C2C Day 2 - Penrith to Rookhope

Of course I'll have to go back and mention the two punctures on the rubbish bit of path just outside Godknowswhere. Pinch flats where the tyre gets compressed enough to nip the tube. My own fault for not making sure the tyres were full inflated before I set off and for not making doubly sure after the first flat. Ah well. But it meant that the second job of the day, after finding breakfast, was to find the bike shop and replace the tubes that I had no intention of repairing.

Then we set off after saying goodbye to the second worst appointed accommodation I've seen. Not terrible (it had a new carpet after all) but just tiny, cramped and cheap (though not in pennies). But tethers had reached their ends.

You should always start the day with a five mile detour, which is just what we did after missing the turn for Langwathby, which meant that we'd put in 18 miles before we hit the much-dreaded killer hill of the day, Hartside, which takes you from 700ft above sea level to 1900ft over about 4.5miles. But actually, it wasn't as bad as I'd feared. OK, it wasn't fast. The fastest time on Strava is just over 20 minutes and it took me 57 but then that guy wasn't carrying my panniers. Still, Hartside's an achievement, if a plodding one. And was rewarded with a huge plate of stodge from the cafe at the top.

After that there was 10 miles of rolling down through the moors before four further climbs taking you back up a little higher than Hartside. The last hill up to Allenheads is short but just as steep as Hartside and then you roll gently down to Rookhope.

The plan had been to carry on to Rowlands Gill - another 20 miles or so - which would have broken the back of the run, leaving only 20 miles or so to the finish at Sunderland but the sight of the Rookhope Inn, the promise of an open fire and real ale ... No more pedals turned.

High points - Hartside summit. The Geordies we'd met at Hartside Cafe rolling in to Rookhope when we were on our third pint.
Low points - The detour. After that it was all achievement.