An early start on Friday, April 17th saw us arriving at Hesket Newmarket in the northern Lake District for a long weekends riding.
Hesket Newmarket is famed for it's pub "The Old Crown", the first registered co-operatively owned Pub in Britain. And our B&B was next door!.
We had three days of riding planned, starting on the Friday, with a trip out to the coast at Allonby where we could see right across the Solway Firth to Dumfries. Of course heading to the coast means it's largely downhill all the way. Which means it's uphill all the way back. I don't think we'll ever forget that long drag we finished with, before dropping back to Caldbeck, and Hesket Newmarket. Of course we then had to finish the day with a meal in The Old Crown.
Saturday saw us taking a circular route around Blencathra and Skiddaw, passing through Mosedale, Mungrisdale and Threlkeld before we joined the old railway line into Keswick, which is now resurfaced as a track for walkers and cyclists.
Keswick was heaving with tourists, as expected, and it was nice to hit the open lanes again as we headed back up towards Hesket Newmarket. Passing past Bassenthwaite, back through Caldbeck to our base, before returning to The Oddfellows Arms for dinner.
Sunday was a shorter ride. Heading east to Greystoke and the Cyclists Cafe for lunch, just outside the grounds of Greystoke Castle, home of the legendary Tarzan.