Cycling The C2C Day 2

Day 2
Our first big day today, riding through the Lakes.  Our route continued from Cleator Moor along the beautifully surfaced old railway line to Rowrah.  The line was rich with wild flowers, especially ramsons or wild garlic, which grew profusely.  The other highlight of this part of the route was the very bold red squirrel we spotted at a feeding station.  Encouragingly we saw signs of reds along most of our route.  I was aware that the Lakes was a stronghold, but they would appear to have thriving populations in the Pennines as well. At Rowrah we rejoined the road and carried on to Kirkland where Thomas and I had turned off for Ennerdale Bridge for our first night stop at Ennerdale Youth Hostel; a beautiful spot. Our journey, though, took us along delightful country lanes on the edge of the Lakes to Loweswater and the Kirkstile Inn where we resisted the temptation to sample some of their own excellent beer and opted for tea and cake instead.  By now the mountains were large on our horizon and the first major obstacle of the Whinlatter Pass loomed.  We were well ready for the tea as the weather was superb and the day warming up; the Lake District scenery was at its best: magnificent mountains, delightful lakes, brilliant rhododendrons and azaleas and the bright, fresh, myriad greens of the newly opened leaves.  We were soon on the lower slopes of the Whinlatter, but, apart from the initial steep slopes, it proved to be straightforward and enjoyable with yet another tea stop awaiting at the Siskin Centre cafe at the summit.  Next came a roller coaster descent to Braithwaite and on into the honeypot of Keswick.  Time for more refreshments before the steep climb out to Castlerigg Stone Circle.  Now the Whinlatter may have been a pussy cat, but this climb, which was not mentioned anywhere, was a killer and had me off my bike 'to take some photographs'!!!  The climb was worth it, though.  Castlerigg must be the most atmospheric and dramatically situated of Britain's stone Circles, set as it is, high in the mountains and backed by Blencathra on one side and The Dodds, Helvellyn and St John's in the Vale on the other.  It is also among the earliest of stone circles, raised in the Neolithic period about 3000 BC.
Only the last few miles now remained through the beautiful lanes of the North Lakes in the late afternoon sun to take us to our second overnight stop: The Troutbeck Inn; absolutely wonderful in all respects.
A brilliant day.

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Ramsons on the old railway line.

Ramsons on the old railway line.

First sight of Loweswater.

The Kirkstile Inn.

The Kirkstile Inn.

Peter with Crummock Water in the distance.

Heading towards the Whinlatter.

Heading towards the Whinlatter.

Lake District Azaleas.

Lake District Azaleas.

The River Cocker.

Peter and Brian consult the maps.  This a new bridge the old
 one being washed away in the floods of a few years ago.

Riding up the Whinlatter.

Riding up the Whinlatter.

Riding up the Whinlatter.

The Whinlatter Summit.

Skiddaw.

Skiddaw and Bassenthwaite on the descent.

Derwentwater.

Derwentwater with Skiddaw behind.

Derwentwater

Derwentwater

Derwentwater

Derwentwater with Cat Bells behind.

Blencathra or Saddleback.

Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Blencathra.

Looking back to the hills from near Troutbeck.