Regarding loos in Whitehaven. Tried the Beacon, we were told in no uncertain terms it was not a public toilet!

The trip was done over 3 days. Whitehaven - Penrith distance 53 miles, sett off at 11.09am arrived 7.15pm, one stop all day.
Then Penrith - Stanhope or in my case the Parkhead Station. DIstance 47 miles. Set off at 9am arrived at 7pm. ONe stop all day.
THen last day, Parkhouse Station to Tynemouth. Distance less than 40 miles. Set off 9am, arrived at 3pm. One stop all day.
If I were to do it again, I would prefer a longer more leisurely C2C. It was a bit like, peddle, peddle, peddle... Had my girls been with me, we could not have completed it over 3 days. Besides, we had no time at all for just relaxing and looking...
Hares and Tortoise .... The rest of the group went at a mad pace, ate at every stop, had time to look around. But on the first 2 days, both Lucy and I arrived at our digs first!

New bike was great. Everyone else had no mudguards, no lights

Besides there was no back up whatsoever on this trip. One bloke broke his collarbone and even he had to sort his own problems out.
Dunno how his bike got back to the digs, but it was a hired one.
Not sure if i would use the holiday company again... I preferred the security of back up.
Mary