NCN 6 - London to Carlisle

767 km 5397 m climbing About 10 days 22% off road Road cycling London & South East

The route runs gently for the first two fifths, giving you time to settle into a rhythm before the terrain sharpens through the middle section.

The third fifth is noticeably harder, rolling country that accounts for a disproportionate share of the climbing. After that the gradient eases again, though the final fifth through the north is not flat. About a fifth of the route is off road.

The figures

Distance	767 km
Climbing	5397 m
Off road	167 km, about 22% of the route
Riding time	about 57 hours, roughly 10 days at a moderate pace
Region	London & South East
Route from	Sustrans

Worth knowing before you go

The line passes through the Peak District and the Lake District, and resupply between settlements in those sections needs planning. Navigation in the middle of the route is where most riders lose the line. The off-road sections are spread along the route rather than concentrated in one place.

Put your own dates on this and TourTrax splits it into days at your pace, finds somewhere to sleep at the end of each one, estimates what it will cost and gets you to the start without flying.

Plan this route → Download the GPX

Other route guides

NCN 6 - London to Carlisle is an official route from Sustrans (their website).