Fantastic Ride to Edenhall

I had breakfast at 8:00 and no sooner was up in my room did I get a call saying the man was here to pick up my luggage.  Fortunately it was ready and labelled.  Each morning is a little choreographed episode; dress in regular clothes for breakfast, hurry upstairs to don my cycling togs, pack my regular clothes, drop the luggage off in  the lobby for 9:00, get my bike out of storage and be on my way.

The Keswick to Edenhall ride was spectacular and leaves me wanting to come back and savour some of the other routes.  There are videos and stills for your viewing enjoyment.  If you watch no other be sure that you look at 'Lamb Jumps...'  where I almost have lamb chops for lunch.

Boardwalk  Just East of Keswick

Old Railway Bridge

Beside the A66

 

Lamb Jumps in  Front of Me

A Couple of Cyclists

 Mungrisdale

Walk around Penrith

Some Photos;

Keswick Early Morn

 My Bike in Penrith Churchyard

Mind the Horses (in College Grounds)

Blencowe Hall

Clearing Skies

The 'Quirky Cycle Barn' where cyclists are invited to drop in on the honour system, have a snack and drink, relax, read and rest.

'Quirky' Info

Cleared and Cool

I'm currently in the Edenhall Country Hotel which is the best so far. Had an ale and meal in the sunroom overlooking the garden.  Went for a walk and felt like someone out of a Thomas Hardy story.  Awaiting breakfast and my two major climbs today.

Navigation is now a breeze.  The official C2C is carefully marked with blue signposts and my GPS is flawless.  I've learned to use the map feature whereby I just keep my moving arrow aligned on the mapped route which, to my surprise, automatically scales itself to show the best detail for my speed.

The Route Map

View Keswick to Edenhall in a larger map

Next post will be from Rookhope on the other side of the two highest points on the route.

In Keswick, 40 Miles Done

Left the Quaker House dining room after our communal breakfast and had to scramble to get my luggage ready for transfer at the requested 9:00 am deposit.  The morning dark clouds rushed across the sky to reveal a glorious blue with the occasional white puff.  No need for the heavy rain gear today so I was into my tights and spandex and out the gate lickety-split.  Got the first interest in my helmet cam by two cyclists as I opened the gate.

Most people round these parts are hikers.  One can see them scattered about the fells with their walking sticks and knapsacks. I think I was the lone cyclist during my stay.

The route to Keswick, shortly after exiting Grasmere, begins with a long climb up the Dunmail Raise which I walked for part of the way.  Once crested there is a knuckle-whitening downhill run with my needed left turn off the main road at the bottom.  After that it's narrow, flat, beautiful and practically deserted for miles.  I was up in top gear for a long part of it.

The weather being pleasant, I had the helmet cam running but I managed to attach it upside down so I have an upside down movie.  If I find a way to invert it it will be posted.  In lieu, a small description;  moss and timber on the left, Lake Thirlmere on the right, deer suddenly running startled from beside me as I pass, flat twisty road.

UPDATE: Amazing what one can do with Linux on a Netbook. I managed to invert the video with a couple of command lines and here it is. It was my first live run with the camera so, inexperienced as I was, I only managed to take one video, that of the Quaker House to the intersection with Dunmail Raise.  Video quality has suffered a little as a result of the rotation processing.

Reached Keswick just before 11:00 am and milled about until it was a decent check-in time.  Just got my luggage transfer and zipped out to the coinwash and did a laundry.  Bicycle is stowed in the conservatory of the hotel.

The Route:


View GratoKes in a larger map

Grasmere - The (WIFI Deficient) Quaker House

I'm in the Quaker House in Grasmere and my gear is drying in the 'Drying Room', a cupboard with an electric heater and all sorts of racks and hangers. There are hikers galore in this region and I'd say that the vast majority are fit seniors.

I had a breakfast of scrambled eggs and muesli in Ulverston and checked out around 8:30 this morning having stowed my labeled luggage under the main staircase for the transfer van. I had to wile away some time because Gill Cycles didn't open until 9:00. I made a different sight all decked out in my most impervious raingear as I strolled out the town. Some schoolboys mocked my squeaking shoes.

Gill Cycles was very helpful. They had installed a rack on what looked like a brand new Trek for me. The two men in the store had just done the C2C and told me I'd love the last 30 miles of it.

After a little adjusting and fitting my pannier I was off, or so I thought. No sooner had I gone two miles I was lost and my GPS kept chiding me. A check of the map and some backtracking and I was realigned. I find that confusion results at some intersections because it is not obvious at times as to which branch is the continuation of the road.

The morning was damp and a heavy fog hung down over the hills like a fluffy blanket. I could see about 100 feet ahead and hear hidden sheep baaing on either side of the rock walls. The route out of Ulverston followed some very tough uphill climbs and I had to walk the bike with heart pounding. Was this a mistake? But then my reward; miles of screaming downhills with brakes squealing.

