LEJOG Day 18

The owner of the Guest House had told me that “breakfast was served between 8.30 and 9.30.”  Given the fact the sun rises before 5, I was well awake by 7 and went for a walk.

I returned to the Guest House exactly at 8.30 and entered the breakfast room.  The staff member responsible for the breakfast told me that I “was early”.  I was not in good mood.  My response that: “I was told that breakfast would be served at 8.30.  I assumed that the ‘8.30’ in question was 8.30 a.m”.  The staff member seemed perplexed.  It also appeared that the menu was an ambit claim in reverse.  The establishment made offers it was not expect would be requested.  A long list of items was reduced to: ” bacon and eggs and toast”.  To be fair it was well cooked – the toast that this.

The route took me north up the Isle of Arran.  There was one serious ‘up’ as I approach the end of the island.  This of course meant a serious and glorious ‘down’ into the village of Lochranza.

I rode to the ferry terminal to check out the next ferry.  A fellow cyclist was at the terminal.  As usual a conversation ensued.  It turned out that he was a commercial artist that “drew pretty little pictures for a fee”.  This included advertising agencies, magazines and anyone else who was prepared to pay him.  He had worked out that with the aid of technology, he could work from anywhere.  Given that, he was working from anywhere.  He has spent 3 months in the Greek Islands and now decided to ride through Scotland, working a few hours very couple of days.  I said that the work sounded interesting.  His response was that “it was mind numbingly boring”.  I refrained from telling him I was a qualified accountant.

I had to wait about 2 hours for the ferry crossing to the mainland.  There was a small sandwich place serving roast pig rolls near the ferry terminal.  The said pig was on display (check out the Flickr Link).  The pig tasted great.  I was a bit disconcerting to see the actual source of the meat.

The shop owner had Radio 5 playing – Test Match Special.  Australia was “none for 50 odd ” and looking good.

The patrons of the shop ate the pig outside.  One was an extremely attractive 40’s something woman with a couple of young kids and another family.  The group engaged me in the usual conversation: “where are riding to, where are you from, and so on”?   I was tempted to take a picture of her.   I suspect she may be an actress.  I may have to go to more movies, the theatre or watch TV.

The ferry finally arrived.  Three motor bikes arrived to take the ferry: Triumph Speed Triple,   Ducati Monster and a Harley.  This time I avoided chatting to the owners.

The ride further north was long – picturesque, but long.

It was late when I finally made it to G    Loch.  I found the camping ground, again without the need for the Garmin, which incidentally did not know of its existence.  The Warden seemed to charge me less than the listed price – maybe be because I was on bike.  He also gave me a detailed itinerary for a ‘pub crawl’, including meal – three places in all.  Saturday is big in G    N.  The food was good and the last pub was a classic – two small rooms full of locals that insisted on buying me local ale or a whiskey.  I had one that latter. That was one too much.

I slept well in the tent.

Flickr Link

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGRY5LC

LEJOG Day 17

I awoke to a beautiful day in Troon.

My first task was to find a place for breakfast. This proved to be a challenge. I the end I found a café that claimed to “serve breakfast all day”. The menu appeared very limited. I ask if they “ had muesli and fruit and yoghurt?” The repose was “No – we only serve breakfast”. As it happens, this comprised of dishes such as “scrambled eee and eggs with chips and fried eggs and chips”. I settled for coffee and toast.

I decided that I was in the need on a haircut. Found a hairdresser ‘unisex’ in the main street. A rather attractive woman of an appropriate cutt my hair. She was very chatty. I learnt a lot about her, including that she had lived in Troon all her life and had been to London once. She also went to Spain at least twice a year because she “liked the sun”. The haircut took a very long time.

Leaving Troon I checked out Royal Troon Golf Course. It is a venue for the British Open Championships and is a ‘links’ course. These are flat and close to the sea. Toon is close to the sea and very flat. It looks better on TV than in real life.

I followed NRC Route 17 north. My first stop was the Riverbank Shopping Centre to discuss my inability to re-charge my ‘3’ mobile WiFi using their call centre, which I was to find out is based in Mumbai, India. Having spoken to the said call centre, I had assumed I was speaking to a machine speaking an unknown language. I found the 3 shop in the shopping centre which is a Westfield type place. These shopping centres have had a less than positive impact on towns across the UK.

