# CC Ecosse Lakes tour 2016



## Pat "5mph" (19 May 2016)

Another awesome CC Ecosse cycling adventure has begun: get ready to read about bleary early morning starts, battles against the winds, epic drenching, laughter, sweat, tears, and, of course, the taking of many pictures.
As I am reporting from my tablet with no camera, the (many) pictures in my phone will be uploaded on an album on here when I get home.
The plan is we all meet in Carlisle to cycle on to the Lake District, where we have accommodation for the group booked from Friday to Monday.
@flyingfifi and I are cycling from the outskirts of Glasgow, along NCN 74 south.

Day one: Hamilton to Moffat - 50 miles.
I'm up at 4.15am ... argh! The plan is for me to cycle the 9 miles to Hamilton, then meet Fiona for an early getaway from the busy main roads before rush hour.
We meet at 6, cycle across Chatelherault country park, from where route 74 takes you all the way to Carlisle... or so we hope ...as per usual, we are entering the unknown by following a Sustrains route.
Will we be lead to a swampy bog or to the M8? What we need is a GoogleBike, that has access to paths where no bike has been before, would certainly avoid nasty cycling surprises!
After a dubious start - a steep slide downhill with a right turn onto a blind bend, and a steep gravel strewn uphill section, we make good progress out of Hamilton, then Larkhall. We want to reach Leismahagel well before rush hour. The main road, Carlisle road, we are following is quiet now, but a nightmare at peak times. We shall see how we will fare here on our return, planned for Wednesday mid afternoon.
The route, that follows the old road before the motorway was build, is actually quite pleasant to cycle on. One must always be alert though of the scarce traffic that passes these minor roads, they tend to be used as rat runs.
Roundabouts are dealt with crossings, not ideal but much better than having to ride them.
From Leismahagel, onto Abington then Moffat we rode steadily, it was plain sailing with no major hills.
Shame that in 20 years time that route will probably be impassable on a road bike, signs of neglect are showing already.
As (not) forecast for the day, the weather turned from rain to a heavy drizzle, to heavy rain. We got Moffat absolutely drenched.
The consumption of a big hot meal and the purchase of much cake and chocolate "for laters" made us forgive and forget the weather, eagerly planning next day's ride in high spirits.
I wonder how the heavily laden cyclist we met, heading to land's end, was coping with his Brooks saddle? It was giving him grief not even 400 miles into his journey!

To be continued.


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## fimm (20 May 2016)

Lesmahagow

(There, now I have posted in the thread and will get updates)


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## Scoosh (20 May 2016)

fimm said:


> (There, now I have posted in the thread and will get updates)


You can get Alerts if you Watch the thread too ...  ... but you knew that anyway ...


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## I like Skol (20 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> get ready to read about bleary early morning starts, battles against the winds, epic drenching, laughter, sweat, tears, and, of course, the taking of many pictures.


You can tell me all about it on Sunday. I just hope I have time to listen to your tales over some food and a pint before I have to dash home in the evening


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## flyingfifi (21 May 2016)

Hi all Pat temporary posting from Fiona's tablet. We are barely able to move after pushing the bikes up Kirkstone pass yesterday. Raining buckets now. Boys are planning tomorrows ride. What time are you coming Skol?
Will update adventures asp.
Skol we now have a ride planned, Mark says please be here by 10 if you can.


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## I like Skol (21 May 2016)

Going to try and be there by 9am so I can find somewhere to park and maybe a bacon butty. Can't wait 

Going to bed now after a night shift so will check back here later when I am getting all my stuff ready for tomorrow's early start.


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## 0lonerider (21 May 2016)

Good morning campers, shame about the hopefully the will shine on you all later


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## Pat "5mph" (21 May 2016)

SKol free parking if you walk 10 min.
The boys are away for a ride getting soaked.


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## Fubar (22 May 2016)

Bright sunshine today.


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## Pat "5mph" (22 May 2016)

Awesome ride today, intermittent Wi-Fi here, will have to write report when back to civilization lol


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## Pat "5mph" (22 May 2016)

Mark is pissed hahaha!


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## Rasmus (22 May 2016)

Only 3 pints so far but the night is still young...


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## Scoosh (22 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Mark is pissed hahaha!


6 pints again ?


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## I like Skol (23 May 2016)

Got home late last night so straight to bed after a welcome hot shower.

What a perfect day, will be back shortly with some notes and pictures of the day once I have got the kids out of the way....


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## I like Skol (23 May 2016)

I arrived in Elterwater almost an hour before my 10am deadline and found most of the Cyclechat mob already lounging around on the Patio in the early morning sunshine. There was some subdued talk about the excessive alcohol consumption of the previous night (A heavily Scottish version of the 'By Eck! We supp'd some ale!).
Once the full gang was assembled we set off at around 9.30 for a genteel circuit of Lake Windermere. We hadn't gone far before I realised I had left my bumbag on the table outside the hostel so I whizzed back to get it before catching up with the group a few miles down the road  where I stood behind Pat while she explained to everyone that I had had to go back and would catch them up in a little while if they could just wait a moment 

Pat did her best to destroy the myth that she only rides at 5mph and was often found at the front leading the way (but only on the flat bits because she isn't a great climber, and also is too scared to go down anything steep so sometimes gets off to walk down the hills )

Here's is Pat bobbing along at a good 15+mph at the front of this small peloton...





She might be even quicker if she wasn't carrying 2 x large panniers crammed with goodness knows what (I didn't hear any meowing!). It was around this point in the day that it clouded over and began to spit with rain and I started to think 'here we go again....' but it passed after just a minute and we then spent the rest of the day in mostly glorious sunshine 

We soon reached the eastern terminal for the Hawkshead car ferry where we stopped for a breather and icecream. Here 2 of the girls decided that they would do a little leisurely exploring of the area and catch the ferry to resume the return leg up the far side of the lake while the boys confiscated Pat and made her do the entire loop by riding down to Newby Bridge, where I promised we would have a delightful lunch sat outside the Swan Inn by the river. Unfortunately the Swan Inn was completely flooded out during the winter and is just reopening after a massive refit........ today! So we had to carry on until we reached the Lakeside Hotel which had some equally lovely tables at the front overlooking the lake, but with incredibly lovely prices. £15 for a sandwich 
We skulked off to some hidden tables in the back garden and decided a coffee and some cake would be enough.






Rasmus had a boutique hot chocolate like no hot chocolate we had seen before....





Suitably refreshed we continued our journey northwards and while us guys waited at the top of one of the steeper climbs having a chat we suddenly realised we had been waiting an awfully long time for Pat, even if she had walked all the way from the bottom. I jumped back on my bike and zipped back down the hill to where we had last seen her then climbed back to the main group to report her MIA! We decided to head down to the Hawkshead ferry as that was the next landmark but she wasn't there either. We eventually caught up with her a few miles further up the gravel lakeside path that runs north from Hawkshead to Wray Castle. Not quite sure how she passed us but she did insist that she had gone the right way 
Anyway, now regrouped we set out on the final stretch back to Elterwater and the hostel, except that is a bit of a lie because we never made it to the hostel due to somehow getting delayed at the village pub 
It would really have been rude not to as the mid-afternoon sunshine was most agreeable when sat at the tables at the front of the establishment, overlooking the village green where the patrons had spilled over to spread out on the grass. I managed to control myself though and only had a swift half as I had a cunning plan.





