< LEJOG Part 1
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After our day off in Liverpool our next waypoint was Preston. Leaving our B&B we passed by ‘The Kop’ and made our way to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal which took us north until we cleared most of the built-up areas. Bypassing Formby a little way inland from the coast, the flat fields had all been given over to growing mostly salad crops and we threaded our way between the fields and pulled over to let the big HGVs full of greens pass by on the narrow lanes. Further north we needed to do a short stretch on the A59 to cross the River Douglas. I had planned to get off it again as soon as possible and use back lanes to the west of the main road into Preston, but the road was relatively quiet, so we stayed on it. Just before a place called Much Hoole we came across an Italian Restaurant (San Marco) and being lunchtime decided to grab a bite. While there we got chatting to another cyclist and I explained our original route would have been through the lanes to the west. He said they were chest deep in water in places, so the decision to stay on the main road was a good one!
After Preston we headed for Morecambe and as a treat, the folks I worked with had paid for us to have a belated wedding anniversary evening meal in the 1930s style Midlands Hotel by the beach. It had recently been renovated and reopened so it was all fresh and new.
We left Morecambe by taking the beachside prom as far as we could then picked up the Lancaster Canal for a stretch but needed to make our way to Kirby Lonsdale. After getting there we had time for a riverside walk and ended up sitting in the churchyard sketching.
From Kirby Lonsdale we followed the River Lune Valley to Sedberg where we grabbed a coffee, then we took the back lane towards Tebay. Leaving Sedburgh we had the closest call to coming off all ride… a rather wide post van came the other way and looked like it wasn’t going to stop or pull over far enough. I tucked in as much as I could but the edge of the lane was broken and disintegrating. The front wheel got caught in it and nearly pitched us off but somehow we managed to prevent the bike falling completely. The Postie was quite apologetic having come to an abrupt stop in front of us, mouthing ‘Sorry’ through the windscreen.
The lane that follows the Lune is on the opposite side of the valley from the M6 and I’ve often looked across at it as we’ve been driving to Scotland in the past. Now were riding it and the views were pretty spectacular.
At Tebay we found a pub and tucked into some typical good pub food. The afternoon’s route would take us up the Orton Scar and across the moors to Appleby-in-Westmorland where we stopped for the night.
From Appleby we followed the River Eden as best we could without using the A66, heading for Brampton and our next stay overnight. The kind lady at the B&B laid newspapers down on the floor so we could get our soggy gear off without spoiling the floor. Then she suggested bringing the bike inside as there was no-where very secure in the garden. The weather the next day was horrendous but we only had about 13 miles to cover to get to my sister’s house at Sleetbeck. However, with horizontal rain and a buffeting headwind, it was probably the least enjoyable day we had the entire ride. Though the moorland was relatively flat, without much shelter, the myriad of becks and burns have cut deep gullies so every crossing meant a quick descent, hump-back bridge and an agonising climb back up the other side. By the time we reached my sister’s it felt like we’d ridden 50 miles, not 13!
After a night in Langholm we crossed the Esk and took the road to Eskdalemuir, following the river. This next stretch was fairly isolated with few villages and it seemed to only accommodation within our limited range was the Tushielaw Inn, so I had pre-booked a night there well in advance.
Shortly after passing through Eskdalemuir we stopped at the Samyeling Tibetan Buddhist Centre. There is a small café there run the some of the monks/nuns/students so who could resist the prospect of a Yak Butter Tea?
At the Tushielaw Inn we were the only guests, so we spent a pleasant evening sat with the young couple running the place, chatting and sharing stories over a few drinks. Next morning we spotted an otter in the stream below as we ate breakfast. Our route the next morning left the Esk and we climbed the high ground to the cross next valley, climbing away from that too, towards Innerleithen then on to Peebles where we stopped for lunch. From Peebles we had no option but to take the A703 for Penicuik and our next stay in a hotel where a wedding reception was in full swing. Not sure what the guests thought when we hauled our bags through the festivities, looking pretty damp and bedraggled. Still, a hot shower and change then we joined in the lively atmosphere at the bar.