The route took me along a path next to main arterial road to Ardorossan. I found the ferry terminal the booking office. The staff were very helpfully and provided advice on my route north and tickets for my ‘island hopping to and through the Outer Hebrides.

An hours’ ferry ride saw me in Brodick on the Isle of Arran. I decided to stay in Guest House. It was comfortable, but surprisingly expensive. I made use of all of the facilities.
Flickr Link
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGN5b6z
Garmin Link
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/341432926

LEJOG Day 16

Muirkirk ws probably not the best place to stay.  My next destination was Troon –  famous  as being  place where the British Open Golf Championships are played on a regular basis.

The route was essentially west.  I thought I would be on NCRs for most of the way. I should have researched the route better rather than letting the Garmin do the work..  It turned out that I took a lot of B roads through ordinary farm lands.  Nearing the coast I came across a major British Aerospace installation.  Not long after that I was in Troon. I looked for the town centre.  It appears that there isn’t one.  There is a beach and a sort of a harbour.   A plane flew around and around over the harbour.  It was a strange looking thing.  I assume it was from the BEA site.

I had expected the place would be replete with hotels and B&B’s on account of its golf status.  There seemed to be very little on offer. I conferred Garmin.  It suggested a Camping Ground 400 metres from the beach.  That is where I ended up.

The bloke at the camp-site suggested a place to eat and a pub to avoid.  I went to both.   The place to eat was good- ocean trout with salad, potatoes and veg.  Wow no chips.

The pub offered: “ Real Ale, Topless Waitresses and False Advertising”.  The third offer was correct.  A had a couple of the falsely described first offer – Smith’s mass produces stuff.  It was time for another early night of the tent.

Flickr Link

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGMsLsj

Garmin Link

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/340943914

 

 

LEJOG Day 15

After a very good night’s sleep in a big bed and reasonable breakfast, I left the Dumfries B&B.

Stop for tea for with lemon and fruit scones in Sanquhar.  I have found this to be a simple and predictable snack.  Coffee is a bit iffy over here.  I am not sure where the baristas are trained, if at all. Also, I have found that it is useful to put a lemon in my drink bottles.  This is particular the case in England where the water is recycled many times and usually tastes crap.  The water in Scotland is a little better, but is also improved with a bit of lemon.

The route then took me up a long river valley and then down the other side.  This was reasonably picturesque, but not the best choice of route.

I finally came out onto a main road heading west. I stopped to speak to a bus driver stopped by the road.  I asked him how far it was to the nearest village or town with accommodation.  His reply was that he didn’t know, as “this was as far [west] he had ever travelled”.    There must be some advantages living in such a small world.  I will think about what they might be.

A few miles on I arrived in Into Muirkirk.  This not a place you would normally pick as place to stay.  I found the camping ground without the assistance of the Garmin.  The operator is very shot woman with an almost unintelligible accent.  Her offside is a retired soldier who was forced to perform the role of translator to finalise payment and other details of my stay.

I walked into the town to buy some dinner at the only ‘restaurant’ in town.  I ended up with something described as ‘chicken curry’.  I am really not sure what it was.   I took it back to the camping  ground with a bottle of Newcastle Brown, purchased from the Co-Op.  The ex-soldier, spotted me and came over for a chat.  He has a son, in the Australian Army based in Canberra. The old bloke was in Canberra last year. For 45 minutes he told me all about the city, seeming oblivious to the fact the I had lived there most of my life and told him that on three occasions during his monolog.

I finally finished the meal and headed up to the nearest pub for a pint on Tenets.

Another night in the tent.   Not the most thrilling of days, but at least I vaguely headed in the right direction.

Flickr Link

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGLSpGk

Garmin Link

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/340754989

LEJOG Day 14

When I woke-up in my tent in the field behind the pub in Hesket Newmarket, I realized that I had had a couple of the pub’s fine ales too many.  Let’s blame that of on the Gordie barman who was intrigued that the “son of a Macca would want to ride to from Lands’ End to John OGroats and gave me free beer.

