DAY TWO – 35 (hilly) Miles
PENRITH TO ALLENHEADS

This morning we were up bright and early and surprisingly I don’t feel too bad, no I’ve changed my mind I’ve just sat on the bike. Somebody told me you are supposed to put a banana between your buttocks but I don’t think my bottom feels that bad that I have to resort to that just yet, maybe tomorrow (read on to find out). The pull up Fell Lane in Penrith is enough to wake you up and then along the top of Beacon Edge, lovely views across the lakes, from here we went through Edenhall and Langwathby then took a short cut through Gamblesby, this was the first place I got off and actually walked with my bike, it is a long slow pull up and with the thought of Hartside ahead I decided to try and save some energy for it. We finally reached the road that leads you up to the café at the summit of Hartside, I thought this would be really difficult but with one or two stops and a very chewy energy bar I pedalled my way to the top, it was probably the thought of the bacon sandwich I had been promised if I made it up there, it was one of the best bacon sandwiches I have ever tasted.

After leaving the café there is a brilliant downhill stretch with no pedalling required for about four miles (why can’t it all be like this), this leads you into a lovely little place called Garrigill, this is where the withheld information comes into play, I decided to take the off road route after being told it was steep and I would have to walk my bike up most of it, it was either that or 2 miles extra round on the road, me being the lazy person that I am decided the former seemed the easier option. Take it from me unless you are extremely fit, can carry your bike on your shoulder singing your favourite tune, take the long route around, the non-speaking time here was about 30 minutes.

Next place we are heading to after this is Nenthead - more off roading! This bit is really good though a nice slow pull up which is ridable all the way and then comes the downhill which is quite tricky in some parts but ridden with care is fine. After a brief stop in Nenthead and a chat to one of the locals who warns us off the alternative route here, we head to tonight’s location which is the Allenheads Inn that everybody talks about, and let me tell you it is everything and more that they say it is. We received a very warm welcome, the first task being the very difficult one of drinking a very cool half pint of cider with my feet up sat in the sunshine, this is the life. If you get the chance to stay here, do, it is well worth it.