A 40km cycle ride for a lateish lunch.Route: leaving the cottage and heading north towards Cockermouth but turning right to go via High Armaside and Strawberry How and then passing the Swan on Kirkgate and left along Market Street and then High Street to turn right up Gote Brow and left on Papcastle Road. Here joining the Sustrans S71 route. Passing through Great Broughton (after a steep ascent) and then along a quiet road to Camerton with mild peril induced by passing road closure signs and the roadworks at the very end (easily passable by bike). Another steep ascent into Camerton and then left along a narrow tarmac road towards the (unseen) River Derwant and then pushing along 50m of footpath to push across the reinstated (post-2009 floods) footbridge. Then steeply uphill to a busy sunny, family-filled playground (and mining memorial) at Great Clifton and a half of lager at the fancy but real ale-free Old Ginn House. Then via Little Clifton to Dean for lunch. Afterwards, back the quickest way via Pardshaw and Brandlingill.
Conditions: a day of hot sunshine (forecast to reach 20C) but with intermittent cloud and, at one point, the look of thunder 20 miles away.
Pub: the Old Ginn House for half pints of Stella Artois; the Royal Yew, Dean for Ennerdale Brewery Royal Yew Blonde and lunch.
