Month: June 2016

Distance 61 miles

Climbing 891m

Cumulative 927 miles

We knew today would be long with quite a good climb up Drumochter pass, the forecast was for rain most of the day so we thought it would be pretty tough- in fact it was one of the nicest days so far- just one big climb at a reasonable gradient rather than lots of shorter steep ones, and a fantastic off road Sustrans route for much of it on the old road.

We left our fun hostel in Pitlochry after an early breakfast , topped up with food for lunch at the Coop as we knew there would be no more shops until Newtonmore and set off along the B road- nice and quiet as nearly all of the traffic thunders along the A9. The route took us through Blair Atholl- full of coffee  shops and Highland souvenir emporiums but none of the coffee shops were open at 9.30 in the morning. Eventually we reached the Atholl Arms- a grand looking establishment but the nice lady on reception assured us that they could provide coffee, however the austere butler like figure that appeared looked at us very disapprovingly in our (admitedly damp) high fashion high viz cycling gear and seemed reluctant to provide us with the goods- when asked if they ran to a tea cake the answer was a curt “certainly not” , oh well we have been blessed with great kindness and support on this trip, I suppose that we were lowering the tone of the establishment.

Lowering the tone at the Atholl Arms

The Tilt river, full after the rain

We set off again and soon the Sustrans 7 route left the road and took us on a magical path through the woods- the remains of an older road . with generally a good surface and quite a steady gradient. Most of the way up the pass was traffic free. Our friend Rick had assured us that we would enjoy the ride and that we would hardly notice the proximity of the main A9 , a dual carriageway for much of the way but Rick was right anad with the trees and the slightly different routes we were hardly aware of it.

lovely woods

Lichen

We didnt use this bridge

Cycle path

Sustrans art

There were a series of signs on the cycle way warning of how serious the weather could be on the pass- we didn’t need any reminders as we had crossed Drumocheter a few times in winter in our younger days including one time when the snow gates were closed to stop people going over the summit and we spent the night sleeping on the floor of a pub (not what you think) along with about fifty other stranded motorists. The owners of the pub took it all in their stride as it was a regular occurence

As we got higher the rain got heavier but the main problem was the wind- a strong northerly driving the rain into our faces and making it hard work- harder work in fact than the slope. The empty old road remained perfect cycling though and we only joined the A9 right at the summit of the pass- a dramatic gash through the moutains  shared by the main road to Inverness, the railway line , the power lines- and our little cycle track.

We looked eagerly at all the vans stopped in a layby and thought that perhaps one might be a tea van as we were getting cold by now- unfortunately not. We set off down the other side of the pass but there was no respite as we were having to pedal hard downhill to mke progress against the wind.

Orchids

Battling the wind

After a few miles we reached Dalwhinnie and a cafe at last- the cup of tea became lunch as we huddled out of the rain, and then we heard the dreadful news from Birstall about the murder of Jo Cox MP.

Although Britain is a country with a low rate of violent crime compared to many others it is sobering that someone working hard to improve the lives of others should die in this way, we just hope that the spotlight will fall on those that preach messages of hate and intolerance that make this more likely to happen.

Rather sobered we set off on the last twenty miles- mainly flat with a few undulations along the Spey valley, along a quiet and very lovely road past the JacobiteRuthven Barracks on a striking natural glacial hump in the Insh marshes and the site of castles since 1200.

Ruthven Barracks

Mountains in cloud

The road then wound through the lovely woods and clearings of Glen Feshie and Rothiemurchus and on to Aviemore

we had originally planned to camp but when we saw the forecast we booked a place at the Youth Hostel and were glad to have a dry night after a long day.

15th June
0 miles
0 metres climbing

Almost 0 steps

We have enjoyed a rest day. It has poured with rain and we were starting to develop tired legs syndrome aftter 12 days pedalling on the trot. As we booked in last night, the receptionist, seeing that we looked like outdoors people was keen to press litererature on the local walks on us, however we had to disappoint him as this did not really fit in with our plans for today which has involved sleeping, washing and reading the paper… very restorative.

