Day 10, Hawes to Wetheral, Carlisle

Here I go again - what a fantastic day cycling!! Really, really good, despite the showers. 

We set off from Hawes, up and down rolling hills. Our leader, Chris, said an easy day today, but Strava says we were climbing for 30% of the ride, 15 miles out of the total, 60.

We cycled through the Eden Valley - with The Pennines on the right and the Lake District on the left of us. 

Got the bike fixed in Kirkby Stephen; it was something to do with my "head-set bearing" - broken in two apparently. As soon as I got back on the bike I could tell the difference - worth the £17 to get it fixed. 

Then on towards Appleby and lunch at Culgaith - where I had the best victoria-sandwich sponge cake ever!! So good I fell off the bike trying to get started on a slight incline - ooopps!!

Somewhere along the way I saw a sign for "Scotch Corner" on the A66 and a sign for the M6.

We were cycling through red squirrel country, my room-mate Sarah saw one, but I missed it. But I did see 5 oyster-catchers - according to Roger, from Liverpool - two parents and three (grown up) chicks!!

In the afternoon the showers stopped but we had a head wind instead, made things a bit difficult, as you can see from the stats below.

4.9 MI/H 25% Quartile Speed

9.6 MI/H 50% Quartile Speed

14.5 MI/H 75% Quartile Speed

We are staying at the Crown Hotel in Wetheral, 4* hotel. Lovely place. Just had pasta for supper, delicious and .. a decent portion.

And so to bed, we have the option of doing 83 or 66 miles tomorrow. I'll sleep on it, but I think 66 is going to win.

Night, night.