Hesket Newmarket - Milnthorpe 52.63 miles. Good weather, lots of hills.
We found out from our B&B hosts, that Hesket Newmarket is the village of Eddie Stobart, who is still alive and still lives in the village with other family members. There is now also Stobart Rail and Stobart Air. They purchased Carlisle airport and recently Southend Airport. A very big business has come out of a very small village.
We left quite early and stopped for refreshments at the very well known Mill Inn at Mungrisdale. The countryside has been absolutely stunning. fast open spaces with the hills around, it was awesome. We then reached the A66, forked off for the B5322, cycled the westside of Thirlmere, then on to the dreaded A591 through Grassmere, Ambleside, Windermere and to get off this dangerous fast road we changed to the NCN route 6. That was a good decision as we were constantly on safe cycle paths or country roads right up till Milnthorpe were we are staying. We must be halfway by now. Good!
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Thursday, 30 May 2013
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Lockerbie - Hesketh Newmarket 50.38 miles. Weather fine, except for 3/4 hour with light rain.
Lovely ride to Carlisle. In order to avoid heavy traffic near Carlisle we used NCN 74, 7, and 10 which took us without any hindrance to that part of Carlisle we intended to head for, which was the B5299 all the way to Hesketh Newmarket. But.....it was very hilly. Up till now we never walked a hill, but we or rather I succumbed. What a monster. Those cyclist we saw coming down must have clocked 50 miles ph.
A bit about Carlisle's history. Recent history has showed that Flemish textile workers emigrated to Britain in 1108 following disastrous floods in Holland, providing a foundation on which much of Britain's textile trade was built. Since medieval times, Carlisle has produced textiles, becoming the fourth most important cotton - producing area of the country in the early 1800s due to the special qualities of the river water used in the milling process. Scotsman William Linton started Linton Weaving Mill in 1912, choosing the name of Linton Cumberland Homespuns Ltd. The Linton company started its life in Shaddon Mill, the largest of its kind in the country, built in 1836 for Peter Dixon, a cotton merchant who came from Whitehaven. The mill's chimney rose above 300 feet, and is still one of Carlisle's landmarks and cycling through we didn't miss it.
We are staying in Hesketh Newmarket, a lovely village with a green and little shops around. As if time stood still here. All the properties look very well looked after, quite the opposite we have seen in other small villages. We are of course no longer in Scotland but back on English soil!
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Lovely ride to Carlisle. In order to avoid heavy traffic near Carlisle we used NCN 74, 7, and 10 which took us without any hindrance to that part of Carlisle we intended to head for, which was the B5299 all the way to Hesketh Newmarket. But.....it was very hilly. Up till now we never walked a hill, but we or rather I succumbed. What a monster. Those cyclist we saw coming down must have clocked 50 miles ph.
A bit about Carlisle's history. Recent history has showed that Flemish textile workers emigrated to Britain in 1108 following disastrous floods in Holland, providing a foundation on which much of Britain's textile trade was built. Since medieval times, Carlisle has produced textiles, becoming the fourth most important cotton - producing area of the country in the early 1800s due to the special qualities of the river water used in the milling process. Scotsman William Linton started Linton Weaving Mill in 1912, choosing the name of Linton Cumberland Homespuns Ltd. The Linton company started its life in Shaddon Mill, the largest of its kind in the country, built in 1836 for Peter Dixon, a cotton merchant who came from Whitehaven. The mill's chimney rose above 300 feet, and is still one of Carlisle's landmarks and cycling through we didn't miss it.
We are staying in Hesketh Newmarket, a lovely village with a green and little shops around. As if time stood still here. All the properties look very well looked after, quite the opposite we have seen in other small villages. We are of course no longer in Scotland but back on English soil!
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Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Abington - Lockerbie. 40.2 miles. Still very cold, little sunshine, no rain.
