Rothbury to Berwick

The final, 50 mile day of the cycle trip, heading north, sometimes on Sustrans Route 68.

Route: heading initially west to Thropton before turning uphill north west and into the cloud to Trewitt Hall, then north east to join the main road descending to Whittingham. Climbing to Glanton and beyond and descending to Powburn where, the coffee shop being shut, coffee was taken at a garage. East to Branton and then either fording/wading the river (Steve) or crossing by bridge (the others) before tracking the edge of the National Park north. A detour to stay off the A696 followed by a spin through Wooler and then another detour to the north of the A-road before sprinting to reach a sadly closed pub at Milfiled. On via the 68 to lunch at the thatched Black Bull pub at Etal. Afterwards a relentless, hilly B6354 to Berwick.

Conditions: initial low cloud and drizzle giving way to heavy rain.

Pubs: at lunch time, the Black Bull, Etal for bottled Hadrian Border Brewery Farne Island; in the evening the Barrel Ale House for Jarrow Brewery, Rivet Catcher; Hadrian Border Brewery, Secret Kingdom and Arran Brewery Dug IPA.

Newcastleton to Rothbury

A 58 mile, third day of the cycle trip cutting through the hills via Kielder Water.

Route: taking the B6357 to Saughtree. Then turning east on a minor road, shared with motorcycles, climbing very gradually to the border and coffee at Kielder Castle. Taking a wide undulating but sometimes busy road past the reservoir (the Moulton’s gears broke catastrophically here) and then country roads to The Cheviot, Bellingham for lunch. Taking initially steep country roads to reach Elsdon for tea at the Bird in Hand and then a long climb and fine descent into Cocketdale and a mix of climbs and descents along the southern side of the valley to reach Rothbury.

Conditions: a cloudy, greyer, bleaker day, even quite chilly at lunch time.

Pubs: at lunch time, The Cheviot, Bellingham for High House Farm, Nel’s Best and Allendale Tyneside Gold; in the evening, the Queens Head, Rothbury for Kelham Island Dark Moor, Jennings Cumberland and Brewdog IPA.

Wheyrigg to Newcastleton

The second, 52 mile, day of the cycle trip with Ian and Steve.

Route: fairly directly by minor roads, thus cutting out the planned route via Bowness on Solway, for coffee outside a Costa in Carlisle. After a short detour in the wrong direction, out along the Reivers Cycle route as far as Hethersgill for lunch. Then, Lois suffering from a sore knee, taking a beeline roughly parallel with the river Lyne to Bailey Mill for tea and then by the Reivers detour route across empty moorland before dropping into Newcastleton.

Conditions: dry, mainly cloudy with sunny spells.

Pub: at lunchtime, the Black Lion, for Corby Ale; in the evening, The Grapes, Newcastleton, for bottled Ringwood Boondoggle.

Whitehaven to Wheyrigg

A very flat, 51 mile official first day of the cycle trip with Ian Lyne and Steve Mitchell.

Route: taking a cycle path to Workington and then on another ex-railway on the Reivers Route Camerton and then by minor road to to Cockermouth for coffee in Brysons. Returning to Great Broughton and then climbing to cross Boughton Moor to Maryport for lunch outside the UKIP supporting Lifeboat pub. Taking an easy cycle way by a golf course to Allonby and then a tedious inland detour on the way to Silloth for a great coffee at Mrs Wilsons (kindly letting us in after the 4pm closing time). Then via rather squalid countryside to Wheyrigg Hall.

Conditions: warm and hazy but little direct sun.

Pubs: at lunchtime, the Lifeboat Maryport for Cumbrian Legendary Ales, Langdale; in the evening, the Wheyrigg Hall for bottled William Bros 7 Giraffes and the Birds and Bees, and Drygate Gladeye IPA.

Kendal to Whitehaven

A 65 mile ‘zeroth’ day of the cycle trip with Ian Lyne.

Route: from home via Burneside to Staveley and then the main road to Windermere (and the first puncture), Ambleside (for a cycle shop) and Grasmere for coffee at the Potting Shed. Then via Dunmail Raise and the minor road to the west of Thirlmere (the party splitting by accident here) before passing through Keswick and the C2C detour to Braithwaite and lunch in the sun outside the Middle Ruddings. A steep climb over Whinlatter followed by a quick descent and then a mid afternoon pint outside the Kirkstyle Inn in hazy, even misty, weather. Then a further climb before a fine long speedy gradual slight descent from Rowrah on an ex-railway line cycle path meeting Steve Mitchell at the Georgian House B&B, Whitehaven.

Conditions: warm dry with hazy sun. No views of the fells.

Pubs: Middle Ruddings, Braithwaite for Cumbrian Legendary Ales, Langdale and Ennerdale Summer Ale; Kirkstyle Inn, Loweswater for Cumbrian Legendary Ales Pale Ale and The Vagabond, Whitehaven for Eden, Eden Gold and Fell, Tinderbox.

Red Screes

A quick (55 mins) evening dash with Ian Rawe but without Lois.

Route: from the Kirkstone Pass carpark, out on the pitched path pausing part way to look for, and not immediately find, the alternative chimney route and so continuing to the top by the normal route. After a brief pause, back the same way.

Conditions: dry, hazy, a hint of sun. Warm for 7pm in September.

Pub: the Hawkshead Brewery being closed (after 6pm on a weekday), waiting until supper at Romney’s Kendal (joined by Lois) for Spitting Feathers, Northgate Ale.