As I emerged from the tent, I was initially shocked to see a herd of cows walking past.  I quickly realised that was their usual routine.  Sleeping on the path to their meadow was not my usual practice.  Dismantling the tent took a bit longer than usual.

My planned route took me north.  I ran into a young couple riding south with laden bikes – a sign that they were E to E ers.  They had come to same conclusion seeing me.  The usual exchange of: “how long have you been riding, how long do you expect to take” etc took place.  Their plan was to ride for 17 days and stop.  If they didn’t get to Land’s End that didn’t matter as they were moving from Coventry to Cornwall to start practicing a newly qualified doctors.  They were both on Cannondales.  Smart people.

I stopped in Dalston. The author of the book I am reading stopped at the bakery in the village for a current bun.  I went to the said bakery and also bought a bun.   The gals in the shop loved the story about the writer of a book on the LEJOG ride mentioning their shop, and a reader of the book visiting the shop.  They insisted on having their photo taken with a basket full of bun.  Look at the Flickr Link.

The route took me into Carlisle – another town not worth visiting twice.  I was now close to the border with Scotland.  Some back roads then an A road running parallel to the M6 took me into Gretna and the border.  Unfortunately, this border crossing is forgettable.

Next stop was Dumfries.  The ride in was along the River Nith a major tidal inlet with quicksand.  These tidal areas are common of the British coast.  They are very different to most of Australia’s estuaries.

I found a good B&B in Dumfries.  There wasn’t a camping ground to be found.  A young Dutch couple in the B&B had encountered the same problem. They were very perplexed.  Anyway the B&B was good for me after a night of ‘rough camping’ – long shower and a chance to wash the ‘undies’ and ‘bike stuff’.

I had a reasonable meal in the Station Hotel and a just one pint in to pub across the road.  I would not recommend that pub.

Flickr Link

http://flic.kr/ps/wGzXd

Garmin Link

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/340017855

LEJOG Day 13

I left the camping ground and headed north on the eastern side of Lake Windermere.  The weather was absolutely fantastic.  Those of you that remember Derwent pencils, I think a picture of Lake Windermere was on the box.

I stopped a funny little café near a ferry that takes you from the eastern to the western side of the lake.  I took the opportunity of a reasonable mobile WiFi signal to Skype old school mates.  It is amazing what you can do with Skype.  These conference calls are a bit of fun.  One of my mates is working for a senior Liberal Politician.  We were told that the latest thought is that the election will be at the end of November.  It would appear that Rudd is going to try and be PM for as long as he can. It would also appear that our mate’s case of ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ is getting worse.

As we chatted, a Spitfire or Hurricane plane flew over the lake.  Amazing stuff.  Later in the day I saw a number of jet fighters flying overhead.  It must be a buzz for the pilots to fly over that area.

After the call, I headed down to the ferry.  As I waited for the ferry, a bloke rode up on a serious looking ‘adventure bike’.  I chatted to him about the bike.  It was a CCM (refer to link below).  After a short time, a rather attractive girl turned up and started taking photos of the bloke and the bike.  It turned out that she worked for a promotions company working from CCM.  Their 450cc Adventure model has just been released on the market. My BMW owning mate in Canberra should look at this bike. It could be a better option than the BMW GS’s or Triumph Tigers.

The girl saw my bike and said: “cool, a BadBoy”.  I said “ yes, and so is the bike”.   She sort of laughed.  I think I should act my age.

The ride along the lake was absolutely fantastic.  Just look at the photos.

I stopped off at a bike shop at Ambleside at the northern end of the lake.  It is a great village.  The blokes in the shop, gave me advice on how to get to Hesket Newmarket, my target for my next stop.

The route took me on a long climb away from the Lake District.  The last part of the route took me down a series of lanes across land that is not dissimilar the area between Jindabyne and Cooma.   I final arrive at the Hesket Newmarket and found the Old Crown pub.  This pub gets a big mention in the book I am reading on the trip.  The locals claim that it is one of the best know pubs in Britain.  One of the locals is Chris Bonington, the famous  mountaineer.  There is lot of his memorabilia in the pub.  There are also picture of Charles Windsor and his second wife.  He signed the visitors’ book as ‘Charlie’.  What a pole polisher.