We enjoyed the rest yesterday, also we missed the constant rain. When leaving this morning we were in good spirits again, had a lovely ride on the B7076 all the way to Lockerbie and mostly downhill. Abington is supposedly the highest village in Scotland, so no wonder we were exhausted from all that cycling uphill!
As we have never been to Lockerbie we wanted to take the chance this time to visit the Remembrance Garden. Here is a reminder of what happened. A bomb exploded on board Pan Am Flight 103, over Lockerbie, killing all 259 passengers and crew, together with 11 people on the ground. The design of the garden is quite beautiful in its simplicity and a large granite stone records all the names of those who lost their lives. There is also a visitor's centre and in their Dryfesdale Room is a large Commemorative Quilt on display. Again the quilt is dedicated to all who lost their lives in the events of 21 December 1988. The scene of the quilt is of the countryside with a tree in the foreground. The 259 leaves on the tree depict the souls who lost their lives. The 11 pebbles depict the residents of Lockerbie who lost their lives. The tree, underpinned by strong roots, represents the continuity of life, which reflects the way the people of Lockerbie and families of those who died, have striven to overcome this tragedy. The quilt was made as a remembrance of the twentieth anniversary of the disaster. The Town Hall in Lockerbie has a Memorial Window, depicting the flags of all the nations who lost citizens on that day. This year it will be the twenty fifth anniversary.
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We enjoyed the rest yesterday, also we missed the constant rain. When leaving this morning we were in good spirits again, had a lovely ride on the B7076 all the way to Lockerbie and mostly downhill. Abington is supposedly the highest village in Scotland, so no wonder we were exhausted from all that cycling uphill!
As we have never been to Lockerbie we wanted to take the chance this time to visit the Remembrance Garden. Here is a reminder of what happened. A bomb exploded on board Pan Am Flight 103, over Lockerbie, killing all 259 passengers and crew, together with 11 people on the ground. The design of the garden is quite beautiful in its simplicity and a large granite stone records all the names of those who lost their lives. There is also a visitor's centre and in their Dryfesdale Room is a large Commemorative Quilt on display. Again the quilt is dedicated to all who lost their lives in the events of 21 December 1988. The scene of the quilt is of the countryside with a tree in the foreground. The 259 leaves on the tree depict the souls who lost their lives. The 11 pebbles depict the residents of Lockerbie who lost their lives. The tree, underpinned by strong roots, represents the continuity of life, which reflects the way the people of Lockerbie and families of those who died, have striven to overcome this tragedy. The quilt was made as a remembrance of the twentieth anniversary of the disaster. The Town Hall in Lockerbie has a Memorial Window, depicting the flags of all the nations who lost citizens on that day. This year it will be the twenty fifth anniversary.
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Sunday, 26 May 2013
Glasgow - Abington 42.10 miles. Weather changeable and very cold.
Passed the time at Mac Donald's and left at 4 in the morning. Got straight on to the cycle path next to the river Clyde. It was a lovely ride, no one about and we made good progress. After this we got lost a few times. Signs had been smashed, over painted and turned around. The rest of the ride was uneventful. Of what we have seen, lanarkshire doesn't impress me. Wouldn't recommend it as the road surface was also rough and slows you down. We also feel very tired and a bit down. Knee is playing up a bit. We arrived very early at Abington and after this epistle we will sleep. May be stay an extra day. We will see. But......we are making progress.
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Passed the time at Mac Donald's and left at 4 in the morning. Got straight on to the cycle path next to the river Clyde. It was a lovely ride, no one about and we made good progress. After this we got lost a few times. Signs had been smashed, over painted and turned around. The rest of the ride was uneventful. Of what we have seen, lanarkshire doesn't impress me. Wouldn't recommend it as the road surface was also rough and slows you down. We also feel very tired and a bit down. Knee is playing up a bit. We arrived very early at Abington and after this epistle we will sleep. May be stay an extra day. We will see. But......we are making progress.
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Crianlarich - Glasgow 64 miles. Lovely sunny day.
