John O'Groats to Lands End JOGLE - Cycling from Carlisle to Shap avoiding the main roads - with map |
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JOGLE route - Carlisle to ShapDay 11 of my end to end cycle ride
I'd had a lot of thoughts about taking a day off at some stage during my cycle ride, but as I was seemingly doing so well and far better than I'd expected, I decided against this and went for a shorter day instead. I decided that Shap, a 30 mile 'trot' (!!!) would be good, a nice town in nice surroundings and what appeared to be a good independent Hostel. I booked it up the night before, so I had a relaxing day to look forward to. It was also the first day where I decided I would avoid the busier roads as much as possible and had re-routed a few bits the night before. Once again good fortune was with me, my Carlisle B&B left me with a short half mile ride through some residential area where I could then follow the Lane's through Brisco, and Caithwaite down to Penrith. Upon entering Penrith I found a Cycle Shop and went in to buy a new wing Mirror. I was confronted with a very professional looking set up with a Working area where four employees were going about their business of building bikes. One there was £3,500 and could be lifted with one finger. The chap there said that one of the employees had cycled LEJOG the year before in three and a half days and Penrith was the residence of the chap who held the record (he cycled Lands End to Moffat on the first day!!). Also, there's a 98 year old chap there who gave up cycling last year, but has replaced it with an Electric one!!. The scenery once again changes and after leaving Penrith you start the gentle climb on the A6 to Shap itself, a one road town with some very characteristic Cumbrian houses and shops. I sat outside a Cafe and met a couple who had recently retired, brought a Harley Davidson and when they felt like it, put the tent on the back and saw where the roads took them. I like that! The Independent Hostel I stayed at was brilliant, it's split into two, one part Dorms and the other B&B., I took the B&B option and in the process got asked if I'd like an evening meal at £7 with all produce from the Farm behind. I took up that invitation, had a Pie with Veg followed by Sticky Toffee Pudding, what a feast that was. It was a day of characters and sharing the Dinner Table with me were some folk doing the Coast to Coast walk, one being an Australian who walked the bits he wanted and took a Taxi on the others. He was telling me that before he moved down under, he was a Manager on the road building Team to the south of Shap and if I fell off, it would be down to him, but he'd be long gone because the next bit was a taxi bit! It was another enjoyable day made all the better for it being a relaxed one giving me time to sit down on the sides of some lovely Cumbrian Lanes, watch the world go by and have a thought or two. Navigation for the following day could wait and I took the advice of the Scottish Chap in Golspie who said, after me asking what he was doing that afternoon, "I forget, but whatever it is, I'll do it tomorrow'! Tweet |
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