2009/06/12 - Day 8 - Clitheroe to Kirkby Stephens - 54.5 miles in 7:11

This day was hard. 3 punishingly long climbs over moorland. But great views, weather held good with sun and high clouds and a slight following wind. We did a little walking up to Dent Station, but that was faster than cycling.

We had an early breakfast at 7:30 and when we set off, Noel had arrived to cycle with us for the first pull over Waddington Moor to Slaidburn. So we had a nice chat up the hill which went fine. He directed us to a cafe just opening off route 200 yards by the river. The lady there said they had lots of E2E cyclists stopping as they were the halfway cafe. So that made us feel good. I bought a pack of fudge and ate it all without any thought, so we must have been burning up the calories, thats my excuse.


We said our goodbyes to Noel, and started up the next climb which went on and on then down then up and on and on and on and on. Then further. But we managed again. There were some gates on the way down, and I asked Cherry to check how hot the brakes were. She got a blister off the rotor, was not impressed with my request. We poured some water on it and it steamed and fizzled (the rotor not blister). So now I know how hot they get on a descent. No wonder the other ones failed.


On one side were the Three Peaks, on the other you could see Coniston Old Man (alledgedly according to a couple walking their dog, it was just a lump on the horizon to me among the other lumps). Down to High Bentham and the Nose Bag Cafe, and tea and soup for me, Cherry had a hot chocolate and huge fruit scone.

Another climb to Dent, where we missed the cafe and the Stoker threw a wobbley as she didn't want to miss her tea. So we turned dack, found the cafe, and she had caulifour soup and a large slice of coffee cake.


Refreshed, we headed off to the proclaimed "worse climb of the route" up to Dent Station. Legs had trouble restarting, but it wasn't that bad. However, with the anticipation we walked the last bit, and a bit after. Looking back, we could have cycled up, but walking was faster. Its all in the mind and not as bad in the flesh. Fab views over moorland and viaducts of the railway. Cherry almost got a picture of a train.

10 miles to go and it was 4:30. Undulations started which were too undulating to swoop up, but then it softened and was more downhill so we could get up speed down the Eden Valley, into Kirkby Stephens.


The Black Bull Hotel is in the centre of "town" (one street) and you can't miss it, its the one opposite the Sports and Social Club were at least a hundred drunks were on both sides of the street egging on another bunch of youths fighting. The police came (for the second time apparently) but the mob didn't disperse.

Others staying had their bikes lowered into the cellar and sealed from the mob, but ours didn't fit and we thought it would be too much a target for the towns youth who seemed to be using the hotel as the overspill of the Sports and Social Club. We cycled the tandem back to the campsite and left it there, and with the complete tour dinner had been booked in a nearby pub (the only other "restaurants" in KS were takeaway fish & chips shops and chinese). Slow service but adequate food. Then a walk back down to the hotel, struggled through the crowds still drinking at 22:30, and had a surprisingly quiet night in a room above the bar at the front of the hotel. I don't expect anyone in KS to be awake in the morning!

Next day is supposed to be easier , only 71 miles (!).