News

On the 30th April, 41 cyclists set off from Whitehaven (west coast), on the Coast to Coast UK challenge, arriving 150 miles later on the 2nd May in Sunderland (east coast). On roads and cycle paths they battled the 30mph headwind and climbed long steep hills in the Lake District and Pennines. All riders completed the challenge with only one tyre puncture in the entire group.

The riders' efforts were greatly appreciated at Kisima and students followed their progress by reading updates on the notice board.

A huge thank you to the cyclists, organisers, drivers and everyone else involved, including all those who sponsored them; your donations are greatly appreciated at Kisima.

Keep reading for a first-hand account of the event from one of the participants.

The Labour Day Holiday

"Friday 29^th April 2011 will be a day of great celebration" the papers cried. "Downing Street has confirmed that the day will be a bank holiday, turning the May Day weekend into a four day break." The Guardian informed us that "The place has been chosen for its staggering beauty, and the day is expected to be a classic British occasion with good spring weather."

For once the media were true to their word! As the forty-one riders and their four trusty support crew arrived in Whitehaven that evening, there was a real sense of fun and expectation. The youth of Whitehaven were quick to begin the celebrations even prior to our arrival, and were to be heard exchanging friendly banter with the local constabulary late into the night.

But for most of us a brief rehydration stop was followed by an early night, ready for the challenge the next morning. The only exception was David Munns who was found wandering the streets of Whitehaven, exclaiming in true baby bear fashion, "Someone's been sleeping in my bed and she's still there!" The distribution of keys at the Chase Hotel had apparently been something of a lottery, and David had emerged the clear loser. Perhaps there had been a last-minute booking from a couple of newly-weds that the Hotel were unable to decline?

The next morning dawned bright and expectant. We gathered by the harbour slip-way for a brief period of bike envy (is a carbon fibre racing bike really in the spirit of things?) before dipping our wheels in the Irish Sea and streaming out of town and onto a gently inclined cycle path. The six teams gradually spread out as the inclines became progressively steeper, culminating in the steep climb over the Whinlatter Forest. The purpose of the lightweight road bike became apparent at this point as it allowed Bob MacNaughton to ride up the same hill twice in the same time it took the rest of us to ride up it once, a sort of 2 for 1 special offer in the torture department.

We glided through Keswick full of busy tourists enjoying the glorious sunshine, and on through undulating minor roads to Penrith. There had been much talk among some of the riders of attempting the off-road Old Coach Road along this stretch, but after 30 miles and a pleasingly long pub-stop for lunch, the attraction of this option seemed to have worn off.

Sunday proved to be the most demanding day, with an unrelenting 30 mph headwind and several absurdly long, steep hills to climb. The achievement of reaching the peak at Hartside was tempered by the need to cycle just as hard down the other side to avoid being blown to a standstill by the wind. Team 1 struggled to maintain their lead over the other riders as Russell Burns took them on some excellent detours around the local countryside, allowing them to greet the other riders several times as they passed them during the day.

That evening all the riders gathered for a celebratory meal and congratulatory speeches at the Horsley Hall Hotel. Gavin Collins suggested that a rendition of "And can it be?" would be rather appropriate (my chains fell off...), while David Munns expressed his hearty thanks to everyone involved for their tremendous support of Kisima School.

Monday seemed to race by as we sped down a gently sloping cycle path, with several riders competing to be the first to get to the sea. All too soon we were racing along the edge of the River Weir in the shadow of the Stadium of Light, and turned a corner to find ourselves by the beach. We gathered between the rather cold and forbidding North Sea on one side, and the familiar "Storeys Removals" van on the other, to welcome the remaining riders with keen applause. They arrived in small groups, weary and grimy, yet elated by a huge sense of achievement. In this at least the papers were wrong, for it was the Monday rather than the Friday that was the day of greatest celebration!

Kevin Watson