Day 6: Tuesday 26th April 2011: Crooklands, Cumbria to Abington, Lanarkshire. 112 miles today. 569 miles in total to date.

Departed 8.16am. Finished 8.20pm.

Todays route – A65 to Kendal, struggled into an ice cold north easterly wind on the A6 up to Borrowdale and Shap Fell then down to Penrith, took Roman roads to Carlisle including one 7 mile stretch with not a single bend, did the tourist bit by visiting the Metal Bridge at the former border and the Old Blacksmith’s shop at Gretna Green, Sustrans route 74 through Ecclefecan, Moffat to Abington.       

As Billy Connolly once said, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just inadequate clothing”.  We set off today in glorious sunshine wearing only shorts and T-shirts.  Rising from Kendal the temperature dropped to 3 degrees and the wind chill caused us to lose the feeling in hands, feet and faces with our bodies using the energy just to keep us warm.  A call to scout in the backup motor home produced our winter clothing and on we went.  Quote of the day comes for the baked potato stall holder in Penrith “It’s all flat from here south, you’ve done the hilly part in Scotland”.           

Day 7. Plan to cycle up the Clyde, along Loch Lomand and on to Rannoch Moor.