I had one more misstep at Elterwater where I turned off to the route which was only suitable for mountain bikes and again I had to backtrack. It was all straightforward after that. Red Bank, or as I will call it in future, the Cumbrian Alps, was another walked climb but the reward on the other side was heralded by the sign 'Cyclists Check Brakes Here'! … and believe me you had better.

Clocked just under 30 miles (29.84) which means I wasted about 3 miles on my errors. The GPS is invaluable and I have learned to trust it rather than my guesses.

I picked up my luggage in the main reception here a few minutes ago alleviating my anxiety about the transfer. Lan would understand.

This is the building in which my room was located;

This little guy was very vocal just outside my bedroom;

 Went for a small walk before retiring.

This is the one inn in which my dinner is included so I will be partaking of a three course Quaker dinner at 7:00. Then I'll have a good rest in preparation for tomorrow's leg to Keswick. I don't have WIFI here so this will be posted from Keswick.
Dinner and breakfast were communal and the place was full.  Camembert, salmon, leeks, peas, carrots, potatoes and a strawberry mousse for me.  Scrambled and hash browns for breakie.
Drivers are very considerate; practically stopping when they approach me on one of the tiny roads and cautiously passing if coming from behind. Driving on the left has become second nature with me.
The route, including a couple of my erroneous offshoots and backtracks (I forgot to turn the GPS back on at Coniston but the waypoints are shown);

View UlvGras in a larger map

Starting Line

I've made it to Ulverston by train and coach within the last hour.  It is very drizzly but not cold.
Here is the route we took;


View Made it to Ulverston in a larger map


One of my biggest concerns was what sort of carry facility was provided on the bike so, as soon as I dropped off my luggage I scooted over to Gill Cycles to see them.  I brought one of my panniers and they are going to install a rack on the otherwise bare bicycle.  It did have a little underseat bag but I have a little more things to hold.


As for those delicious sandwiches;  here's an ingredient list from one I purchased at the Manchester Rail Station;


(You can click on them to see them full size)

Last Morning in Manchester

My bags are packed and I await the opening of my last breakfast time at the Ascott Hotel.

Yesterday was a blustery damp mix of drizzle, fog and downpour through which I walked to and from the Trafford Centre, a total distance of approximately 5k.  Despite the weather it was a pleasant walk.

Crossed this waterway with its typical Mancunian brick service building and the Barton Swing Aqueduct.  I saw charming little footpaths which, had it not been raining, I might have explored.

This was all in deep contrast to what eventually emerged on my horizon; an immense, gaudy, domed, sprawling complex in the style of faux sophistication found in Las Vegas; The Trafford Centre.

Saturday Wandering

Canal Street, Velvet Restaurant

Near Lowry and the War Museum

Took in the Imperial War Museum North today.  It's located in one of those river areas loaded with hypermodern architecture. A pedestrian lift bridge, the Lowry Centre, glass and high-tech...

The day started cold and rainy but weather is extremely variable here; one moment warm and sunny, five minutes of cloud and mist, heavy rain, high wind, then calm again.

Went down to Canal Street to have a lovely sandwich and salad at Velvet, then I popped over to the train station to purchase my ticket to Ulverston.

I've got a temporary 'buddy'. A somewhat drunk fellow who has been in the city for 8 days and who, as I do, takes the free shuttle buses, chatted me up yesterday.  Today he boarded the same bus I was on and sat beside me and chatted again.

I'm planning a little jaunt to the local monster mall which is 2k from Eccles.  Think I'll see 'Source Code' tomorrow to stay off my feet.

Wet Ride

Good thing I bought and brought good rain gear.  The forecasts for the area show rain and showers for the next week.  It may put a damper on taking road movies as I don't want to test the water resistance of my helmet cam just yet.

Spent most of my time yesterday at the Museum of Science and Industry which is spread over six buildings and many floors.  My footsies are tired despite the Dr. Scholls Inserts I stuck in my shoes.

Waiting for breakfast time (8:30 on weekends) which is in a little less than an hour.  I'm starved, and speaking of food, these Brits know how to make takeaway sandwiches.  I remember how good the selection was on previous trips and this one doesn't disappoint.  Even Heathrow has a shop which sells Just Made sandwiches made by Pret.  They're all made in a nearby kitchen out of local ingredients. They don't have a shelf life because any left over are given to local charities at end of day.

Today I'm off to the Tourist Information Centre to see what I can find that doesn't involve walking for six hours.  Then a big meal somewhere on Canal Street.

Technical note: my iMac wasn't sending its video stream yesterday so I managed to reboot by VNC to my MINI and then SSH to the iMac.  Convoluted but it worked.  Reminds me of the trip where my bank didn't accept foreign online banking connections and I had to X Window to work and Netscape remotely to make it think it was sending to Canada.