Day Seven
Monday September 17th 2012
Garstang to Patterdale
Mileage today - 58
Total mileage so far - 496
After a lovely night at home (best b&b so far on this trip), I had a great send off from the Square in Garstang. The Mayor, Mayoress, Town Crier, friends and family, and fellow members of Garstang Cycling Club all gathered to cheer me on my way, very touching! It was good to have four of my clubmates join me for the first few miles up to Lancaster and on to Morecambe. We had a coffee stop then rode along the prom, stopping for a photo call with Eric, Morecambe's best known son.(statue of!). The lads left me at Hest Bank to head back to Garstang into a strong headwind. That same wind was in my favour as I 'sped' along up the A6 to Kendal. The rain had held off so far, but showers were forecast and it looked like the heavens were about to open. A good time for a lunch stop and wait it out in the centre of Kendal. It did rain a little but I was not in a hurry today so waited for it to clear before continuing on my way. I called at the home of a couple from our cycling club who live in Bowston, in the hope of a coffee, but there was nobody there - unless they were hiding behind the curtains! After a quick visit to Britain's biggest bike shop (so they claim) at Staveley, all that remained for me to do today was ride over Kirkstone Pass to the Youth Hostel at Patterdale. Thank goodness for 'granny gears', it's a long climb up there on a heavy touring bike! The rain was holding off but everything around was grey and misty. After passing the summit, the long, twisting descent to Brothers Water was a pleasure until reaching the valley bottom when the heavens opened. I wasn't bothered by that time, hot showers and a drying room were only a couple of miles away. I had intended self catering tonight but there is nowhere to buy provisions here, so I'm at the pub again! I forgot to bring the cable to transfer photos from my camera, so it will have to be double photos tomorrow. Carlisle tomorrow night, not far as the crow flies, and another night with Joanna so hoping to get there mid afternoon.
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