At 4pm I set off to climb over Wrynose and then ascend to the summit of Hardknott before returning via a second go of Wrynose to be back at the hostel in time for tea at 7pm. I couldn't convince anyone to join me 
It turns out I was approaching the passes from the most severe sides and I am ashamed to admit that after a long day and riding my road bike with a 34-25 lowest gear I failed both climbs and had to stop for a breather each time, but got back on without walking any of it to complete the climb. Coming back up Wrynose for the second time but in the opposite direction was a comparative breeze, even though it was my 3rd climb of the evening, and I was back outside the pub drinking a pint by 5.45 

Hardknott doesn't look so bad from here...





But the close up reality! Here are some dog walkers struggling not to fall down the severe slopes that start immediately at the bottom.





THE TOP! 





I had a great day and, as always, a pleasure to meet more fellow cyclchatterers. Thanks for allowing me a day pass to crash the party and if someone can post a left to right this is whot'is name picture, putting faces to cyclechat persona's then I might have a clue who I was talking to all day because with the mix of accents I was struggling a bit


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## Fubar (23 May 2016)

I like Skol said:


> I arrived in Elterwater almost an hour before my 10am deadline and found most of the Cyclechat mob already lounging around on the Patio in the early morning sunshine. There was some subdued talk about the excessive alcohol consumption of the previous night (A heavily Scottish version of the 'By Eck! We supp'd some ale!).
> Once the full gang was assembled we set off at around 9.30 for a genteel circuit of Lake Windermere. We hadn't gone far before I realised I had left my bumbag on the table outside the hostel so I whizzed back to get it before catching up with the group a few miles down the road  where I stood behind Pat while she explained to everyone that I had had to go back and would catch them up in a little while if they could just wait a moment
> 
> Pat did her best to destroy the myth that she only rides at 5mph and was often found at the front leading the way (but only on the flat bits because she isn't a great climber, and also is too scared to go down anything steep so sometimes gets off to walk down the hills )
> ...



Great account of the day's events, a pleasure to meet and ride with you - I would have come up wrynose with you but... I didn't want to.


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## Fubar (23 May 2016)

Left to right in you photo is @Rasmus @Fubar @mcshroom @Pat "5mph" and @DougieAB


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## Fubar (23 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Mark is pissed hahaha!



I wasn't! Just... Merry


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## Scoosh (23 May 2016)

We all know Mark. Mark is always a happy, merry chap. 

He must have been the other ...


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## Brandane (25 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> To be continued


Come on then you slacker; your audience awaits!


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## Rasmus (25 May 2016)

A short account of my experience of the past week.

Having missed the first two CC ecosse tours due to calendar conflicts I was determined to make it along this time, and very happy when a concensus was reached choosing the Lake District as a location. Three night was not enough for me, though, so a plan was hatched adding another night at either end to take me to and from train stations with direct service from Bristol.

I ride my trusty alu-framed road bike, with a standard compact and 30 tooth sprocket. Luggage limited as much as possible to a single pannier as well as a frame bag.

Day 1. (Bristol-)Manchester-Slaidburn
I was on the first off-peak service north towards Manchester. Things did not go well. Diversion via Kidderminster due to line blockage, then termination at Birmingham. Eventually picked up a service coming from Bournemouth (luckily not busy with bikes on a Wednesday lunchtime!), which got me into Manchester around 1430, 90 minutes later than planned. On top of that the clouds had gotten steadily thicker and rain was starting. Anyway, had to get on with it and headed north employing bike lanes on the A59 before diverting off to smaller lanes. Unfortunately the train tardiness meant I ran into rush hour traffic around Blackburn, somewhat spoiling the fun. Anyway, I was soon off on lanes again, heading into the Forest of Bowland via the Waddington Fell climb. After a careful descent I arrived thoroughly soaked at the Slaidburn YHA around half six. Very friendly volunteer manager got me warmed up, and I was soon in the pub enjoying a well earned dinner.

Day 2. Slaidburn-Elterwater

When planning the trip I had limited myself to 75-85 km days, after having somewhat overextended myself with ~120 km days on previous tours. Today was the longest at 86 km, and also the hilliest. It began straight off the bat with the serious climb up to the Cross of Greet (remains of). Very impressive looking on a chilly morning. A lovely climb, with a few opportunities to stop and admire the view.




After a long descent towards Cumbria i endured some lumpyness before arriving in Kirkby Lonsdale, well equipped with Cafes one of which supplied a very enjoyable Toastie. Refueled i made my way up another climb, topping out to my first view towards the Lake District.





In what I took as a good omen, the sun had come out! Dispensing with rain jackets bombed down across the M6 before starting the lumpy ascent across to Windermere. I was making good time, so treated myself to another rest stop for cake in Bowness, before geading around the lake to Elterwater. I was first to arrive, and planted myself out front. Fairly soon various small groupings of CC'ers started arriving, the reception opened and we got ourselves installed. Around 8 it was time for dinner and we headed to explore the village. One pub was already fully packed, the other deemed unsuitable due to poshness. So, we combined the various rations that people had been kind enough to lug over the Kirkstone Pass earlier in the day with a few bits available for purchase at the hostel reception, and the master chefs of the group (@annedonnelly and @DougieAB ) concocted a very nice pasta meal for eight. After dinner it was time to sit around studying some maps making potential plans for the weekend, and wait and see if @ShooglyDougie survived his late night trip from Oxenholme. He did, although not without some entertaining diversions.

Day 3. Short Hawkshead loop
Forecast was for rain, so this was set to be an "easy" day. The weather looked to be clearing up around half ten, and suddenly a subset of people were assembled with bikes at the ready. We headed of Coniston, which arrived to early to be suitable for a rest stop, and so diverted towards Hawkshead. Simultaneous arrival of torrential rain and a very steep incline made for a somewhat unenjoyable few miles before we could dive into a tea room in Hawkshead to dry out. As we emerged the rain had stopped, and it was much nicer going up to Ambleside, where we went looking for a fabled cyclepath back to the hostel. As it happened the road we came in on arrived at a t-junction midways in an on-road section of said path, so we had missed it. Anyway, it was good fortune to head into town as I could take the opportunity to replace a failing seat tube (the replacement turned out to be somewhat of a nightmare to adjust as well, but at least it was workable). Eventually we turned back around towards the hostel, picking up the path correctly. It was a proper sustrans job, with unnecessary climbs and rubbish surfaces (pavé, really?), but at least the only traffic was of the legged variety.





Now out of rations, we had booked a table at the pub for the evening, and had a thoroughly enjoyable meal supplemented with shall we say "interesting" conversations regarding future tour possibilities 

Day 4. Windermere loop.
Described eloquently above by @I like Skol . I will add just a picture or two.
















Day 5. Elterwater - Hawes.
Time to leave, and various small groups left in stages much as they had arrived. I was last to leave, setting off just before 9. I headed back to Bowness and over the hill to Kendal, leaving the Lakes behind and heading for Dales. After Oxenholme i picked up a succession of extremely quiet, extremely enjoyable, lanes heading into Dentdale. After stopping at Dent to work up some courage I tackled the final climb up to Newby Head pass. A fast descent took me to Hawes where I had splurged on a nice B&B for the night.






