The railway path is constructed on one of the country's oldest railways. It was originally built to carry Weardale limestone and Durham coal to the Tyne ports, but later served the mighty Consett Ironworks.

The railway path is one of the longest off-road cycling sections in the country and pretty much downhill from Consett. If you choose to finish at Sunderland then this is a fitting end to the C2C as you head towards Sunderland Marina and North Sea to finish the route. 

You'll stumble upon sudden sculptures right along the C2C, and the Consett to Sunderland railway path is no exception with its huge, fantastic artwork spread out along the cycle trail, many made from old railway lines and other recycled materials.

Be careful if you're finishing the route on a Sunday as it's easy to build up speed on the descent from Consett and many people use the railway path for purposes other than long distance cycling, especially around the Stanley and Chester-le-Street areas. Give way to pedestrians and slow down on your approaches to horses and other cyclists and their families.

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