NCN 1 - North Sea Cycle Route

It takes long inland diversions, through Norwich and Lincoln among others, so the line is not strictly coastal whatever the name suggests. North of the Humber the character shifts: the North York Moors bring the first real climbing, and the stretch around Whitby loses its signage. The longest haul of the whole route is the inland pull from Berwick-upon-Tweed northward toward Edinburgh.

The eastern seaboard is exposed to wind off the North Sea for most of the year, and a southerly start in spring gives you the prevailing wind at your back as the route runs north. Winter riding is possible but the northern sections, particularly the Northumberland coast and beyond, are short on daylight and cold.

The section after Whitby has a gap in signing, so carry a downloaded track or a map for that stretch before you leave. Resupply is straightforward through the market towns of Lincolnshire and Norfolk, but thins out on the Northumberland coast. The Lee Navigation out of London is the longest continuous traffic-free stretch in the south; most of the route around Newcastle is also off road.

Trains reach most routes in Britain with the bike built and no box. Overland to the start carries the rail and ferry chains into Europe, and the planner times the legs for your dates.