I had a great salmon meal.  I know a bit about cooking salmon.  After a long chat with some locals and the bar staff, and several pints of Doris’s 90^th Birthday Ale (brewed on the premises), it was time for some sleep.  I asked where the camping ground was.  The rely was: “wherever you like”.  I ended up in field behind the pub – my first experience of rough camping for ages.

Flickr Link

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGGRXyK

Garmin Link

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/340017918

CCM Bikes

http://www.ccm-motorcycles.com/

LEJOG Day 12

The route out of town took me on the Lancaster Canal towards Kendall.  This is great piece  of canal.  After a short distance the tow path turned in to grass.  Fortunately the dry weather meant that this was not a problem.  A few miles short of Kendall, the canal is blocked by the M6.  There is plan to reopen the canal and the tow  path to enable its use through to the town.  The cost of the work will run to millions of pounds.  A couple I meet bemoaned the fact that, if the M6 that been properly built in the first place, this would not be required. This is another case of no forethought.

On the outskirts of Kendall I stopped to buy some sun screen in a small supermarket.

In response to my request for the said product, I was presented with a jar of salad dressing.  I told shop assistant again that I want “sun screen”.  She responded with “son cream”.  “No” I said “sun, sun”.  She replied “son”.  In the end I resorted to saying: “sun as in the big yellow thing is the sky that is making us hot”.  “Oh”, the shop assistant said, “we don’t have much demand for that here and we don’t sell it”.

Kendall is another one of those shabby towns that seems to be on the decline.   I was pleased to move on towards Windermere.

The route took me through back lanes onto the side of the lake between Windermere and Browness . I stopped off at the Visitor Centre to ask for directions to the nearest camping ground.  I have given up on the Garmin providing accurate advice on such matters.  The nice lady in the centre sold me a piece of paper, purporting to be a map, for 50p.  It did not have a scale. However, she informed me that the camping ground, marked on the ‘map’, was less than a mile away.  It turned out to be 5 miles south of the town.  She should get a job with Garmin.

The camping ground turned out to be pretty good.  My pitch was high up on hill with ‘water glimpses’.  The place had a bar and restaurant.   I plumbed for the chicken curry off a limited menu.  Not too bad.  I can’t remember the Ale I drank. It was one of the mass produced stuff – very forgettable.

Flickr Link

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGGRKbK

Garmin Link

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/340017957

LEJOG Day 11

I woke up reasonably early and headed across the car park into the pub for breakfast.  It ended up being a case of Faulty Towers the ‘duck is off’ – not milk, no fruit and two guests (me and one other) discussed who would have the only tub of yoghurt.  I ended up having some muesli (Alpen ?) with water and some toast. Halfords not good a place to stay.

I took the opportunity of have a good 4 g signal on my mobile WIFI to make a Skype call to a Scottish mate in Canberra.  He is has a thing or two to say about Rugby.  He predicted anther close game in the Wallabies  v Lions Test that was to start in 2 hours.  He also had some further advice on my planned route through the Hebrides.

I had expected that the Test  would have been broadcast in the pub.  Unfortunately, Mr Murdoch’s charge, which apparently run  to thousands of pounds, were too much for this pub.  I headed off expecting to find a pub in which to watch the game.  I couldn’t find one.  As it turns out that was probably a good thing.

My route north took me to on main roads, however they were not too busy.  I found a pub on a canal.  A reasonable meal for a good price.  Thing appear to be getting cheaper in pounds as I move north -probably not on dollars given what is happening to the AUD.

The next main town was Lancaster.  This is a university town, with two. As with all university towns, Oxford, etc  in the UK and elsewhere, it is place on the up.  Education, research and ‘hang off’ industries are the future for high cost countries.  Lancaster is also a bike  friendly town.

Leaving Lancaster I headed to Bolton-le-Sands.  Most of the ride was on the Lancaster Canal.  It was getting late and I decided to check into the Blue Anchor Bolton-le-Sands.  The barmaid was particularly friendly and introduced me to most of the patrons. My answers to the questions: where are you riding to too (John O Groats) and where are you from (Sydney) is a great conversation starter.