Day 6. Hawes - Darlington.
Final day, and just one challenge left on the itinerary: Cote de Buttertubs. I tackled it straight out the door, and was grateful for the lack of traffic allowing for a zig-zag route up the 17% bits in the middle - but I made it!




An exhilarating descent took me to the lovely Swaledale, which I followed all the way to Richmond before struggling into some proper headwind on the flats heading Northeast to Darlington. I arrived with plenty of time to spare for my train, and crosscountry this time managed to transport me halfway across the country without issues. One last hill up from the train station and I was home


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## Spinney (25 May 2016)

Wow - @I like Skol and @Rasmus 

It's time for me to get my sorry legs back up onto some of those moorlands!


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## Pat "5mph" (25 May 2016)

I'm on it @Brandane, no long got home at almost 60 miles today! 
Editing the pictures, but planning an early night  after reading @Rasmus report first


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## Fubar (25 May 2016)

Great write-up @Rasmus, though I'm curious to know how "friendly" the volunteer was to be able to warm you up!


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## Pat "5mph" (25 May 2016)

CC won't let me upload all the pictures: here is a link for the complete album.
I shall get down to the detailed report tomorrow


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## ColinJ (25 May 2016)

I'm glad you all had such a great time! Sorry - I completely forgot about your tour. I had thought about nipping up and joining you for one of the days but got distracted. Never mind ... maybe another time? (I will be up visiting my Scottish family at the start of September and would welcome company on my Mull and Moidart rides ... )

@Rasmus - I thought for a moment that you had pinched one of my ride photos ...

Yours:





And here is mine from a ride a couple of years ago, taken from the same spot:





'_Great minds think alike_'!


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## Pat "5mph" (26 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Another awesome CC Ecosse cycling adventure has begun: get ready to read about bleary early morning starts, battles against the winds, epic drenching, laughter, sweat, tears, and, of course, the taking of many pictures.
> As I am reporting from my tablet with no camera, the (many) pictures in my phone will be uploaded on an album on here when I get home.
> The plan is we all meet in Carlisle to cycle on to the Lake District, where we have accommodation for the group booked from Friday to Monday.
> @flyingfifi and I are cycling from the outskirts of Glasgow, along NCN 74 south.
> ...


Back home, photos downloaded, got a few hours before going to work.
Time to continue the tale of this epic (for Pat 5mph) journey from Scotland to England and back.
Having @flyingfifi and I arrived in Moffat absolutely drenched, we were welcomed with raised eyebrows by the owners of the cream carpeted B&B.
The very comfortable bedding had snow white sheets, we had bike oil black leg tattoos! They soon got over their shock, showing us the way to the secure bike storage. On the by, we saw it advertised for sale in the local estate agent, so it may not be run as a B&B once sold. @Rasmus had stayed there previously, and on the return leg (for us) chatting with the owners they remembered him, as a "maybe foreign, young cyclist that traveled very light but still had a change of clothes for the evening".
Some pictures from day 1:

Us at the start in Hamilton

@flyingfifi in full tour mode.
Strava for day one: https://www.strava.com/activities/587711559
Terrain: mostly gentle uphills, but the road is exposed, when you see windmill farms, well, you know there's going to be a lot of wind.
Some of NCN 74 till Moffat has been freshly resurfaced, but the stretch from Crawford is quite bumpy, still, if on a road bike one could take the old road alongside it instead of the path. Roundabouts can be negotiated via cycle path.
Traffic from Hamilton to Lesmahagow is fast, the route is mostly on road there.

Day two: Moffat to Carlisle
The day started overcast, but dry. We decided to keep the waterproofs handy just in case, good decision as we had to stop to put them on, then stop again to take them off, I was fed up so decided to carry on cycling with the waterproof trousers rolled up, in my typical "I'm nothing but a cycling tramp" fashion.




Note the IrnBru cap: it flew off somewhere around Windermere!
The wind was in our faces relentlessly, still we made good progress. A wee break in Lockerbie, and off to the next stretch before turning into the Sustrains path to Gretna. We called this stretch "Log Lorry road". There were many, they were fast, and they are the nemesis of Fiona, as she got run into a ditch by one of them on a previous tour. There are also a couple of truckers rest areas on the old 74, in addition to the timber factory. The cycle lane is on road.

Sheep art on Lockerbie's city centre.
There's a metal bridge over the river Esk before Gretna, a wee town and an Inn called the same: after that route 74 becomes typical Sustrains, a steep, twisty, blind bend and you're on it. The rest of the meander to Gretna though is quite scenic with an acceptable path surface.
We reached Gretna in no time, me enthusiastically pointing out the signs - need to stop doing that or the passers by may think Fiona and I are eloping 
Suddenly, on top of a hill looking towards Carlisle, Fiona cries out: "Look, look ... it's @mcshroom waving the flag at us, saying, welcome!"
Erm ... we did not know he actually lives well behind those hills, on the other side of the Lake district! We did get a welcome FB message once in Carlisle from @MikeW-71 though 
A wee break in Gretna, (I had a typical pasty of the area whose name escapes me now, very yummy) and would you believe it!!!! Fiona missed the famous sign that all the long distance cyclists take their pictures at. Lucky I was behind as usual, saw the sign, the obligatory pictures were taken.




We reached Carlisle through scenic back roads, the temperature already getting warmer.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/587711594
We stayed at the privately owned youth hostel near the Cathedral, it has 3 floors of long winded staircases, our room was right at the top. Nice and comfortable though. A group of roadies checked in just before us, so we had to wait till the poor owner carried our bikes downstairs to the storage area, you guess, it was down a narrow staircase!
To be continued, as I've got to leave for work now 

Picture of random roadies on a supported End to End

Carlisle Cathedral: it's quite a large complex made of several building among landscaped gardens.
Omg! I cycled to England!!!!


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## I like Skol (26 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Omg! I cycled to England!!!!


But did you hear the cheering as you cycled back in to Scotland?


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## Pat "5mph" (27 May 2016)

Day 3: Carlisle to Elterwater, in the lake district.
Having had a lovely carbo loaded Italian dinner the night before, then a little explore of the city, Fiona and I had a wee lie in on day 3, till 8.30 
As we were waiting for @DougieAB, Mark @Fubar and @annedonnelly to arrive at the station there was some extra time to purchase more chocolate and cake for the journey 
Now, the routine we got into was to arrive at our evening lodgings starving, go buy energy filled treats for later, then go for a massive dinner and eat the treats on the bike journey the day after. Needless to say, our panniers got heavier and heavier with cake, and my cunning plan to lose some weight on this trip never materialized 
Well, a normal person would go on a diet before embarking on a hilly cycle journey, not hope to come back skinnier. Yeah, that would be the logic thing to do.
Just as well Mark and Dougie arrived in Carlisle a wee bit peckish, cakes were soon produced and coffee purchased while waiting for Anne's train.
The five of us set out for Elterwater on a route @MikeW-71 kindly suggested.
Mark also proposed a route, we decided to ride that one on the way back.
Soon the boys and Anne were well ahead, reassured that I had the route in my Garmin, we would regroup. Fiona did not have this route in her Garmin, and this would cause some, erm, disagreement (strong argument ) between us later on.
The rolling countryside out of Carlisle was beautiful, the weather quite warm if not a bit windy ... as in "head wind" of course, is there any other for a cyclist?
We had our lunch at the Greystoke cycle cafe, then our different abilities groups split again.