We had a lovely ride to Ardlui for our first half, mostly going down. Refreshments at Ardlui hotel, we have been there before and it is lovely. We then headed for Balloch, all the time cycling next to Loch Lomond. Beautiful views and on a cycle path, so quite safe. At Dumbarton we decided to go further as we were doing so well and arrived in Glasgow. So many hotels we wouldn' t have a problem we thought. Well, we have been in deep trouble.....
There was an important match between 2 german clubs I believe, then there was the cup final in Glasgow On Sunday, also a river race between Glasgow and Edinburgh, a road running race, bank holiday weekend...and every hotel room had been taken. Also, a home exhibition. We have tried every hotel in sight, went to the police station asking for help, but they too were unable to find us anything. Went back to the main railway station thinking to stay there in a waiting room till the morning. No way, they shut the place down at midnight. We ended up in a Mac Donald, drinking coffee!. The security man told us we could put the bike inside and sit there till 4 o'clock. That suits us fine we said, as it will be light then and we will go on our way again.
Very nice of them. We shall arrive a bit earlier tomorrow in Abington. We have booked a room there!
We look at it as a new experience....but feel foolish.
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We had a lovely ride to Ardlui for our first half, mostly going down. Refreshments at Ardlui hotel, we have been there before and it is lovely. We then headed for Balloch, all the time cycling next to Loch Lomond. Beautiful views and on a cycle path, so quite safe. At Dumbarton we decided to go further as we were doing so well and arrived in Glasgow. So many hotels we wouldn' t have a problem we thought. Well, we have been in deep trouble.....
There was an important match between 2 german clubs I believe, then there was the cup final in Glasgow On Sunday, also a river race between Glasgow and Edinburgh, a road running race, bank holiday weekend...and every hotel room had been taken. Also, a home exhibition. We have tried every hotel in sight, went to the police station asking for help, but they too were unable to find us anything. Went back to the main railway station thinking to stay there in a waiting room till the morning. No way, they shut the place down at midnight. We ended up in a Mac Donald, drinking coffee!. The security man told us we could put the bike inside and sit there till 4 o'clock. That suits us fine we said, as it will be light then and we will go on our way again.
Very nice of them. We shall arrive a bit earlier tomorrow in Abington. We have booked a room there!
We look at it as a new experience....but feel foolish.
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Friday, 24 May 2013
Connell - Crianlarich 36.73 miles. On A85
Mostly sun. First half easy, second quite hard with some very long dragging hills. Also, the surface of the road was rough asphalt; it almost appears like a brake.
Stopped first for a break at Taynuilt. The second stop at the Cruachan Dam Visitor Centre. We were asked if we would like a guided tour and cyclists don't pay! But let me first tell you The Legend of Cruachan. So here goes:
The Cailleach Bheur or Bera (the old Hag of the Ridges), was the guardian of a fountain that welled up from the peak of Ben Cruachan. It was her duty to cover the spring with a slab of stone at sundown and lift away the rock at sunrise. One evening she fell asleep and the well overflowed. The water, rushing down the mountainside, burst open a new outlet to the sea through the Pass of Brander. By the time the Cailleach awoke, the water had flooded the wide strath below and drowned all the people and their cattle. So was formed the River Awe and Loch Awe. The Cailleach was turned to stone and sits to this day high on the mountain above the Pass of Brander.
Now for our tour.
We experienced an underground world on a spectacular scale. We were taken on a journey deep into the secret heart of this majestic mountain and were shown one of the hidden wonders of the Scottish Highlands - Cruachan Power Station. An underground hollow mountain and a place like no other. 1 km below the ground is a massive cavern, as high as the Tower of London, which houses enormous turbines converting the power of water from Loch Awe into electricity - sent straight to homes with the flick of a switch. A coach took us deep into the heart of this mountain, along a massive tunnel cut through solid rock. We were lead into a different world, so warm that sub- tropical plants grow due to the humid conditions. We were then shown the nerve centre of this station - the massive turbines are so powerful that they can create 100.000 kw of energy in only 2 min. It was an awesome visit and we all felt as if on set into a James Bond film.