A wet Pitlochry

We are staying at the Pitlochry Backpacking Hotel, a relaxed place with a wacky decor and a group of really nice young people from all over the world working here as volunteers in return for board and lodging and all enjoying the Scottish Highlands and each other’s company. They are a foody lot and have spent this rainy day cooking a remarkable series of dishes which they have then shared. There are other visitors: German cyclists, French walkers, many like us enjoying a rest day

Resting up at the hostel

Every self respecting Highland hotel needs a few stuffed fish…

Even if they are all papet

14 June

47 miles

Climbing 807m

Cumulative 866 miles

We had originally planned a rest day today but the forecast was reasonable before heavy rainj tomorrow so we decided to press on to Pitlochry and have a rest day there before a very long day over the Cairngorms to Aviemore.

In the morning it was bright sunlight at 5.30 am , noticeably longer days now that we are getting further north. Our neighbours doing Lands End to John o’Groats were up and away early leaving a neat pile of tent and luggage for their support party to collect and convey to the next campsite. We were a bit slower but were on the road for 9am and set off on the first leg to Perth-  a couple of steepish hills but fairly short and then downhill through cold driving rain- we stopped to don extra fleeces , getting the temperature right when cycling can be hard- you can overheat going uphill but feel really cold on the downhill sections.

It was a clear night and the moon compensated for a night time trip to the facilities

Wet climbing up from Kinross

Barley and hills

Damp lamb

Down to Perth

We arrived in Perth , a small city with quite grand but dour buildings made from dark granite  , it obviously has had serious problems with flooding as there are impressive flood defences with substantial steel gates that someone must rush around and close when the river rises.

Flood gates in Perth

We stopped for coffee in a cafe in the recently refurbished park, the coffee soon extended to bacon sandwiches, scones and hot chocolate as the rain fell outside. the cafe is in the South Inch,  a really nice green space in the heart of the city.

Elegant Perth houses along the golf course

After a break we set off on Sustrans along the River Tay, through more green spaces that lead on to the municipal golf course- golf here is a much more egalitarian sport than in England.

We passed the Perth Bridge , an important crossing built in 1771 by the architect of the Eddison lighthouse , there had been a previous medieval bridge that washed away 150 years before . after the loss of the only river crossing the only way to cross was by a risky boat trip across the fast flowing river, at one time there were upto thirty boatmen but many drowned and are buried in the town cemetry. The new bridge was built after a long campaign , it was clearly strong as it withstood floods and an episode when ice upstream was washed down and jammed above the bridge blocking the river.

A Sea Eagle sculpture, Perth Bridge behind

The Perth Bridge

Lovely red sandstone of Perth bridge

We faced a dilemma of a choice of routes , the Sustrans route was a bit longer , the alternative from Royston Wood’s book seemed to be more logical so we opted for that- all was fine for several miles of good off road tracks and quiet roads but then it deposited us on the A9, busy with lorries hurtling past with a lot of spray in the heavy rain. We only had to cycle half a mile or so along the road but it was unpleasant and scary. We eventually escaped onto a quiet lane and the rest of the route was fine.

We needed to stop for lunch but fancied sitting somewhere other than on a saddle , ideally out of the rain. We passed public houses but no public benches and several bus stops but none with  benches or shelter, under trees with nowhere to sit and seats with no cover. We kept going getting wetter but eventually  were saved by the bus stop at a tiny hamlet called ‘Byres of Murthly Road End’ – we sat down for our butties in the shelter- and the rain stopped.

Bus shelter for lunch

We climbed over some more hills and descended to Dunkeld, crossed the River Tay again and then the route disapeared through an unlikely looking arch up the private drive of a grand hotel- Sustrans takes you to some unlikely places.

The route passed the remains of Dunkeld Cathedral , partly ruined. It was started in the twelvth century  as part of a monastery.

Dunkeld cathedral

The grounds of the hotel had an impressive arboretum , we wound through huge Seqoia ( Giant Redwood Trees) that must have been planted in Victorian times. The route continued up along the Tay on untarmaced tracks and then we were back on small roads, more up and down until we reached Pitlochry.

A Sustrans art wizard

Beeches by the river

Copper beeches and green fields

Forest clearingJ

Along the way we passed over the Logierait bridge- the only community owned bridge we have ever seen, it was falling into disrepair and the landowner closed it in 1991 but locals still needed to use it to cross the Tay despite the risks as it reduces journeys between villages by 7 miles. Eventually the local community got together to rescue it, raising a staggering 450 000 pounds and now run it – there are notices disowning any responsibility!