Lunching al fresco at the Caf, wind in our hair, even in Dougie's that doesn't have any 

Fiona taking it easy riding the countryside just out of Carlisle on a lovely sunny day.
Now, so far so good. After lunch we were riding up and more up, we were expecting that, I was puffing a bit but hardly had to use my granny gear. Thinking fondly of @MikeW-71 and his great routes (that not of us actually Google map checked), we saw the most lovely scenery, that culminated in the perfect, not too steep (I'm scared of downhills!) descent of Ullswater.
A roadie in full aero position lost his pose to give us a big wave, there was hardly any cars, the wind had stopped, magic!

On top of the hills


Looking over the water, wonder what that big hill in the background is?
Once down Ullswater, there was only about 15 miles left to Elterwater: nae bother, as we say in Scotland, we gonna be there in no time.
Time for another wee break under the trees, c'mon, let's get the chocolate flapjacks out.
Fiona consults her map, frowning. She casually mentions: "do you know, I think that road up there is the Kirkstone pass, look, right up there where that white van is, we have to ride up there"
Me, waving hands Italian style meaning dismissal: "nayyy, no way, nobody said nothing about passes, there'll be another road, wait until I fire up Sat Nav again."
A touring cyclist, loaded panniers, slowly passes our spot.
I shout after him: " 'scuse me, are you going up Kirkstone pass?"
Him: " Yes" Me: "Is there no another way?" Him, still pedaling away: "NO!"
Now, incredibly, while Fiona's heart started sinking, I was still in good spirits, it really did not look to steep from the beginning. How hart can it be? Get in low gear, we can do most of it.
Hahaha! After about half a mile I had to stop for a breather, then of course could not get on the bike again, I was in too a low gear plus cars kept coming making it impossible to zigzag.
We had to walk it all, pushing the heavy bikes while the wind had fairly picked up again. My thoughts towards @MikeW-71 started to get a bit less fond ....
Never mind, I was still enjoying myself, the views were truly breathtaking: at one point I thought we had gotten to the summit, but it was a false one, it did get even steeper!
Taking a picture was a must: there's no way I will ever be back there again with a bike: one of us had to hold the bikes, apply a brake with each hand, or they would roll back, to take these snaps. Then we did some acrobatics to keep a hold of both bikes while the other went into the picture. Here they are:




Of course, we cannot miss out the famous pub at the top:


It was quite cold at the summit, without glancing at the Garmin I start the descent into Ambleside. There were two signs: one said Ambleside down Kirkstone, the other said Ambleside via "the STRUGGLE, extremely steep bendy downhill, blind corners, risk of ice, falling rocks, motorcycle crashes, not a good idea on a bike if you want to see you cat again" ... or something of that sort.
I had seen that sign, but had blocked it mentally, no way, but no way on earth that would be our route I thought, we must be meant to go straight on down.
My Garmin started to go ballistic, while Fiona joined it.
No no no! We should be down that way, look at all the cars!
I was of the opinion that we could have reached Ambleside by following the road ahead, but gave in to Fiona's better navigation skills and rode back up to the pub.
She happily hurled herself down the Struggle, reaching speeds of 40mph, while I walked the first, steeper bit, my bike skills are no match to that, especially when I'm already exhausted, I would have splattered myself after the first bend.
I found her at the bottom having a snooze on a yellow grit bin while waiting for me 
Ambleside, here we are, only four miles now to Elterwater! Yeahbut ... 
Garmin SatNav says go left, Fiona SatNav says nonono, we should go right because the map says Elterwater is there.
Okey Dokey, I stop some "rent a mb in the lakes" local van driver, they confirm that Garmin is right, actually what they say is "SatNav is always right!" 
Fiona is not convinced, she paces main street clutching her map like Othello pacing his livingroom clutching the famous skull.
So I try to phone @Fubar, then @annedonnelly, then @Rasmus. None answers, because, as we will find out later, there's no signal!
Eventually she agrees to follow me, right enough the road sign is clear: Elterwater, yiuppie!
We got there, Garmin said "end" ... but where's our hostel??
Fortunately, my phone rings, it's Mark: were are you?
We are at the Britannia pub, we are a bit lost. Come and get us!
He came on foot, it was 500 yards up the road 
Ohhh, our intrepid leader, we had a hard day!
He smiles knowingly, giving me a cuddle: I know, I know, so did we.
Everybody was already there, well by that time it was around 7pm: @DougieAB had cycled the Kirkstone in a go, @Rasmus had made his way from Bristol, @mcshroom had to conquer the Hardknott and the Wrynose pass both, while @bigjim opted to drive from Manchester with the bike in the car.
We were still missing @ShooglyDougie who had been delayed by work.
He arrived around 11, soaked, having cycled in the dark from Oxenholme station with no map reference, as his phone had gotten wet. He had found his bearings by reading road signs at the light of his bike torch.
To distinguish him from the other Dougie, we shall from now on refer to @ShooglyDougie as MB Dougie, for he favors trails, rocky paths and riding through streams.
Anne and Dougie had made a big pot of pasta, we had kept a big plate for MB Dougie which went down a treat.
It had been a hard day's riding for all, we passed the rainy evening catching up and getting to know each other for those who had met for the first time.
Maps were consulted, plans made, but tomorrow, Saturday, looked to be wet for most of the morning.
My Strava for day 3: https://www.strava.com/activities/587711665

Elterwater Hostel.
... To be continued ...


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## Fubar (27 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Day 3: Carlisle to Elterwater, in the lake district.
> Having had a lovely carbo loaded Italian dinner the night before, then a little explore of the city, Fiona and I had a wee lie in on day 3, till 8.30
> As we were waiting for @DougieAB, Mark @Fubar and @annedonnelly to arrive at the station there was some extra time to purchase more chocolate and cake for the journey
> Now, the routine we got into was to arrive at our evening lodgings starving, go buy energy filled treats for later, then go for a massive dinner and eat the treats on the bike journey the day after. Needless to say, our panniers got heavier and heavier with cake, and my cunning plan to lose some weight on this trip never materialized
> ...




Actually @ShooglyDougie arrived about quarter to midnight and had navigated by a public toilet app - no idea what he needs that for...

Great write up Pat!


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## Pale Rider (28 May 2016)

Fubar said:


> Actually @ShooglyDougie arrived about quarter to midnight and had navigated by a public toilet app - no idea what he needs that for...
> 
> Great write up Pat!



Aye, @Pat "5mph" has captured the slightly chaotic but fun nature which also characterizes my longer rides.

The account from @Rasmus is an equally good read, but he sounds much more organised - a proper touring cyclist who knows what he's doing.

Not something I recognise, but can admire.


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## Fubar (28 May 2016)

Pale Rider said:


> Aye, @Pat "5mph" has captured the slightly chaotic but fun nature which also characterizes my longer rides.
> 
> The account from @Rasmus is an equally good read, but he sounds much more organised - a proper touring cyclist who knows what he's doing.
> 
> Not something I recognise, but can admire.



I reckon a trip to the Co-op with @Pat "5mph" would be chaotic but fun, never mind a tour - @Rasmus on the other hand is still smarting at being overtaken by me (not to even mention my 200k AAA Audax...)


