Breakfast in the ‘downstairs’ part of this elegant house. It was lovely and we did our best before setting off to walk into York.

York - looking towards the Minster

First stop a tour of the York Minster; built between 1291 and 1350, it is magnificent. Huge pillars hold a lofty soaring ceiling, but it is still very light and spacious, with magnificent carvings and stained glass windows. Enjoyed the tour with a local who had a very dry wit. Then we climbed the 275 tiny twisting stairs up an ever narrowing turret to get to the top of the tower where we could walk around outside. A long way down, but a view for miles.

Tight steps in the Minster

Down again to the ‘Undercroft’ where there was a fascinating display of the structure and archaeology. In the 1990s when they had to do some urgent underpinning of the tower, they discovered the site of the early Roman fortress in the area (70-300AD), then the Viking remnants, and finally the earliest Norman presence. Fascinating. At the end of all that was the original York Gospel, AD 1000. Wow!

Nice to emerge into the sunshine and have quite a lengthy walk along the top of the old city walls, from Petersgate to Monks gate. Some quite intimate views into back gardens and buildings. Finally a last stroll through the ‘Shambles’, the network of little streets with the original tiny medieval shops. Not a McDonalds or Westfield shopping center to be had in this town!  Great ice creams, the rhubarb one was the best.

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Michael Bentley

Kerri-Ann Smith

Pat Lehane

Simon Maddison

Peter Mathews

Martin Pearson

Danny Rock

Barry Stevenson

A few others are shown below

Jean-Gualbert Faburel

Judith Swallow

David Minter

Julian Dyson

Susan Otcenas

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Up to have another hearty English breakfast in our room, then pack and on the bikes. A cooler day thank goodness, but fine as we did our last ride along the lakeside. Then the climb up to Kirkstone pass! It was lovely going past all the farms, then it got higher and steeper and wilder looking. We pushed the bikes up the last steep bit to the 1348m mark (have done a bit of laden bike pushing – P), and, behold – a pub at the top! It was quite cool by now so we rushed in and revived ourselves with coffee and hot buttered teacakes, spread with homemade rum butter and jam.

Pub offers beer and got buttered tea cake with tea or coffee too

What a great rush down the other side, into the green valleys again until we reached Lake Ullswater. Suddenly we were diverted by the ‘Steamer’ sign and in no time were sitting in the bows, gliding over the glassy water, admiring the fells, the camping grounds and number of people out walking the steep paths. From the end, it was lovely riding through pretty farming country and tiny villages to Penrith.

Ullswater ferries abound

Wind swept tourist on Ullswater

Next adventure, train to Carlisle (10 min) change to go to Newcastle, then change for last leg to Durham. Enjoying the train trips, they are very smooth and comfortable. Then on the bikes to find the Moor End B&B, dinner at the local pub (good Pimms) and sleep well.

The room there was on the 3rd floor, up under the eaves, and filled with decorative glassware, mirror ware, welcome and love signs. Breakfast next morning was in over decorated room with red and white chintz everywhere, but it was the best hot English breakfast yet, with, oh joy, a pot of real coffee. Debbie and Martin were the nicest people.

Big trains! Fast and comfortable

Local trains are excellent too

Then, the bus to Durham and what an amazing sight to see the castle and cathedral rising above the trees on the high ground up from the river. Those buildings and their immediate vicinity are now UNESCO World Heritage classified and it is spectacular. William the Conqueror started building the castle in 1072. The cathedral was built in an amazing 40 years and finished in 1096, then additions were made over the centuries. It is vast inside, soaring 66m high, massive pillars, wonderful windows, 2m thick walls. Glad we had the guided tour to learn more about it.

A short break then on to see the Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition in the University Library. The Gospels were completed sometime around 800AD so it was wonderful to see them in an exhibition which put them in context with the history, and Durham at the time.

Publicity logo for Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition

Had time for lunch, then a guided tour of the Castle. What a marvelous place – it now belongs to the University and students can board there. One of the students was our tour guide, she was excellent. The ancient choir stalls in the chapel were the setting for the Gringotts bank in one of the Harry Potter films.

Topped off the day by going back to the Cathedral in the evening to see a performance of “The Sixteen”. They are a group of world famous Medieval choristers and Peter was beside himself that we could get tickets for 10 pounds each. Sitting in that wonderful building, listening to such pure singing was spine tingling. Celebrated with a fine Italian meal, then rushed to catch the last bus back.

Jane

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A rest day and wander around Ambleside day for Jane. Peter set off to ride up the Kirkstone Pass which is our route to Penrith tomorrow. Our host and hostess had warned us it was steep, even the local maps had named the last section ‘The Struggle’. When he returned it was obvious that it would not be a route for us with our bags. Good to have time to work out an alternative route.

Armit Library, Ambleside

So we strolled into our little village again and spent an hour at the Armitt museum and gallery. There was a wonderful Beatrix Potter exhibition of her early life. She was a very talented botanical illustrator and prepared a paper on fungi for presentation to the Linnean Society. She also supported the work of local archaeologists as they excavated an ancient Roman fort here. It was occupied until 370AD. Some artefacts from there were on display. Then, we really enjoyed the upstairs library, lots of lovely oak furniture, old books and an early copy on vellum of a King James bible (17th century). I was amazed at the huge size of it.