Logierait bridge

13 June

34 miles

Climbing 622 m

Cumulative distance 819 miles

We had a fairly short day today, we had a long chat with Glynne and Sue before they set off on the long drive back to North Wales and then had a very long coffee stop whilst we completed yesterdays social media duties that were hampered by the lack of signal at the campsite

Misty trees at Beecraigs campsite

The morning we thought would all be downhill to the Forth Bridge but in fact we hadnt studied the map closely enough- one quite steep hill got us warmed up before a gentle downhill into South Queensferry , we stopped at the local Tesco to stock up with food and sat in their cafe for a prolonged break uploading photos etc.

We set off to cycle across the Forth Road Bridge , the views to either side were stunning- the old Rail Bridge off to the right and to the left the new Queensferry Crossing-  still being built, a massive impressive structure with the towers disapearing up into the cloud at times- and on top of the towers huge cranes for the construction- being a crane driver here would not be for the fainthearted . We were rather surprised by how much movement there was on the Forth Bridge itself- the cycle way is bolted on outside the main roadways and very noticeably sways with every passing lorry . The bridge was recently closed for a while when cracks were found- not worth worrying about. We took lots of pictures of the construction although it was  partly obscured by the left hand carriageway.

Queensferry crossing under construction. Segments not yet joined up

Cranes disappearing into the mist

Segments advancing towards each other

Forth Rail Bridge opened 1890.

After the crossing we wound our way through the built up area of North Queensferry until we emerged into quieter roads and a substantial hill.

Looking back at the Queensferry Crossing

We stopped by the Town Loch at Townhill for lunch

Town Loch, Townhill

And then had a relaxed cycle up through hills, first grass then forest.

Hills South of Kinross

Forest lanes

Lane through Blairadam forest south of Kinross

Ferns

Water Avens

and down to Kinross, with fantastic views of Loch Leven and the much higher mountains in the distance that we cross in the next few days.

Above Kinross

View over Loch Leven

Down to Kinross

Above Kinross. Proper mountains blue in the distance

On the way through the forest Gayle spotted a lovely flower but couldnt identify it but with the wonder of facebook she sent her picture of it to our friend Chris who is an enormous source of information on botany and the natural world- within minutes we had the answer- Water Avens, so now we can post the picture and sound all knowledgeable and nobody will know.

We arrived in town  just in time to buy meths for our stove before the ironmonger closed.

The campsite tonight is rather expensive for basic facilities but there are some other end to enders with their support team and some very brown cyclists from the Netherlands who have been exploring Western Scotland and the Hebrides in perfect weather . The weather has turned much colder but this is a blessing as it keeps the midges down.

A12 June

41 miles

Climbing 840m

Cumulative total  785 miles 

Today dawned with with a scene familiar to anyone who has camped in Scotland at this time of year. It is not the wind or rain that can dominate camping- it’s the midges , Scottish midges are in a class of their own. They can reduce grown men to tears and anyone to near insanity. It is not just the bites- they come in clouds and crawl over your eyelids and into your ears and nose. They can supposedly detect heat and carbon dioxide given off by people and are attracted to them, certainly this morning although the field had some midges,  around the tent there was a visible cloud and they had collected under the flysheet awaiting their breakfast.

The classical Scottish camping scenario ensued- the tussle between a full bladder and the prospect of facing the hungry beasties outside. When we looked out and saw them crawling all over the tent flysheet there was a comment reminiscent of a scene in Zulu with Michael Caine-  “ Zulus Sir, thousands of them”  but without the cockney accent and with more expletives .

Gayle fighting midges in the rain

The needs of nature won as usual and we smothered ourselves in Avon Skin so soft – the secret weapon adopted by the SAS against the fearsome midge in preference to DEET- which works but repels humans as well as midges.

After another proper breakfast courtesy of Glynne and Sue we set off in the rain , but in fact we had a great days cycling-

Sue and the dogs in the van

Glynne making breakfast

Glynne joined us for the morning and the A road was quiet but had a silky smooth surface making cycling fast  and easy and the scenary lovely as the mist draped itself around the hills.

Misty green hills

Misty hills

We passed a lonely figure walking in the opposite direction in the rain- he was an American who was walking from John O Groats to Lands End- cycling feels quite hard work but walking the route would be much harder- in fact this was his third time, he had also walked across the United States – defies the imagination.

You’ve got to be hardy

We made good progress to Carnwath where the award winning Apple Pie Bakery provided excellent sustenance. We passed the intriguingly named village of Quothquan- Scrabble anyone?

On a treble word score?

