If yesterday was a bit ho hum-today was simply fantastic.
The scenery was to die for and the photos I have got do it no justice. You must come and see this area.
We were on the western side of the lake district and moved in just superb countryside.
And we arrived are staying in a castle !
Unfortunately my rooms wifi is not great so getting photos into my computer and then on this blog is very slow so will finish this when back in to better wifi.
The castle lands were first set up by the Romans, so that a long time ago as the Romans left Uk around 400 AD. the Romans established this site. The current stoned buildings are over 800 years old and some over 1000 years old. Loads of history of Kings and queens and highly connected families.
Well lets update.
as you know we have tinned the weather and I hope I am not tempting fate, but despite the poor forecasts we have today avoid the heaviest rain. We had rain on top of the mores near the start of the tour at Bodman but really despite being coolish we largely avoid it again yesterday.
Below is the route for today, so gives you a feel for the countryside if you know this area of Northern England. Although it says Yorkshire Dales national Park we were in the district of Cumbria. It's important for the locals that that distinction is made. I was disciplined for getting that wrong 😑 at what we called grumpy corner, after an assuming incident with grumpy driver at a backcountry intersection, but that is another whole story.
As you can see we had some rises, in fact it was meant to be 1130 m ascent on our software but actually was around 1530 so maybe one of our biggest climbing days. Electric bikes make this so much easier minnyou. Poor Andy and Gwen our tour leaders have to ensure the hard climbs. Wee are still averaging about 1000m a day climbing after now 12 days and we passed in time the half way mark at lunchtime where suzanne opened a card given to them when leaving NZ from her daughter, that she under instructions not to open until half way around. It was sweet card praising her mum for her effort. Suzanne I think is 72? and Crawford her husband is 74? and they are both going great guns as is everyone, although there is a degree of stoicism being shown by them as know there are various aches and pains amongst the group of varying magnitudes. Knees achesare common issues. Crawford had a fall early on which was a goodie (a low speed fall) and has massive bruise on his sternum where handle bars went into his chest. Know he takes regular pain killers for that but never complains or mentions it.
Below is the weather forecast for the day and days ahead for the area we started in at Lancaster and you could see the rain coming in, but as I say it passed really quickly and we didn't have a lot.
This is Andy at our Briefing which we did inside the hotel.
Andy is fantastic. He is Welsh, serviced in the army air core 9think I have that right) from a young age and his initial career was 20 years before going the police and working as a detective for 20 years to a very senior level controlling 300 staff before retiring I think 4 or 5 years ago to start this part of his career. Lovely person as his wife Qwen and both don't look their ages and have been simply the best guides and very profession and amazingly obliging. Andy served army time in Canada (large coming range for England in Canada, Northern Ireland thru the troubles which we now know quite a bit about from our visit there in 2019 to stay with Rachel and Luke and talking to locals. Lee -Annes relations who live there also reinfor=ced how dark those days were and very dangerous for police and army and even civilians in the border areas particularly during those times.
Leaving the larger towns is always a bit tricky, same today but we got on to quiet paths actually in no time today which was nice.
Briefing board for the day.
Little did we know that we were about to experience the most spectacular scenery. if you remember the Cumbrian Jugsaw puzzles, it was just like that and so much more, even under often grey Skys. Also the contrast as we got into the higher open country midway thru the day. Simply beautiful nd its easy to over use the word but we all felt the same. I loved it !!!!
More detailed map of what we actually did. You will see a place starting with s about half way which I can't get the detail of of with my eyes but that was a marvoulious little village and a very prestigious private school. The cricket pitch was right up there and the wealth's obvious. Was very pretty and as I said wealth was obvious. We had lunch is a car park beside on of the local schools.
These are the stats for the day after we finished
Quickly leaving the buzzle of traffic and busy life and getting on to lovely paths again as we go under a motorway
Photos from angry man corner, a crazy local driver who simply needed his pills. We still are dumbfounded by his behaviour
Nick on his throne
My bike
Will come back and add more photos and commentary , slow internet at castle and have some maintenance to do. I wreaked a front tire yesterday. Need replacing !!!!
Bracken like at home
starting the climb, stunning countryside
some locals
Having a laugh
Yes need these when it snows
This photo I loved of Crawford, really captured the colours
we are headed fro that gap in the right
What have you done with that tyre Lyall ?-had three of these cuts and simply don't know where it occurred, we replaced tyre following morning and also fixed two other punctures
Dinner that evening-and owner /manager played the piano in the background
Comments
Post a Comment