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## Pale Rider (28 May 2016)

Fubar said:


> I reckon a trip to the Co-op with @Pat "5mph" would be chaotic but fun, never mind a tour - @Rasmus on the other hand is still smarting at being overtaken by me (not to even mention my 200k AAA Audax...)



I have first hand experience of @Pat "5mph"'s approach to bike rides and I like it.

I also have first hand experience of @Fubar's approach to Pat's approach to bike rides.

Let's just say he can get a little cross with her, in a grandfather/grandchild sort of way.


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## Pat "5mph" (29 May 2016)

Fubar said:


> Actually @ShooglyDougie arrived about quarter to midnight and had navigated by a public toilet app - no idea what he needs that for...


Oh aye, now I recall, he was reading the maps on public toilets using his bike light, not the road signs. I never knew there were public toilets on top of Hardknott, don't hill walkers and cyclists both use the bushes?
Never knew public toilets in the lakes have maps either, we don't have public toilets here in Glesga, you're supposed to use the River Clyde.


Pale Rider said:


> I also have first hand experience of @Fubar's approach to Pat's approach to bike rides.
> Let's just say he can get a little cross with her, in a grandfather/grandchild sort of way.


You're mistaken, he means it in a sort of fearless, determined, audacious, all encompassing CC Ecosse leader way. 
We are actually contemporary in age. I know, I know it's hard to believe 

Anyhow, got a spare hour to continue with the tale of our adventure.
So now it is Saturday morning, our first day in the Lakes.
It is, of course, raining heavily.
The boys, not heeding the forecast of a rainy morning followed by a sunny afternoon, set out for a ride in their best lycra.
Us girls decide to wait. Personally, I could have slept the day away quite happily, but as per my usual perked up in the afternoon.
There is, in this tale, an undercurrent of woe: breakfast woe for @flyingfifi, combined with the mysterious absence of a salad. The absent salad was at dinner, but still ...
Her breakfast at Moffat came exactly as she ordered it. Basically it was a cooked sausage, some black pudding and a bit of toast.
She enjoyed it, but after she complained of it sitting on her stomach while riding.
Her breakfast in Carlisle I can't recall, but the one in Elterwater was to be memorable. Now, this is all hearsay, because I don't eat breakfast, I normally sit outside drinking a gallon of coffee while having two fags, but, allegedly, the CC Ecosse's table was the only one missing the fancy basket of toast (plus the egg was undercooked).
Wot? No toast! She says - after the breakfast is finished, the waitress is clearing the table.
Wot?? No toast!! She says again.
Waitress, who is also the chef, apologies profoundly, offers to make some toast immediately, our Fifi say no thanks. Whisper, whisper ... wot!!!! Nootoaast!!!! And no fruit either!!!! All the other tables got t-o-a-s-t!!! We didn't!!!
Our Mark @Fubar puts on his intrepid leader hat: give it a rest Fifi or I'm gonna find some toast and throw it at you!
A break in the weather, the boys are off on the road, while MB Dougie is away to find himself a trail.
I did some washing, some bike oiling, then the heavens opened again. It did not stop until around one. Fiona and I set out to Ambleside along the cyclepath we saw signposted earlier, while @annedonnelly resorted to the bus, because her bike was looked up in the shed, the hostel owners had disappeared with the key.
The path started lovely and flat. We encountered two mountain bikers that told us we would enjoy it, because it was lovely and flat (their words). A local lady told us it was lovely and flat all the way to Ambleside. Do not trust the locals in the Lakes: after not even two miles I was facing a mini Everest.
MB Dougie, who was on his way back from his ride had joined us: I told him and Fiona to go ahead over the hill, and took my time to get to town, where I had the most "Doh!!" moment of my life: who would have thought that "Gaynor's of Ambleside", one of my favorite online shopping sites, is actually in a town called Ambleside? Not me, obviously 



The weather was positively sunny now, I found a bike shop to fix a minor glitch on the bike, then I found @annedonnelly who was having a wander!
Then, having locked up the bike intending to wander myself, I found Fifi too!
We went for lunch, she had just left the boys who got soaked earlier on their ride.
@Rasmus had sheared the bolts on his seat post, so he had to buy another one.
Ambleside is a very busy touristy town, with some unusual to us buildings that we just had to take pictures of.
We also drooled over the bikes in Biketreks, where, for a laugh, I sat on their bum measuring device and where we saw an electric mountain bike priced £ 4,000. Well, it really was £ 3,999 ...

On the cycle path to Ambleside from Elterwater

Ambleside city centre






wishing well

£ 4,000 electric mountain bike!
We took the road back to the hostel, even Fiona had had enough of the hilly cycle route. When we got there, the local lady asked us if we "did enjoy the path, and, oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you about the big hill half way ... "
You don't say!
That evening we had a lovely meal at the Britannia Inn, the pub mentioned many times by @Rickshaw Phil on his Lakes holidays reports.
They could not accommodate us the night before, it is a very busy place, but we had booked this time.
The lamb I had was scrumptious, the salad missing from Fiona's dinner is presumed to have been similarly appetizing 
During the meal we started planning our next tour, it has been agreed for a couple of horses to add as support vehicles. The horses will be tied to @Fubar's bike rack for the time being, until we sort out the logistics.
I did only 10 miles on the Saturday, my recovery ride after pushing up Kirkstone, still don't believe I managed to turn a pedal that day 
I sleep like a log normally, but that night I managed to sleep through howling owls, low flying planes, Fiona falling off the bunk bed above me!
The next morning, Sunday, was to be an early rise again. An illustrious guest, @I like Skol, was coming from Manchester to join the Cc Ecosse for a ride!
Bahh - marvelous!

Elterwater Herdwick


Amblesite Herdwick
... to be continued ...


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## I like Skol (29 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> An illustrious guest, @I like Skol, was coming from Manchester to join the Cc Ecosse for a ride!


At last! I was wondering when you would get to the good bit 

Great write-up, keep it coming.


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## Pat "5mph" (31 May 2016)

Are you ready, my faithful readers, for day five of this epic tour?
This is the day of the flying toast, of Pat 5mph leaving the peloton behind, a day of sunshine, ice cream, marathon runners and boutique hot chocolates.
We got up bright and early, ready to welcome @I like Skol, who drove 2 hours from Manchester to ride with us.
Bikes out of the shed for some last minute fettling, I see a piece of toast nonchalantly landing at my feet. Toast? T-o-a-s-t???
Soon another piece flies across the hostel's porch, hitting @flyingfifi square in the boobies. Toast? Did you want toast, said @Fubar, here, I got your toast!
He throws another bit at her. As everybody knows, toast always lands buttered side down: this was dry toast, slightly stale, didn't land till it found its target in Fiona, who was never heard mentioning toast again - till we left the lakes, that is, safe from our majestic leader's wrath.