After this we carried on cycling the 2nd half and arrived at Crianlarich at about 4.30.
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Mostly sun. First half easy, second quite hard with some very long dragging hills. Also, the surface of the road was rough asphalt; it almost appears like a brake.
Stopped first for a break at Taynuilt. The second stop at the Cruachan Dam Visitor Centre. We were asked if we would like a guided tour and cyclists don't pay! But let me first tell you The Legend of Cruachan. So here goes:
The Cailleach Bheur or Bera (the old Hag of the Ridges), was the guardian of a fountain that welled up from the peak of Ben Cruachan. It was her duty to cover the spring with a slab of stone at sundown and lift away the rock at sunrise. One evening she fell asleep and the well overflowed. The water, rushing down the mountainside, burst open a new outlet to the sea through the Pass of Brander. By the time the Cailleach awoke, the water had flooded the wide strath below and drowned all the people and their cattle. So was formed the River Awe and Loch Awe. The Cailleach was turned to stone and sits to this day high on the mountain above the Pass of Brander.
Now for our tour.
We experienced an underground world on a spectacular scale. We were taken on a journey deep into the secret heart of this majestic mountain and were shown one of the hidden wonders of the Scottish Highlands - Cruachan Power Station. An underground hollow mountain and a place like no other. 1 km below the ground is a massive cavern, as high as the Tower of London, which houses enormous turbines converting the power of water from Loch Awe into electricity - sent straight to homes with the flick of a switch. A coach took us deep into the heart of this mountain, along a massive tunnel cut through solid rock. We were lead into a different world, so warm that sub- tropical plants grow due to the humid conditions. We were then shown the nerve centre of this station - the massive turbines are so powerful that they can create 100.000 kw of energy in only 2 min. It was an awesome visit and we all felt as if on set into a James Bond film.
After this we carried on cycling the 2nd half and arrived at Crianlarich at about 4.30.
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Thursday, 23 May 2013
Fort William - Connell. 42 miles.
A few spots of rain, some sun and very cold. Before we set off we went to a bike shop and had new brake pads fitted at the rear. Just to be on the safe site, as we have used them extensively down the hills. We had to set off again on the infamous dangerous A82 and met many cyclist going the other way. They all had big grins on their faces as they are getting nearer their goal. We stopped at Ballachulish for refreshments, then went on the A828 and were soon on a new cycle path(no.78) all the way to Connell. The cycling on the path was really good, it went through woods, past Loch Linnhe and the wind was in our favour, n.w. Having had a day off yesterday felt really beneficial. The room we have in the B&B tonight looks out on to Loch Etive. There is just a road between us and the water. Stunning view!
Connell is a small village and is in the area covered by Oban. Oban is the gateway to the western small isles and ferry services will take you to and fro. Some end to Enders use some of the isles to JOG.
p.s. I just want to mention the wonderful fish soup I had for lunch. Lovely!
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A few spots of rain, some sun and very cold. Before we set off we went to a bike shop and had new brake pads fitted at the rear. Just to be on the safe site, as we have used them extensively down the hills. We had to set off again on the infamous dangerous A82 and met many cyclist going the other way. They all had big grins on their faces as they are getting nearer their goal. We stopped at Ballachulish for refreshments, then went on the A828 and were soon on a new cycle path(no.78) all the way to Connell. The cycling on the path was really good, it went through woods, past Loch Linnhe and the wind was in our favour, n.w. Having had a day off yesterday felt really beneficial. The room we have in the B&B tonight looks out on to Loch Etive. There is just a road between us and the water. Stunning view!
Connell is a small village and is in the area covered by Oban. Oban is the gateway to the western small isles and ferry services will take you to and fro. Some end to Enders use some of the isles to JOG.
p.s. I just want to mention the wonderful fish soup I had for lunch. Lovely!
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