Looking down The Struggle - it was!

Hot day by now, last dinner outside at the Glass House, watching the birds, then people on the roof. The English!

Jane

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Slept well, bit still wake up soon after 6.00am because it is so light. Had a good breakfast in our room and set off to ride the unladen bikes to Lake Grasmere. 

Road a bit busy but countryside is gorgeous. After several stops for photos, we reached Dove Cottage, the home of William Wordsworth, his sister Dorothy, then his wife Mary and 3 of their 4 children. He used to walk in the country, or sit in the garden and compose his poems in his head. Then he would come on and dictate them to Dorothy or Mary, because he hated the handwriting process. Then there was the editing. It is amazing such a tiny 17thcentury little stone cottage still exists.

Home made Dursley Pedersen clone

Spotted this very homemade Dursley clone at Dove Cottage. Obviously well used – P

Dove Cottage

After lunch at the cafe there we rode on and up and up until we reached the Drunken Duck pub at the top of the hill. It was time for a welcome pot of tea and rest in the shade. I was surprised at how warm and humid it had become.

We pressed on and up and finally reached Hill Top Farm, where Beatrix Potter used to live. She left the cottage and its furnishings to the National Trust, so it is a gorgeous little time capsule from the early 20th century. (Actual building is 17th century).

Hills near the Drunken Duck

The garden was lovely and there were bunny rabbits in the home field much to the delight of all the Japanese tourists. A generation ago Japanese children were taught to read English from BPs little books.

Finally, we sped down the last hills to Hawkshead where we caught the ferry across the lake to Bowness-on-Windemere. Peter was strong and decided to ride all the way back. I was tired and caught the next ferry back to Ambleside. He got back first!  Only a 40k day of riding forJane.

We went out to dinner at a different restaurant; nice,but the Pimms wasn’t as good as the Glass House the previous night. Really enjoy the walk up the hill through the woods to The Howes B & B.

Woodland approach to Howes b&b.

Jane

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Up and away in good time after another hearty breakfast and my first taste of black pudding. Not a breakfast taste for me. (Or me, but I have since had it in a derlicious risotto, P)

Rode the 30 kms to Windermere, but the road got narrower and the traffic got heavier, so we moved on to plan B and caught the boat up the lake to Ambleside. Best decision, only 25 minutes, not long enough, it was calm and superb. The Lake is 12 miles long and a mile across at the widest point. It is dotted with little islands, was that Wildcat Island?  It was good having a commentary to point out the amazing pikes and fells and high peaks – all such incredible shapes.

On lake Windemere

As we were negotiating our way up the steep hill through Ambleside, we were hailed by a cyclist wearing the same Australian Audax cycling jersey as Peter! It was Julian who lives here and had been to Melbourne to do the GSR last year. There was a lot of chortling, they will meet again on the LEL.

The Howes BnB here is lovely with a beautiful garden and a magnificent dogwood in full bloom at the front door.  It is on a quiet little road, we saw little robin redbreasts when we were walking in to go to dinner. Ambleside is amazing, lots of old slate colored stone buildings. Had a wonderful meal and bottle of Spanish white in the courtyard of a fine restaurant where it was still warm and sunny at 9.00pm

Jane

PS/ At the restaurant we were discussing pre-dinner drinks. Jane scored the most spectacular Pims, c freshly chopped fruit and mint picked by the waitress on he way to fulfill the order.  I had a local beer – not bad either, P

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Up in good time, which is easy when sunrise is at 5.30, another hearty breakfast and then headed North, destination, the Peak District. Oh my, there were some steep uphill (some walking up them) and some very fast downhills.

I loved the country side where there were lots of little green fields, all bordered by green hedges and oak trees. The village houses were all bigger gray stone blocks, tall and square with little windows. Then,up on the Downs the fields were larger and had gray stone walls. It was wild and windy and exciting.

Ashbourne

We had lunch in the little square at Ashbourne which was really pretty and decorated in colorful bunting. Glorious gardens and window boxes everywhere. Lovely riding up and down and a detour to Winster to find somewhere to repair Peter’s broken pannier.

Finally, beautiful Bakewell and a last 5 ks to Pilsley village. Total 60ks.  We are staying in the divine Holly Cottage (17th century building)  and I have already told Peter to keep riding and leave me here. We were welcomed by Sarah with large slices of home  made Victoria sponge cake and shown to our exquisite ‘blue room’.  Had a wonderful meal at the Devonshire Arms Pub. Had to walk the whole 100 meters there, a great chat with the locals and a lovely stroll around the village. It is 9.45 pm and we have just stopped to admire the sunset. Bliss!

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Next day set off again and it was a slow trip out, along canal paths to avoid the traffic. Finally got out into the country and found our route along country lanes again.  It was a 70ktrip to Uttoxeter which is an old market town. Had a wander around, a meal in the pub and a night in a Bnb which was a bit too close to the main road.

Jane

This is an understatement.  We never thought we’d get out of Birmingham.  It was a nightmare figuring out which path to follow, let alone the petals defined specifically to make the struggling recumbenteer feel victimized.

P

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On our first afternoon in Bristol we took a walk and came across a train load of Gromits being installed as part of a fund raiser for the local hospitals.

PS  Spot was a bit jet-lagged and didn’t kick into action until day 2.  Oops!