Mini-Tour du Lake District

The time came that I had a couple of days off.  Thoughts were thought, decisions decided and reneged on, and a full-morning lie-in was had.  And Lo!  I found myself on the bicycle hereby known as 'Sally' trundling down the drive of the Castle (my most recent abode).  We were part loaded with panniers on the back and a bag on the handlebars.  Our aim was threefold;

1. Test how Sally coped with a lump like me and some baggage
2. Assess my ability to keep touring pace
3. Purchase a set of front panniers from Ghyllside Cycles in Ambleside.

The day was just right, with warm sun (but not too warm), a cooling breeze (but not too cool) and no pressure (except that in the tires).  As we wound through the rolling countryside surrounding Cockermouth, I realised it had been a long time since I had lifted my head and really took in what was around me.  Moving out of the National Park has shown me just how beautiful it is.  Being able to gaze upon the Northern Fells from a country lane felt like I was getting a wider view than possible before.

Looking towards Skiddaw

All feelings of grandeur were diminished soon after, as I realised a wrong turn had been taken and added about 3 miles before we'd even started properly!  We found the correct road and enjoyed almost traffic-free rolling most of the way towards Keswick.

I became aware of dropping energy levels as we passed through the busy town centre and I resolved to have a food stop soon.  However my need for food conflicted with my usual bullet-headed compulsion to go just-a-bit-farther.  A mile of 13% uphill and a few more of steep undulations found me in a layby pleasant enough to dismount and have a chew.

Giving the UK2Africa jersey a run out

The continuing 13 miles to Ambleside were without incident, some gentle but long climbs and an increase in traffic levels the only discussion points.

So!  Sally and myself had arrived on our inaugural tour.  Now it was time to refuel.  We gathered a gang and tucked into a carvery in Windermere.

Time off in Ambleside

Next morning I visited the cycle shop.  Unfortunately they didn't have the panniers I wanted so I'll have to return next week.  Still, they're a great shop so call in if you're ever about (http://www.ghyllside.co.uk/).

The return journey to the castle was straightforward and gave me plenty of time to practice my camerawork while pedalling...

Heading back past Skiddaw

The path less travelled?

Rollercoaster road

From the Fells to the Sea

Mini-Tour complete!

And the aims?  Sally coped well with the weight, even feeling more settled when loaded and I managed to keep within the pace relatively well.  No panniers yet though!

We're still collecting money for Alzheimer Scotland via JustGiving.

See www.justgiving.com/uk2africa2013 for how you can donate too.

John

"Let's go live in London next summer..."



That's me, John Niven.  On the 28th June 2012 I didn't agree to cycle from the UK to Marrakesh.

 

This is Ross.  On the above date he suggested we both go and live in London the following summer, to get used to not being students any more.  Over the next 10 minutes the idea changed from living in London to Madrid, China, Germany and finally to cycling to Africa.

I suppose you could say that good things happen in unexpected ways.  Eric Newby began his short walk in the Hindu Kush on receipt of a telegram from a friend, leaving his job in the London fashion industry to travel overland to Afghanistan in the 1920s.  Walter Bonatti began mountaineering when a stranger found himself without someone to hold his rope.  Harry Potter found out he was a wizard from a half-giant bursting into his holiday cottege.

I suggested cycling to Africa thinking that Ross would tell me I was being stupid and to get a grip.  However I underestimated how much he wanted to be Peter Pan and never grow up.  I nearly choked on my smugness when he agreed.  Even worse, he sounded positively enthusiastic about the idea!  After a couple of days, we both agreed to go for it.  After setting up and publishing our first blog post there's no backing out!

The aim of the trip is to see something of the world, and remind ourselves that life does go on after leaving education!  The general idea is to cross the channel from Dover, head through France and cross the Pyrenees into Spain.  A stop in Barcelona would be nice, before heading on to Gibraltar to cross the Mediterranean Sea at its narrowest point.  From landfall in North Africa we will head for Marrakesh.  After that, who knows?

Click to see a Google Map trace of the route. This gives a very rough idea of the route, we are currently refining it.

The trip will be funded entirely by ourselves, but we will be setting up a JustGiving page in aid of Alzheimer Scotland.  We'll post the link when it's sorted.

A bit about us;
John Niven is 22 and from Strabane in Northern Ireland.  He is at the University of Cumbria on the final year of the Outdoor Studies (Environment) course, and lives in Ambleside, Cumbria.  Travelling around rock climbing, cycling and running is what he does in his spare time.  He does not have a girlfriend.

Ross is 21 and lives in Liverpool, studying Outdoor Education and Environmental Education at Liverpool John Moores University.  He has a girlfriend but cannot brush his hair.  However, he does enjoy wearing a gilet, driving fast boats, and organising 'things'.

 

We will be keeping this blog updated with our planning/organising progress and with news on the trip itself.