PCW Day Six

Settle to Sedbergh - Monday, 27th August

31 miles cycled                

>> Now with added Sat-Nav! <<

The rain continued...

Failed to get away by 9:00. Or even 10:00! Oh my. We may have to take a taxi to Berwick after all.

Yesterday we entered the Yorkshire Dales NP and I must say the Swaledale sheep here are much more attractive.

Pretty Clapham

Another thing I've noticed is the proliferation on village defibrillators, quite often installed in old phone boxes.

 

Quite B-roads led us through pretty Clapham and on to Ingleton where we had a relatively early lunch at The Wheatsheaf, the only Theakston pub.

 

They didn't have any old peculiar.

 

Crestfallen, we consoled ourselves with a large lunch, as we knew this afternoon we had a small climb to do.

A 500ft climb in 2 1/2 miles up to 850 ft saw us enter the 'land that time forgot' that is Kingsdale.

Kingsdale

This was very enjoyable. With views across the valley to Whernside nudging 2400ft, its peak disappearing in low cloud.



 

This pastoral hanging valley paradise lasted just a few miles until we climbed even more from Kingsdale Head to White Shaw Moss at 1550ft.

 



If there's one thing we've noticed is that all the long lung busting ascents are matched by, on the whole, brief moments of effortless downhill.

Well we weren't disappointed. The long downhill down Deepdale dropped 1000ft in 3 1/2 miles until we reached Dent in a cloud of smoking brake blocks. Eee luxury.

 

 We slowed down at Dent because of the cobblestones.

Very picturesque.

In Dent we met this nut fellow traveller and his wife and his two children (1 3-year-old, 1 sub-1-year-old) cycling the coast to coast (C2C). Their whole expedition is on two bikes and in two trailers. He estimated the trailers weigh 100 kg each.

So this nut case then...

We met him as he was taking up the very kind offer of the pub landlord to transport him to Hawes, as this next bit was a little hard going.

I mean, up until now he'd only cycled through the Lake District...

We were quite eager to put a few more miles behind us.

Our daily routine was quietly evolving into 'Wake up with a hot drink and a flapjack. Leave as close to 9:00 as we can, stop after a few miles for breakfast. Pick a reasonable target for the day (using David's algorithm), plan to stop half way for lunch, carry on until we realise we may run out of daylight, phone around for a campsite'. Despite the faff involved, navigation was with the aid of Mrs. Google.

Quite country lanes took us to Sedbergh and the very friendly (and very reasonable - £7 each a pitch!) Lincolns Inn Farm, which sadly is not an inn but is a farm.

It seems quite a new venture for the owners, who've had this farm in their family for generations but until recently it had been abused and generally run down by some bad tenants.

At the moment they mainly host static caravans and there are no showers for campers, but they have plans to remedy that.

We had the place to ourselves. Eee...

 

 

Devoid of panniers we cycle back to Sedbergh for the evening and enjoy the hospitality of The Dalesman Country Inn. Rather pretentious but enjoyable all the same.

 

Summary dispatch:

"Long hard day over Kingsdale Pass to Sedbergh.

Much needed anaesthetic administered from pub.

Natives continue to be friendly.

31 miles today.

No casualties.

Send money."

 

P.S:

"Met a guy and his wife, 2 bikes, 2 trailers, 1 baby, 1 3 year old.

Each trailer weighing approx. 100kg."

 

Signal from basecamp:

"Your legs must look like treetrunks after the mileage you've covered.

Is the weather holding out?

It's quite sunny down in the south today.

Sent Mr. P. to get an extra string vest as he's on standby to ferry supplies by mule.

Can you please slow down as Mr. P. will get confused.

He's just left Greenford and has stopped off for a curry.

I fear he may have used the fifty pence we raised for you in the departmental quiz.

Base camp out."

 

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