From left to right: @DougieAB, @Fubar in yellow jersey, @ShooglyDougie (MB Dougie) behind him, @flyingfifi, @Rasmus, @annedonnelly, @I like Skol.
@mcshroom is not in this picture but he won't escape my reporter's lenses for long 
It was decided we would do a look of lake Windermere, only about 25 miles plus a few more to get to the start and back to the hostel, while MB Dougie went off to find himself a muddy, builder strewn trail, preferably with some streams to cross thrown in.
Before we even set off, I could notice an undercurrent of willy waving: @I like Skol was doing track stands as a warm up.
I take the chance to tag @SpokeyDokey, who, reading on another thread, I have found out lives in the area. I wonder if we did fleetingly, unknowingly, meet? Did you notice a very slow woman on an orange bike with panniers on the day of the Windermere marathon, Spokey?
Oh, yes, the marathon around the lake: they were running one way, we were riding the opposite way, cones in the middle to divide the lanes. I am trying to be an unobtrusive cyclist, got the closest pass ever then firmly place myself in the middle of the road ... sorry, marathon runner who crossed me to head for the bushes, I did not mean to almost run you over ...
A brief stop at the ferry crossing where Skol treated us to a welcome ice cream - thank you Skolly! - then Fiona and Anne head to the ferry for more Ambleside exploring while I ride with the boys round the lake.
Now, "I rode with the boys" is a bit of an overstatement, the truth is that I tagged along trying my best, poor Mark trying to be as slow as me while I tried to shoo him ahead but he wasn't having it. At one point Skol tried to keep me company but I almost had a heart failure at going up a slow incline, so I had to tell him to kindly F*ck off because I can't slog uphill and talk at the same time. My forum name is no false modesty! 
All my energy was channeled in avoiding marathon runners, keeping an eye on the traffic, making it up the hills and refraining myself from stopping to take pictures. I so wanted to gatecrash one of the pesky runners water stations, it was right on the best spot of a panoramic view of the lake!
Our first choice for lunch was the Swan Inn, but as already said by Skol in his report, it was not opened yet after the floods, so we went ahead to the Lakeside Hotel a few miles further.
I missed the turn, rode up and back down a hill, stopped puzzled at the next junction, @Rasmus came to get me, so I had to ride back up, then do the hill again after lunch. 
Deja-vu for Rasmus, he had to do the same a few years previously on a forum ride, when me and another Belle I had brought along stopped to take a picture, then lost the main group at a junction and carried on the wrong way.
Never a dull moment when there's a Belles on Bikes gal around!

@mcshroom at our aborted lunch stop.

Skol

An exasperated Rasmus: Stop taking photos, woman, let's ride!
The Swan Inn was certainly swanky, real fluffy, single use, hand towels in the toilets. You dry your hands, then put them in a wicker laundry basket.
Scruffy cyclist are welcome in the (very posh) hidden back yard, but you got to make your own hot chocolate:


Going for a wee exploratory walk (and a smoke) leaving the boys comparing Strava stats, I discovered the chippy round the corner on the marina, complete with workmen lunching on chips, beans and builder's tea.
Ride resumed, the hills started to get a wee bit steeper, we were going up and up, the lake's views getting more scenic. The area around High Cunsey (I think it was) is certainly affluent, really nice properties and surrounding grounds.
Like I knew I would, I found myself alone at a junction, a glimpse of @mcshroom disappearing up a steep hill and they were gone.
I reasoned that, being the lake at my right, us going round the lake, if I'd taken the uphill at the junction it would either end in a private property, or the road would just have gone back down towards the lake.
So I rode down, to a "cycle path to Ambleside" sign, followed by a ferry terminal.
A quick look, nobody at the ferry, I start on the Ambleside path, back to the beginning ... simples!
I sent a text to our esteemed leader, telling him I was ok and knew my way back, then had the time of my life exploring the lake path, taking umpteen pictures, generally chilling.
Half an hour later, a phone call: where are you? I'm here! We are behind you! Really, how'd you manage that, I would have thought you'se are in front of me ...
We'll catch up with you shortly ...
Harumph! Cannae get peace, I'm no gonna stop riding ....
Half an hour later, I'm reached by Skol, then by the rest of the group.
Just outside Ambleside we split, some take the road to Elterwater, some the hilly cycle path,
Our two groups arrived almost simultaneously at the Britannia Inn, where we spent a couple of hours sipping refreshments and discussing the forthcoming EU referendum! 
All but the indefatigable @I like Skol: he had a brief rest, then went on to attack the Hardknott and the Wynrose passes, over and back in time for dinner.
Much kudos to him!
Some more pictures I took on our Windermere ride:






I left the guys in the pub well on their way to "6 pints???", a joke in the history of CC Ecosse, when, on the last tour, after a particular hard day's riding, some stayed in the pub, had 6 pints, mighty suffered next day.
Meantime, Anne and Fiona had explored a way for us to get to Grassmere en route back to Carlisle avoiding a massive hill. Great going, girls!
We regrouped at dinner in the hostel: a slightly tipsy Mark informs a super excited, muddy, bleeding MB Dougie (I rode through 3 rivers  we did 50 trail miles  what a downhill ) that after riding the (pretty tame) off road path from Ambleside he wants to get a Mbike, and would Dougie be his new MB buddy?
Promptly a magazine, "mountain biking for roadies" is produced: Mark is getting a green hardtail 29ner, full body armor, cask helmet.
He is not yet sold on a dropper seat post, he needs to find out first what it is 
Dougie promises to be Mark's MB mentor, eternally refraining from mentioning toast, while Mark promises to let Dougie use his phone as long as his own is drying up in a jar of rice.
Our chicken curry dinner cooked by the hostel's owners is lovely, while Fiona's mushrooms are not cooked, but she only mentioned this to me next day, when we were far away from our benign leader's ears. Least she should get hit by a big mushroom, I guess.
Speaking of mushrooms, @mcshroom had left us before dinner, as he had an early appointment on Monday.
His journey home turned out to be harder than planned, but as he went on tour soon after we will have to wait for his report.
Skol too bid us goodbye, heading back to Manchester, while we had some more banter around the table.
The morning was to bring an early start for us all, and would be the most adventurous day of the trip for Fiona and I on our first leg of the journey heading back home to Glasgow.
Strava of the Windermere ride: https://www.strava.com/activities/587711737

..... to be continued ....


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## Fubar (31 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Are you ready, my faithful readers, for day five of this epic tour?
> This is the day of the flying toast, of Pat 5mph leaving the peloton behind, a day of sunshine, ice cream, marathon runners and boutique hot chocolates.
> We got up bright and early, ready to welcome @I like Skol, who drove 2 hours from Manchester to ride with us.
> Bikes out of the shed for some last minute fettling, I see a piece of toast nonchalantly landing at my feet. Toast? T-o-a-s-t???
> ...



Brilliant Pat! Remind me NEVER to cook/give food to @flyingfifi, she'll only find something to moan about!!


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## ShooglyDougie (31 May 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> super excited, muddy, bleeding MB Dougie (I rode through 3 rivers  we did 50 trail miles  what a downhill )



Aye it was braw*. The whole weekend was great I had a blast. Thanks to all who were there and especially @Fubar for organising it all.


* Translation for @I like Skol so you Ken what it means this time.


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## Rickshaw Phil (31 May 2016)

I love the write up Pat.  Looks like a good was time had by all.


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## gavgav (31 May 2016)

Utterly brilliant @Pat "5mph" . Places I love dearly and wish I was there far more often!


