Friday 5th July: Day 6 - Crawford to Glenridding: 89 miles

Today was the day I'd be crossing the border into England. Leaving the Crawford Arms I was back on the B7076 and for the next 30 miles it really was downhill all the way. The only problem was the now tedious sight and sounds of the A74. 

After a quick coffee and carrot cake in Lockerbie it was on to Gretna and the border. Unexpectedly and more than welcome, NCN signs took me away from the A74 through quiet lanes and a back route into Gretna. Finally I crossed the border. A good feeling but I wasn't half way yet and I wondered if I was going to make Land's End by next Thursday.

Gretna to Carlisle was easy enough then keeping off the A6 I chose a brilliant parallel quiet country lane out of Carlisle taking me past the race course towards Penrith. 

Relaxed cycling towards Penrith

The 'normal' route appears to be the A6 over Shap fell, but a signpost to Greystoke village reminded me of the Christopher Lambert Tarzan film (not connected) and the proximity of the mountain Blencathra lured me towards the centre of the Lakes. When I was about 18 I climbed Blencathra via the impressively exposed Sharp Edge with my Dad who had no trouble at all considering he wasn't really into hill walking and scrambling. I remember after leaving the summit, speedily descending the 'Tongue' all the way to the Whitehorse Inn at Threlkeld for a well earned drink.

At Greystoke, cyclists were arriving from all directions. Some were obviously club cyclists and i chatted to four guys who had just arrived from Whitehaven on day 1 of the Coast to Coast route. After a quick pint I was now settled on camping at Gill Farm campsite in Glenridding at the foot of Helvellen. I'd camped there before and knew that with continuing good weather it would be an idyllic place to chill the next morning. 

As the evening approached this was the first time I really started to feel tired. It may have been due to not having decent lunches the last couple of days and although the cycling round the edge of Ullswater on a rare cloudless summer's evening kept me going, at mile 89 I wearily pushed my bike into the campsite. This was about half way.

This is a hilly campsite and a chap sitting outside his tent watched me approach looking around anxiously for a flat pitch and offered to move his car. As I set up my stove to get the inevitable pasta under way, David introduced himself and kindly invited me to breakfast in the morning. 

Fit for a king? Tomato soup and bread roll starter followed by tuna, pasta with tomato and chilli sauce, grated cheese with Rocket and Spinach side salad. All washed down with my favourite Newcastle Brown Ale. Fantastic!

The end of a long day. My little tent next to David & Sam's palace