UKC

I had a lot of help thanks from UKC, so thought it only polite to let people know how it went.

Bought a Genesis Tour de Fer 10 and 20, which are great. Tried Spa cycles, very poor for a newbie, total lack of advice and the owner is just awful, and it seems I am not the only one to have this experience https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7228 Thats the bad bit.

Decided for the first camping tour to get the train from Preston to Ravenglass and follow route 72 to Carlisle train back to Preston.

Train from Preston to Ravenglass went well, even though 7 bikes on train at one point, and the guard got a bit agitated, but dealt with it well. The transfer at Lancaster got a bit frought going up and down the stairs, but some huge guy picked up my wife's loaded tourer in one hand and carried it for her,

Cycled from Ravenglass to St Bees, and that was the only bit of route 72 that was hard to find, it goes along a narrow path that is quite narrow but worked well, then the ride up the coast to St Bees was a joy.

I phoned the campsite as we cycled up and the lady at head office said it was a 3 night minimum but would let us off and it closed up at 5, so paid in advance. The lady at the campsite was super chilled and said we could have turned up after 5 and pitched and paid in the morning.

St Bees to Beckfoot. St Bees is not the 72, because there is a steep hill out I think, and its about 1/2 mile from campsite, had to push bike for 10 feet as did not get gears sorted, not warmed up and got blown, thats my excuse. Took all day to do 35 miles, having coffees, chilling and having a picnic, great stuff.

Cooked tea on beach watching sunset across Solway ( how come Scotland is due west?) stunning, and deserted coastline. Campsite had a Peacock, do not stay on a Campsite with a Peacock.

Beckfoot to Carlisle on route 72. Superb safe cycling  on cycle tracks and very quiet lanes, isn't that coast lovely. Bit warm really and bit jiggered after 40 miles at Carlisle and bum sore. 
Went to book train, and found you had to book bike on, the Aviva ticket man sorted it and was most apologetic we would have to wait 1.5 hours for train.

The Trains were all superb and the staff most excellent, though a bloke did have to get off with his bike which was a bit sad, but I think we knew he was winging it, so not too bad.

For all our stuff, tents sleeping bags and clothes two panniers each, Ortelibs off course which are ace.

Thoroughly enjoyed and next trip is C2C via Hadrians wall and then up to Lindisfarne.

Thanks too all the UKC bike mob who made this possible.

Cheers Steve

In reply to J1234:

Sounds like a lovely little trip.

In reply to J1234: good to hear you both enjoyed the ride.  The C2C is a really nice ride, unless you fancy some really big climbs though can I suggest that on the Alston/Nenthead day you consider heading north from Alston aiming for the Tyne Valley, the road is reasonably quite traffic wise and with far fewer big hill climbs than the official route. You end up joining Hadrian’s Cycleway which is a great ride in itself. This takes you all the way to Tynemouth. 

In reply to didntcomelast:

Thank you, when I said C2C, I did not mean THE C2C, I am far too soft for that, I meant Coast to Coast along the Hadrians Wall route.

https://cycle.travel/route/hadrians_cycleway

Thats a great website, and it was suggested by an UKCer. I have also downloaded the Archies App for campsites.

In reply to J1234:

The Reivers route is good too.

In reply to J1234:

What's the peacock story?

In reply to supersteve:

Bloody thing squawked all night, dreadful. Mind , fried on a slice of bread, it made a hearty breakfast.

In reply to J1234:

Good story and you clearly enjoyed. Guess the weather helped! Re your question about direction of Scotland - if you were using the direction of sunset you’d need to remember at this time of the year the sun sets in the NW and further north in Scotland NNW. Only sets exactly west on the equinoxes if we’re being pernickety.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Thanks Rog, might be passing your way later Friday. 

Its not like you to be pernickety

Cheers Steve

In reply to J1234:

Oh, you’ve changed your identity again.

Off visiting first thing on Friday, so sadly won’t be able to entertain you.

Rog

The simplicity of the mode of travel is addictive. Sometimes takes a while to adjust to the realisation that you may only do 50 or so miles in a day......but just have the time to appreciate and notice small details.