Well the days and the miles are stacking up now and I'm into the 'borders' region. Lots of Roman roads round here. They must have been built to supply the forts along Hadrians Wall and Carlisle must have been one of the northern most towns of the Holy Roman Empire. Well enough about ancient history what about my backside, knees and elbow.....,I hear you ask. Since you mention it they are OK, surprisingly OK and really painful respectively.
Route today was:
Windermere
Straight into the awesome climb up and over the Kirkstone Pass. Jon Skipper, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my bottom for that suggestion. Ouch! But well worth it.
Down hill to Patterdale......feet off the pedals, legs out.....weeee! SHEEP! Brakes!
Left to Dockray. Just before the turn to Dockray I had a really clear view along Ullswater which was beautifully flat and calm. In the distance was the front on silhouette of a WW2 fighter about 200 meters off the water and the amazing sound of it's engine. I obviously stopped as it banked and climbed above me to clear Helvelyn. It had USAF insignia and I'm pretty sure it was a Mustang. Very excited!
Carry on up hill then right to Matterdale.
Cross the A66 to Greystoke.
Then back roads to Carlisle through:
Blencow
Unthank
Hutton End
Low Braithwaite
Stoneraise
Durdar then Carlisle.
I stopped a little breather along the road and was treated to a couple of fast jets playing tag overhead but the best of all was a low flying (it felt like I could see the rivets) military transport plane. It flew right overhead at a few hundred meters.
The less said about the YHA at Carlisle the better. Save to say.....give it a miss!
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