My
friend and fellow children's book writer, Gretchen Woelfle, has spent
the last several months in England. She is also an avid and accomplished cyclist.
Here is her report of a trip she made across England on her bike..
There’s something to be said for small countries
like the UK. (NB: Don’t tell a Brit it’s small.) They can create things like a
14,000 mile National Cycle Network, a brainchild of nonprofit group Sustrans (sustainable
transit, including walking).
In July a friend and I cycled 136 of those miles across
the north of England on the c2c route, from Whitehaven on the Irish Sea to
Tynemouth on the North Sea, through beautiful landscapes and the Pennines: a
range of challenging uphills and thrilling downhills.
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| The Lake District |
We booked with Pedal Power Cycle who customized the
journey to our liking. We choose to do it in four days and Pedal Power arranged
our accommodations (3 hotels, 2 B&Bs), carried our luggage onward, and
provided bikes and maps.
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| Yankee Invader |
Whitehaven, the starting point, was a site of a
bungled invasion during the American Revolution. John Paul Jones, a Scot in the
Royal Navy switched sides (GB’s Benedict Arnold?), landed at Whitehaven on
April 23, 1778, rowed ashore with fifteen men, and spiked the cannons overlooking
the harbor. They planned to burn hundreds of ships anchored there, but ran out
of fuel. Some sailors went into town to find some, got waylaid in a pub, and
didn’t return until nearly dawn, at which point the town was alerted and Jones
and his men fled the scene. In 1999 Whitehaven officially pardoned Jones for
the debacle.
Day 1, 31 miles, cycling tradition has you dip your
back wheel in the Irish Sea, which I did.
Then we took off along a bike trail along an abandoned rail line,
through woods and along sheep pastures. Sustrans has installed artwork every
few miles: sculptured route markers and whimsical cutouts. Then on to country
roads, through four rain showers, up one very steep climb with welcome tea and
tea bread (fruitcake) at the top, then a whirl down to the town of Keswick and
a hearty dinner at the Dog & Gun pub.
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| Trail Signage |
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| Whimsical Sculpture along the trail |
Day two, 49 miles, through the utter gorgeousness
of the Lake District –which could inspire one to write poetry if one were so
inclined. More steep hills, more delicious downhills, to an 18th
century coaching inn in the country. I felt no shame dismounting and pushing
the bike up some of those hills.
Day 3, 28 miles, and the hardest day yet. Into
Northumbria, steeper hills, more rugged countryside, lunch in a pretty village,
flower show in a medieval church where a young woman climbed into the tower to
fix the clock. Blessed cup of tea at the highest (former) train station in
England, then a blissful gradual downhill along the old rail bed, over stark
moors with sheep gazing and gazing unperturbed. Evening ended at The Fleece
where our team did not win the pub quiz.
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| Rail Trail |
Day 4, 27 easy miles into Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
lunch at a 15th century pub on the river, one more rail trail to
Tynemouth and the North Sea, into which I dipped my front wheel, and bid
farewell to my trusty steed/cycle. Finally a van ride to our luxury riverside
hotel and a superb vegetarian meal at The Herb Garden.
All in all, an exhilarating ride, glorious
landscapes, dramatic skies, and ample justification for having a slice of
decadent cake – Victoria sponge, lemon drizzle, etc. – every afternoon with my
tea. I’m checking out Pedal Power’s Coasts and Castles route that wends its way
to Scotland.
Searching
“walking and cycling holidays UK” will give dozens of options for guided and
self-guided tours.
