Brenda was our contingency. The bike rack was in the boot and although she was spending the day sightseeing we were able to summon her up to meet us at Tynemouth.

The riverside route through Newcastle City Centre was a succession of iconic bridges and buildings but a Sunday market meant we had to dodge a lot of pedestrians, and the last stretch down to the sea seemed to go on for ever. Eventually arriving at our destination, the Spanish Battery car park at Tynemouth, we were disappointed to find there was no C2C sign by which to celebrate our achievement (apparently one is planned) but it was an achievement, one we would never have thought possible when the most we have ever cycled in one go is the 29 miles Woking Bikeathon.

Best of all was the support we have received enabling us to raise over a £1,000 (and still rising) to provide vital equipment for the young disabled people helped by the White Lodge Centre, Chertsey.

Many, many thanks to all our supporters – and yes we may just do something similar again!

Plus points - excellent route fully signposted along the way by Sustrans; fantastic English scenery; the Wall itself; welcoming and comfortable B&Bs; hearty full English breakfasts (probably the reason why I put on weight over the 3 days despite expending over 1,000 calories per day); going downhill!

Negatives – going uphill; oh and having to pay for a museum ticket (£10) if you want to use the toilets at Roman Vindolanda Museum on Hadrian’s Way when passing by on bike or foot.

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White Lodge Centre supports disabled children, young people and adults, families and carers in Surrey and the surrounding areas to help them develop their confidence, independence and reach their potential. 

As many of you know the family have been involved with White Lodge Centre for many years as promoting disabilities positively is a cause close to our hearts.  We have had the privilege to work with two families providing family respite care for three children with learning needs.  We have done lots of activities with them to let them gain new experiences that they would not normally do with their families from day trips to the beach, making pizza and cakes, travelling independently by train to going to the theatre.  Jen has also worked for the charity working with a range of children of varying ages and disabilities both with physical and learning needs - doing personal care as well as supporting the children access local activities.

The cycle came about as Stephen wanted a big cycle...so after some training, we have decided this is actually a BIG challenge!  151 miles in three days!  Can we do it?!

Well Adele is fit and so this will be a breeze for her (although she’s still without a decent bike seat), for Stephen this will push his fitness levels to the highest level of endurance and for Jen the training has been a painful time let alone the pain barriers her chronic pain condition will go through just to make it to the b&b each night.

As a family we really support the work of the charity and would love to raise them lots of dosh to help more children so:-

£2,000 could buy a TomCat Trike Tricycle, a mobility aid to help a child move unaided.  This helps develop balance, muscle strength, posture and alignment for mobility. (http://www.tomcatspecialneeds.co.uk/products)

£1,300 could buy a seating system, Mini Caps II, that provides varying levels of postural support to a child allowing greater participation in rehabilitation and daily activities offering safe positioning, postural stability, deformities prevention, promotes safer swallowing, better breathing control to help with vocalisation and communication skills.(http://www.activedesign.co.uk/docs/controlled/WEB/WEB006%20-%20MiniCAPS%20Seating%20System/default.asp)

£710 could buy a Monkey Stander for children 9 months to 4 years. Children gain huge psychological benefits from standing, as well as important physical and developmental advantages. Standing plays a crucial role in therapy programmes for children with many kinds of developmental needs.  (http://www.jenx.com/products/standing/monkey)

£350 could buy mirror panels (130*175cm) to provide visual feedback for a therapist and child during therapy.  Visual feedback can improve body awareness, instant feedback to therapist and child to help correct asymmetry or altered body perception.

So thank you for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.  Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity.

Thank you for your support with our challenge for White Lodge Centre.

Stephen, Jen and Adele