Wet cycling but beautiful scenery

Glynne and Martin , lunch at the Apple Pie Bakery Carnwath

Pie awards

Along the way we met a Scots trio doing John o’Groats to Lands End,  they were travelling light and explained that they were doing “a tour of the Premier Inns of Britain”. Going up hill sometimes we see the attraction of this approach.

In the afternoon Sue joined us and we pressed on and the route became a bit more up and down (“lumpy” in cycling parlance) as we crossed the Pentland Hills.   We passed through the tiny habitation of Woolfords that was offering coffee in the tiny village hall but we were fresh from our lunch and didn’t stop, however half a mile further on Gayle noticed a distraught lamb stuck up to its shoulders in a boggy ditch in the middle of a peat bog-  inaccesible. Gayle cycled back the village hall where they knew who the farmer was and soon called for help to rescue the poor thing.

Hopefully rescued by now

Rams gathering their strength for the Autumn

A crow eating insects off a lanb

We then entered the low cloud and passed a series of wind turbines- quite eerily beautiful disapearing up into the mist.

Turbines in mist

Ferns and bog cotton

We passed through the new town of Livingston, a sprawling town but with an excellent series of cycle ways avoiding busy roads and taking us through extensive green spaces. There was then the hardest part of the day up some fairly steep climbs towards the campsite- Beecraigs country park, a mountain biking centre with a very well equipped campsite .

Pentland hills, Sue and Martin

Camped at Beecraigs, as far as possoble from midgey grass

3 cycle touring Poles from Warsaw arrived about 8, pedalling from Glasgow to London, enormous packs.

And so a final evening being looked after and fed by Glynne and Sue , tomorrow we were planning on a rest day but in fact after the last couple of days with them we feel refreshed and will defer the rest day and press on to Perth.

We didn’t manage to post last night as there was no mobile signal,  I think the radio waves couldn’t get through the mist

11 June

45 miles

Climbing 581 m

Cumultive 744 miles

Today looked as though there was a fair climb and we worried that the proximity to the M74 motorway would detract from the experience but we were pleasantly surprised- the motorway was fairly quiet and the landscape was striking. The road was the old A74 from before the motorway- hence fairly wide  , well graded with no steep sections and even some cycle tracks.

We set off from Robert the Bruce’s Cave south of Lockerbie after a hearty breakfast thanks to Glynne and Sue who continue to look after us, the tent was dry which makes life easier packing up even though the sky was threatening with the odd spot of rain. Sue cycled with us for the morning and we plugged away making good progress, we arrived in Lockerbie- the site of the disaster in 1988 when Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed by a bomb and landed on the town killing 243 passengers and 16 crew along with 11 people on the ground. Martin’s dad spent a week with other members of the mountain rescue team scouring the surrounding area for debris- a gruesome task.

Today however, the town was preparing for their summer carnival: floats going past and people in fine kilts milling around getting ready for the procession. We stopped and had a pleasant coffee at Cafe 91 and then pressed on passing the local hunt parading down the main road into town.

Sue and Martin in Lockerbie

The local hunt coming to the carnival

Floats getting ready

Several miles down the road we realised that we each thought that the other had paid for the coffee,  an embarrassed phone call to the cafe offering to pay by credit card was met by great good humour and we were told to forget all about it,  instead we have counted it as a donation and paid it into Just Giving.  

We met Glynne in the camper van for lunch and then he accompanied us for the afternoon, climbing gradually over Beattock – quite high but a gradual gradient allowing us to whizz along in a high gear  except when the surface deteriorated in places. Surface makes a huge difference,  we were going at 11miles an hour uphill where it was smooth but down to 6 or 7 where it got bumpy. We were amused at the sudden deterioration at a county boundary,  clearly one council was not going to maintain the next counties’s cycle tracks, worse luck for our bottoms.

We passed an unusual sculpture by the side of the road- entitled Toulouse ,  we didnt appreciate what it was meant to be until we googled it later- it is called Montgolfier Toulouse- clearly a hot air balloon- obvious when you know! It is by Stefanie Bourne, an artist from Brittany. When we were trying to identify it we read that Sustrans doesn’t know exactly how many sculptures it has or where they are, however there is a list and this one was on it.

Sculpture

The scenery continues to be so beautiful, hillier all day today, low near Lockerbie but getting bigger now. The flowers too are profuse. For every photo we take there are so many lovely things we cycle past.

