Countrywide Great Tour Week 1Route Revealed

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Posted Wednesday 29th April 2015 –

This Summer will see a group of cyclists circumnavigating Great Britain by bicycle, starting and finishing from Holyhead on Anglesey in a 64-day, 6,800-kilometre challenge. Starting on Saturday 4th July, the day the world’s greatest bike race the Tour de France starts, and finishing on Saturday 5th September, the eve of the Friends Life Tour of Britain’s Grand Depart from Anglesey.

The Countrywide Great Tour is supported by Countrywide, the UK’s largest and most successful estate agency and property services group and will be run in tandem with the CTC, National Cycling Charity who will provide a 3 month insurance cover for every rider who registers with the event.

Each day will have capacity of only 250 with riders able to select to ride anything from one day to the whole lot.

Here are details of the week 1 routes with some quotes from the organisers about the rides –

Day 1: Holyhead to Llandudno
“Day one consults a ride of twisting, undulating road that affords excellent views of the sea at various points. This part of the event will act as a great warm up for your legs- so don’t be fooled by the seeming lack of mountains on Anglesey. Wave goodbye to this scenic part of Wales which will be revisited on the final stage; 64 days later.”

Day 2: Llandudno to Neston
“Day two starts with a 10k circuit of the Great Orme which was scene of Stage 2 finish of the 2014 Friends Life Tour of Britain. The route continues along glorious Welsh coastline before heading across the border to finish in Neston.”

Day 3: Neston to Blackpool
“Day Three follows the National Cycle Routes around Wirral Peninsula to Seacombe Ferry, after a quick ferry journey across the River Mersey the ride then follows country roads to arrive in Blackpool. A day full of adventure with some differing terrain, anyone looking for a challenge should sign up to this stage!”

Day 4: Blackpool to Ulverston
“Day four of CGT takes in many iconic landmarks on the voyage to Ulverston, largely following Lancaster Canal to re-join along Morecambe Bay and finishing in the popular market town of Ulverston”

Day 5: Ulverston to St Bees
“Day Five the tour passes through the largest national park in the country, the Lake District, which in its 885 square miles contains 26-miles of coastline and estuaries. The day will finish on the seafront in the small coastal village of St Bees where the surrounding cliffs are used to build sandstone houses across Cumbria.”

Day 6: St Bees to Carlisle
“After leaving the stunning village of St Bees, day six will see riders travel north on rural roads past the small port town of Whitehaven known for having more listed buildings per square mile than anywhere else in the UK. Carlisle is the finishing location of this this stage and the final day before heading into Scotland for the following couple of weeks.”

Day 7: Carlisle to Kippford
“Finally day seven sees the CGT crossing the Scottish boarder into Dumfries and Galloway, a regular host of the Tour of Britain, before heading towards Kippford known for its quaint surroundings and small roads, some of which are only one house wide!”

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