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## Pat "5mph" (31 May 2016)

Thank you Phil and Gav!
I was going to write about day 6 now, but it will have to wait a bit, because there is lots to tell!
It was an eventful day for me and Fiona: the day was really hot, and ... next installment tomorrow


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## Pat "5mph" (3 Jun 2016)

Evening all, my assiduous readers!
The next installment of my tale has finally been born.
Is this never ending, I hear you ask? Alas, sadly, the end is nigh, we are beginning our return journey, soon the challenges of this trip will only be distant memories, for a short while triggered daily by various body pains, soon to be fading like the memories themselves.
A bit like birth pains I guess  and just as well it is so, or we would never go on another bike tour again!
Monday morning is another sunny day at the Lakes.
Our wee group, what's remaining of it (remember, @mcshroom, @bigjim, @I like Skol had already departed on the Sunday evening) got up early to catch their trains. Fiona and I were in no hurry, indeed our hostel in Carlisle would not let us check in before 3pm.
We exchanged sloppy kisses (our intrepid leader Mark @Fubar got two from me, like we were not to meet again for a lifetime, when in fact we will see each other again in two weeks time) then one by one we left Elterwater.
@Fubar and @ShooglyDougie were going to ride to Oxenholm station, @Rasmus was headed towards Hawes, while @DougieAB and @annedonnelly were headed to Carlisle station.
Us Carlisle bound had planned to take a different return route, the route that Mark had planned with RWGPS.
On previously studying the map (not me, I did not learn from the Kirkstone pass surprise by @MikeW-71's route, I was gonna go in it blindfolded again; Fiona and Anne did look at the map) another big hill was discovered, Red Bank Road.
Thanks to the girls' scouting while I was gallivanting around Windermere Lake with the boys, a slightly longer route passing through Grassmere was found, avoiding Red Bank.
I since then did Google map "walk" that road and can say I would not have made the hill on the bike, I also would surely have fainted with fear at the downhill view.
@DougieAB left first, not intending to deviate from Mark's route least he got lost, later we found out he got to Carlisle in record time.
Anne left soon after, a bit worried of not catching her train, but she too made it with time to spare.
Fiona and I ... well, we got there in the end, having had some minor disagreements en route, for which I blame the heat of the day 
For me this turned out to be the ride I enjoyed most on this trip, we passed through some truly picturesque villages, saw many stunning views on mostly traffic free roads.
This is the route we took from Elterwater to Grassmere, avoiding Red Bank Road: https://www.strava.com/activities/587711707
And this is the entrance to red Bank Road from Grassmere:


Grassmere itself is a lovely village that I would have liked to have time to explore more.
Garmin now loaded with Mark's route, we took the road on the left through country lanes to gradually climb towards the busy A591 while avoiding most of it.
One solitary tractor was all the morning rush hour we got, fantastic! It was climbing, but the pleasant countryside made us almost unaware of it.
Well, I say almost because Fiona never stops quoting her Garmin's elevation stats in ft. Lucky I only understand the metric system or I would have stopped exhausted realizing how much we'd already climbed.

The only way is up! We came from behind that hill, climbed up and now we need to do a short stretch of the A591.
Fiona: "do we need to do _that_ road???"
Me: "aye, SatNav says, but, look, it's empty ..."
... 2 log lorries, a fuel tank carrier, a tourist bus and a formula one car later we join the road, it's a long slog to the top.
We collapse in a heap on the grassy verge, across a farmer's house. He comes out, wants to chat, but we can hardly breathe. He is a man of few words, his words are: "You carry too much luggage ...."
A roadie is emerging, effortlessly, from the brow of the A591 hill. A lady roadie. A lady roadie my age!!!
I say to Fiona: "Look, LOOK at her, the barsteward!"
Fiona, chewing on a stalk of grass, eyes partly opened a' la Clint Eastwood in the famous movie "I'm gonna shoot the pants off you", answers back " Aye, but there's nothing to her".
Yes, nothing to her, skinny barsteward, nothing to her bike, she doesn't even break sweat.
I want to cry!
The farmer's house and our resting spot on the A591. Behind Fiona the hills we left, behind the house the hills we need to have behind us. This is very important, because we did not get it right first time!



From here on, @mcshroom had told us to follow the newly build cycle path off the A road, follow Thirlmere, then rejoin our original route at the C2C sign.
What we did instead was to enjoy the mere so much that we missed our turn, ended up another big hill on the main road, had to retrace our steps back up the hill before finally joining the C2C route.
The new path gives stunning views first over the A591, then along Thirlmere, culminating in a panoramic descent after the damns.
We should have turned right towards the B5322 following Dam road, instead we ended up Nest Brow 
I had a feeling when the Garmin was showing us going further away from where we should have been, but the sun impeded my communication skills, anyway Fifi wasn't listening 
Views from the cyclepath, Thirlmere in the distance:



Once back on track we were glad of the detour, @flyingfifi took some stunning pictures that she will soon show us 
One of mine:



Elevenses were had in picturesque Threlkeld: the village town hall doubles as a coffee shop, the area has some unusual stone walls:



Here is the route we took: https://www.strava.com/activities/587711800
I'm going to split this post because of the picture allowance, so ...
... to be continued shortly!


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## Pat "5mph" (3 Jun 2016)

After our coffee break in Threlkeld following the C2C to Carlisle was a bit of a meander, we got briefly lost a couple of times mainly because the Garmin started to beep "offff courseee!!!" when there was no other roads to take. Maps are good only if the roads are signposted!
Among roads of no name, the baking sun, Fiona telling an absent Mark "this is no place to get lost, in the middle of nowhere, you hear?!" we developed a routine: I rode around till Garmin was happy, then phoned Fiona to tell her to join me.
At a crossroads where SatNav threw a fit, I had to stop take this picture thinking of @User9609. Was he nearby, perhaps? 

Just round the corner from there was a row of little houses, if I didn't have to work I would happily live there with a dozen of cats!
On the C2C route:

A family of sheep, Mum, Dad and 3 wee black ones.






Back roads towards Carlisle, did we really cycle from behind those hills? We must have!



Here's a long one, we did not walk any of it 


We were looking to follow a disused railway line into Carlisle. This was a bit tricky to find, the entrance is quite hidden, looks like it goes into an industrial estate at first. It is a few miles after Dalston and follows the river Caldew.
Truly we could have followed the B road from Dalston, when it said 5 miles to Carlisle. The detour does not add scenery, is very badly signposted, the path very popular with dog walkers and families, slows one down considerably.
We are back in Carlisle, dirty, tired, starving in spite of the numerous snacks still lurking in our panniers. We sit on a bench in main street, drinking coffee, laughing, slightly sun burned.
Another ride done, new roads, more hills, a different challenge conquered again.
It was our sixth consequent day on the bikes, we were shattered, happy, looking forward to get home.
We won't be home for another two days, though, what happened was ...
.... To be continued


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## Pat "5mph" (9 Jun 2016)

Evening my readers!
I have neglected the telling of the last two days of my tour, maybe because I don't really want the tale to come to an end.
Once it's all told it remains for always in the past, a fading memory.
We did it; should we, improbably, do it all again, it could never carry the same magic, the same excitement of a first venture into the unknown.
Bidding goodbye to Carlisle @flyingfifi and I are heading to Moffat.
It was a warm day in Carlisle, we set out at 8am and soon were out of town, taking country lanes till Gretna Green.
It was our seventh consecutive day on the bikes, I was absolutely shattered!
Still, we speedily made the return leg to Gretna ... picture and coffee time!

