Day 1 Whitehaven - Keswick

Day 1   Whitehaven - Keswick

37.7 miles

Got off to a slow start this morning so ended up having some dinner with Bernie in Whitehaven before setting out.

I set off at a decent rate after first dipping my wheel in the sea as tradition has it. The route was well signed and I only had 2 small problems. The 1^st being in Lorton after deciding to take the original route that was closed due to collapsed bridges, these are now rebuilt and open. The signs are no longer there and I must have missed a junction. I noticed and picked up another lane that soon got me back on track probably adding ½ a mile in total. The 2^nd Was in Keswick as I was looking for the road down the side of Derwent Water to the hotel again I over shot this by a couple of hundred yards before realising. I can’t really put that one down to the route, so in all I think the first day went quite well.

On the route everyone seemed quite friendly; look out for the house selling flapjacks just after turning towards Loweswater in Lamplugh. Not long after this, I saw my first red squirrel which was sat on the lane and tried to out run me for about 30 yards before diving in to the hedgerow.

Loweswater was for me the nicest stretch and the climb from High Lorton towards Winnlatter. I wasn’t quite ready for the climb and it was definitely the worst. The route through Winllater forest was steep and very fast and soon made up for the climb to reach it. No photos other than starting out due to Bernie having the camera (I’ll take it tomorrow).

 I found Bernie sat out at the front of the hotel drawing. She said she was happy to see me as time was getting on. The hotel is in a fantastic location with mountain and lake views. We had an evening meal at the hotel and could not fault the food although it was so easy to be distracted by all the different birds and red squirrels running around just three or four feet away through the window at the dining table. Completely stuffed and looking forward to day 2.

View from our bedroom from one of the windows, yes we have two windows!

View from window 2, Derwentwater, with a little river running in the foreground.