Orchid in the verge

We arrived at the campsite in Abington in good time and not too tired today- it would be nice to think that we are getting fitter but in fact the roads today were kind. Also every mile today was a mile further north, usually we are weaving around East, West and sometimes even south.

Enzo and Patch, Glynne and Sue’s terriers

10 June

53 miles

714 m climbing

Cumulative 699 miles 

We started the day fully refreshed and Martin fully recovered, Chris and Cas looked after us and we talked late into the evening . This morning we had a tour around their estate, a wildlife oasis but also very productive, full of fruit bushes, trees and vegetables. On their birdfeeder there was a Greater Spotted Woodpecker which they thought was completely normal, they also have red squirrels in the garden .

With Chris and Cas

Chris in the garden

We set off and had quite a relaxed day- all of the height gained yesterday climbing Shap meant we had lots of downhill and flat sections. After a few miles we met up with Glynne and Sue , Martin’s brother and sister in law who have joined us for a few days , taking turns cycling with us and driving their venerable camper van.

This poses an ethical dilemma – we are doing an unsupported jouirney so still carry our luggage but is it ethical for them to carry the food all day and feed us with their delicious cooking- well we think  so. Tonight absolute luxury as Sue provided two full size towels – absolute luxury after our two miniscule towels we packed to save weight.

We cruised downhill into Penrith- an attractive town and market with established independant shops, and then on towards Carlisle. It was damp and we eventually gave in and put on waterproofs for the first time on the trip. The countryside was green and lush. It is an area much fought over as the Scottish border moved back and forth and there were fortified farm buildings and stately homes. Cows, sheep and a hare in the road

Fields of buttercups

Beautiful fortified hall

Lanes

Penrith

Penrith drapers since 1742

Sue gave us plentiful lunch including her gooseberry chutney and fuelled by this we cycled on to Carlisle along a cycleway along the Cardew. Finding the cycle way through Carlisle was slightly challenging but we eventually did and escaped the town traffic back into small lanes along the Solway estuary.

Solway estuary

We were amused in Rockcliffe by their celebrations of the Queen’s birthday

We had to join the motorway service road for the bridge over the Esk, small but with lorries thundering the other side of a fence and then to Gretna and the Scottish border

At the Border, part of Britain, depending on the result of the vote

 Then on another 4 miles to our campsite. it is called Sir Robert the Bruce’s cave campsite and is allegedly where he hid from the  English and drew inspiration from the persistence of a spider to sally forth and defeat Edward the 1st at Bannockburn and be crowned Bruce the 1st of Scotland. we will visit the cave in the morning, showers and supper were priorities for tonight.

Annandale buttercup field

Annandale lane

One last task tonight,  Gayle brought two batteries for her camera thinking that they would last for the trip but no charger as it was heavy,  Martin brought his charger but for a different make. With the help of a short length of wire,  some blu tac,  insulating tape and two matchsticks we concocted a device to charge the battery.

 It looks deeply suspicious and definitely wouldn’t be allowed onto a plane. With the propensity for lithium ion batteries to burst into flames we have put it in the entrance to the tent and will let you know tomorrow if it works. In the process we have discovered that just crossing the border into Scotland does indeed increase the midge population,  there are swarms of the beasties out there. A good incentive to have a strong bladder tonight.

Suspicious device

18 miles

511 metres climbing

Cumulative miles 646

Poor Martin woke up this morning with one of his awful migraines, he couldn’t cycle , indeed couldn’t really manage standing up. Fortunately this happened at Maggie’s who was a real star, was kind and looked after us and gave us the run of her house, even after she had to go out, so he could stay in bed.

Maggie and Gayle

Maggie’s lovely garden and view from the summer house

Fortunately too we had a very short day planned, although a somewhat fierce climb over Shap Fell. He slowly improved and we set out about 3. This area of the Lakes is lovely, gentler than the big fells further North and very green. The climb up Shap Fell was OK: steady, and we just cranked down the gears and snailed our way over. It is clearly a popular cycling climb as we were overtaken by several fast cyclists on road bikes, in some cases several times as they went up and down while we plodded up the once! Maggie advised us on a way avoiding the initial steep bank up the lane and we went over on the A6 with a Southerly wind helping. This is the first ( and possibly only) time we are planning to use an A road but it is in fact quiet, scenic and the alternatives are all much longer and fiercer.

Borrowdale, but not the well known one. From the A6 South of Shap Fell

The top was breezy and beautiful, the wildflowers here bog cotton and tormentil and the old Roman road running along the ridge.