Back home ... well, almost, another 100 miles or thereabouts to go. The sun is still shining, tomorrow would be a different story!
Rush hour on the NCN 74: "tractor, Fiona, tractor ahead!" ... "Paaatt, tractor coming behind!" ... and so on, to the rate of one tractor every five miles.
The day was quite uneventful, we had lunch in a secluded spot a bit off the path.
We had bought sandwiches the day before, and more cake, of course.
Between the heat of the day and the being squashed in the pannier, my sandwich became almost a panini 
Skipping coffee at Lockerbie, by half past one we were in Moffat, greeted by a treacherous freshly laid coating of loose chippings on the road.
A local informed us it was laid that very morning, just for us coming to town I suppose 
There was a village I would have liked to explore a bit: (Cream)Eclaire, birthplace of the famous poet Carlyle 
How do you pronounce that again, Fiona???





As we had made good time, our fastest so far on this tour our Fifi tells me, why not carry on and cycle all the way home?
Because I'm starving again, I'm sore everywhere, and I want a shower! 
By mutual agreement  we had an early dinner and an early night.
Route here: https://www.strava.com/activities/587712055

Show me the way to go home!
Last day on the road, our eight: I was severely flagging, soon Fiona was a fading dot in the distance, with my blessing I must add. I was feeling really out of sorts, was trying to get into a slow cycling rhythm along the exposed, steadily climbing B7078 but was not succeeding.
Luckily a fellow tourer that wanted to chat found me too slow, so I did send him along to chat to Fiona hoping he would slow her down a bit.
Nay, the two of them became even faster!
Meantime, the weather had turned for the worse, the wind had fairly picked up and the temperature became lower by several degrees.
Welcome to Scotland, hehe!
We had left Moffat no jackets on, had to have an impromptu stop in Abington to put more layers and extra socks on.
We arrived at the local post office that also doubles as a coffee shop slightly dazed by the wind, much needing coffee to heat us up.
Confused by a push button beverage machine at the entrance, I asked if there was a "real coffee shop" in the vicinity.
The woman at the counter looked at me like I am daft pointing at the big espresso machine behind her ... opsss!
It was too much of a faff finding socks in my well packed panniers: I put on my feet the first item of clothing that came to hand, my arm warmers 
It worked, warm feet again!
Our last stop before Hamilton is worth mentioning: the former A74 service station in Happendon. It has an unusual Trevi Fountain style water feature inside and a castle behind. I think the building that hosts the services was erected on the former grounds of the castle, but more research is needed to confirm this.
Here's a picture of the feature that does not make it justice, the light was too dull.



Back in Hamilton, over 300 miles since we set out!
We are so tired but exhilarated, we did it!
Bidding goodbye to Fiona, I walk the bike a few minutes to get my bearings, not being familiar with that part of town, then jump back on to ride the final nine miles home: I know where I am, I know it's all downhill from here, I know BigCat is waiting for me!
Suddenly the sun comes out, it is very warm again, but I can't be bothered to stop to take my jacket off, I just want to be home now.
Regurgitating panniers, dirty kit, I carried two tins of gourmet cat food and four toy mice from Moffat to Glasgow!
A tin of sardines, no fork to eat them with? Really!
The last of the chocolate flapjack that went all the way to the Lakes and back drops out from a spare pair of cycling gloves.
Back to work tomorrow.
The end.


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## Rasmus (9 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> We collapse in a heap on the grassy verge, across a farmer's house. He comes out, wants to chat, but we can hardly breathe. He is a man of few words, his words are: "You carry too much luggage ...."





Pat "5mph" said:


> I carried two tins of gourmet cat food and four toy mice from Moffat to Glasgow!



You met a farmer with keen observational skills...

Really enjoyed reading your write up. Thanks for taking the time to do it.


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## I like Skol (9 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


>



That's a lorry load of Irn Bru before you even get into Scotland. The distribution network once you are north of the border must be gargantuan!


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## Fubar (9 Jun 2016)

I like Skol said:


> That's a lorry load of Irn Bru before you even get into Scotland. The distribution network once you are north of the border must be gargantuan!



It's @Pat "5mph"'s personal truck, it follows her everywhere - didn't you see it going round Windermere??


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## Fubar (9 Jun 2016)

Great write up Pat, top effort! Thanks for coming along


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## Pat "5mph" (9 Jun 2016)

Fubar said:


> Great write up Pat, top effort! Thanks for coming along


Thank you for organizing and for being there, you know you are CC Ecosse's security blanket 
Mind, @Rasmus and @Edwardoka are ace leaders too 
So, are we doing the North 500 next year?


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## Pat "5mph" (10 Jun 2016)

I like Skol said:


> That's a lorry load of Irn Bru before you even get into Scotland. The distribution network once you are north of the border must be gargantuan!


Erm, that was in Abington, which not only is in Scotland, but also in South Lanarkshire, my local authority.
I'm sure South Lanarkshire starts around the area of Little Clyde, another area we passed that I would like to explore further.
Btw @Fubar you know that I am the highest media poster on CC?


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## Edwardoka (10 Jun 2016)

Great writeup everyone, especially @Pat "5mph" - almost feels like I was there!

Next tour... Have dates been suggested?


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## Edwardoka (10 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Mind, @Rasmus and @Edwardoka are ace leaders too


No leader I, at best a superdomestique!


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## Fubar (10 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Erm, that was in Abington, which not only is in Scotland, but also in South Lanarkshire, my local authority.
> I'm sure South Lanarkshire starts around the area of Little Clyde, another area we passed that I would like to explore further.
> Btw @Fubar you know that I am the highest media poster on CC?



No Stopping No Shopping Pat!! You've obviously not been listening to Glorious Leader, which cannot go unpunished.


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## Fubar (10 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> So, are we doing the North 500 next year?



Err, naw!


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## Pat "5mph" (10 Jun 2016)

Fubar said:


> No Stopping No Shopping Pat!! You've obviously not been listening to Glorious Leader, which cannot go unpunished.


Glorious Leader, you never said "no picture taking", I can now take pictures without stopping


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## Scoosh (11 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Glorious Leader, you never said "no picture taking", I can now take pictures without stopping


All very commendable but can you take pictures without shopping ?


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## Fubar (11 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Glorious Leader, you never said "no picture taking", I can now take pictures without stopping



Jeez, as if you weren't dangerous enough...


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## Pale Rider (11 Jun 2016)

Don't worry Pat, if you get to the Mull ride, I will look after the bikes while you have a bit of retail therapy.


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## Pat "5mph" (11 Jun 2016)

Pale Rider said:


> Don't worry Pat, if you get to the Mull ride, I will look after the bikes while you have a bit of retail therapy.


Yeah but, are there any shops?


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## Pale Rider (11 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Yeah but, are there any shops?



Er, well, don't expect Harrods, but Salen - if we take the short cut I suggested - has, um, not much.

But there is a 'well-stocked Spa shop', which might turn out to be a Spar when we get there.

http://www.isle-of-mull.net/locations/villages/salen/


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## Pat "5mph" (11 Jun 2016)

If I come there won't be any short cuts: I'm not build for speed for sure, but endurance is my thing


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## Pale Rider (12 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> If I come there won't be any short cuts: I'm not build for speed for sure, but endurance is my thing



Oh dear, bang goes my excuse for an easier day.


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## Fubar (12 Jun 2016)

Pat "5mph" said:


> If I come there won't be any short cuts: I'm not build for speed for sure, but endurance is my thing



Fighting talk


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