A couple I chatted to told me that they owned and canal barge and they had taken from the village to London.  I took two months. I was surprised that this was possible.  I had thought that the canal network run from the main cities, e.g Manchester to the west or east, not north – south.  Apparently this is not the case.  A bit of reading coming up.

The couple told me that there was a band playing at another pub in the village.  I headed there.   As I entered the pub the band stated their last set.  It included some old classics.  These included:   Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen), Jet (McCartney and Wings), The Wall ( Pink Floyd) and Jumping Jack Flash (the Stones).

A great night.

Garmin Link

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/338440033

Flickr Link

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGDJtJe

 

LEJOG Day 10

It took me a while to leave the camping ground.  My tent dismantling and packing skills are a bit rusty.   The lady in the office told me of good place for breakfast less than a mile away.  The place if called Hollies attached to a farm shop.  It serves a really good breakfast.  By the time I got there people were also arriving for lunch.  It is very popular it the Yummy Mummy set -similar to the place in RTW that it posted about.  However, this lot have very different accents.

The Garmin took me a series of very picturesque lanes to outskirts of Warrington.  I noticed the roads had some familiar names if you follow Rugby League – Warrington itself, St Helens, Widnes etc.  This part of Lancashire and Yorkshire is where League is played in the UK.  It was that case that players from this area move to Australia to play in the Sydney competition.  Now a lot of Australian players move to the North of England towards the end of their career.  A pet loving Canberra Raider decided to make the move mid-career.

Warrington is not the most bike friendly place on the planet.

I continued north into Chorley.  I ask a couple that were walking down the road about a place to stay.  They told me that there aren’t many place to stay in Chorley and “would not recommend any”.

I finally found a place on the northern side of the town.   The accommodation was in an annexe to a pub.  I assume that the pub would be showing the Wallabies v Lions game the next day (Saturday).  A very ordinary curry was washed down  with a couple of pints of John Smiths.

This being Day 10 of the ride, it occurred to me that some E to E – LEJOG riders are in  John OGroats by now.

Flickr Link

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGChmpP

Garmin Link

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/337940677

 

 

LEJOG Day 9

I left Stewsbury under the guidance of the Garmin.  It took me through at pedestrian precinct.   I was a accosted by a bloke in a tweed jacket who sounded as though he a had a plumb in his mouth and a pineapple  somewhere else. He informed me that I “was ride riding my bicycle in restricted zone and that there was a policemen behind me that will take the appropriate action”.  The said policeman soon appear and told me to “continue on,  that the t the bloke who spoke to me has form and not to worry”.  That is: 1 to the cyclist, 0 to the grumpy old fart and 10/10  for the policeman.

As I left the town I stopped in at bike shop to check the pressure my in my tyres.  The bloke who ran the shop was fascinated by the BadBoy.  He very interested in Rohloff and the front pannier frames.  He started a long conversation (one sided) about the Cannondale Lefties – bikes with only one fork.  He though they were not obeying the laws of physics.  I thought of giving him the contact details of my mate in Canberra who owns a  Lefty.  That was a cruel thought.  Next time I stop a bike shop I may pretend to be a mute.

I again left the Garmin do some of the navigation.  It took me down some great country lanes.   At one point it took me up a dirt track.  How had it know about that track?  Sometimes it will take me on an A road when there is bike path nearby.  Other times it seems to know about the most obscure paths.  Who knows???

The route me took past, not along more great canals.  How many are there in this country?

The weather had turned really nice.  This was an ideal time to use the tent I have been carrying the whole trip.   I checked into a camping ground on the edge of the Delamare Forest.  I set up the tent next to the biggest campervan I have seen outside the USA (check Flickr).  I then headed off the Fish Pool Inn for a meal.  This place has the same recruitment policy and the Lord Nelson (the Rocks Sydney) and the Beach Hotel (Byron Bay).  Great meal and service.

I slept well in my tent.

Good Ale at the Pub

http://weetwoodales.co.uk/index.htm

Flickr Link

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjGANHng

Garmin Link

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/337511440