Then the long downhill to Shap and left towards Bampton with beautiful views of the fells receding into the haze

And so to Chris and Caz where we have had a lovely evening talking about everything , generally setting the world to rights and being very well fed and comfortably rested.

32 Miles

Climbing: 404 metres

Cumulative miles 628

We had a very comfortable night with Griff and Jess. We were very impressed that they got up at the crack of dawn to go to the gym …. we stayed in bed until a reasonable hour.

Lancaster was a very cycle friendly town and we were able to whizz past the traffic jams on the cycle lane and down to the Lancaster canal. This canal was built in 1797 because the navigation on the Lune was so restricted by tides and it used to go all the way to Kendal. It crosses the Lune on a very handsome aqueduct built by a man called Rennie and has a nice tarmacced surface …. to start off with.

Aqueduct over the Lune

On the aqueduct

We stopped for coffee at Bolton le Sands with Carol and Arnold, Gayle worked with Carol in South Manchester many years ago. It was lovely to sit in the crows nest at the top of their garden and catch up with each other.

With Carol and Arnold

Back on the canal, Sustrans route 6 follows it until Carnforth and then takes little lanes, however a reasonable towpath carried on and so we opted to stay on the canal. It was very beautiful, green, full of flowers, birds, lovely views over the fells as it takes an elevated line contouring around the side of the valley. It did get quite bumpy as the tarmac ran out and the navigable part ended where it bisected by the M6. It does continue as the ‘Northern Reaches’ in many ways even more lovely as it becomes somewhat wild , the locks turn into waterfalls and the surface covered with waterlilies.

On the Lancaster canal

The locks become waterfalls in the Northern Reaches of the canal

Lovely views over the countryside

Herons

Cows

Looking down onto Holme from the canal

There are ambitious plans to reconnect this segment with the main canal network but it will invovle getting around several crossings of the motorway so a bit of a wish at present

Level with Milnthorpe, the gates turned into stiles, not bike friendly so we abandoned it and carried on on small lanes to Kendal and then Burneside where we are staying with Maggie, a friend with whom we went ski touring in Norway, 27 years ago. She lives in an beautiful spot and we sat soaking up the evening sunshine, bowling cricket balls for two small boys and admiring their snails over tea, all very idyllic.

7th June

47 miles

522 metres of climbing

Cumulative miles 596

We had a nice day’s cycle starting alongside Anglezarke reservoir, near where we used to go climbing years ago when we lived in Leyland.

Campsite in the early morning

Anglezarke reservoir

Rhododendrons by Anglezarke

Then some quiet roads and the Leeds Liverpool canal up to Whittle le Woods, really pretty.

On the canal

We worked our way through Cuerden Valley Park and into Preston along the old Tram Road- traffic free but with a good cycle friendly surface. The only drawback was again the barriers to prevent motorbikes- a different design to yesterday but too narrow for panniers so we had to remove all of the panniers at each barrier- slow work.

Unloading to get through the barriers

Much better design

Apart from the barriers Preston seemed a very cycle friendly town with well planned cycle ways and good signs.

We went through the middle of Preston where we had lunch in a friendly small cafe.

Lunch time

It is a nice town with some fine builings including the really good Harris Art Gallery,  and felt quite vibrant with street music, bunting and trees adorned with knitted decorations!

The Harris Gallery

Knitted tree decorations

Then back up onto the canal (pushing the bike up a ramp along steps which was hard work) Again the canal was lovely and people really appreciate these green corridors, people had built their gardens right down onto the canal, folks were fishing, sunbathing , messing about in boats or just sitting enjoying the place

Garden built down to the canal

On the canal

The final/part of the day was on quiet roads with silky tarmac but our legs were feeling the effort after yesterdays ride and we made slow progress, however with ice creams and cups of tea, we prevailed.

Sustrans sculpture

Barnacres church

Our speed has been very variable, averaging only 8 miles an hour on the hilly South West days or when there has been a lot of rough surfaces to 10mph on the smooth flat Cheshire lane where we were cycling with unladen companions. 9mph overall today.

The final stretch was alongside the River Lune on an idyllic off road track with lots of other cyclists .

We are staying tonight with Griff and Jess and their 2 beautiful cats. They have been really hospitable and it has been great catching up with them.

We are planning a couple of quite short days next, partly to visit friends in the Lakes and partly to give our legs a chance a chance to recover.