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Monday 17 July 2017

LeJoG Day 11 - Fàilte gu Alba!

After a restful time from Saturday evening until this morning, being very well looked after by Geoff and Brenda, it was hard to say 'goodbye' this morning and continue our journey.  It was a beautiful day, and we started by cycling through the lanes from Sedgwick into Kendal.  From Kendal, we took the A6 to Penrith over Shap Summit.  For about 10 miles, we climbed steadily to the top, and then enjoyed the pay-off - much of the rest of the route to Penrith was downhill!  For the first time, we broke the 30-mile barrier before lunch, which we enjoyed sitting under a shady tree in the churchyard of St Andrew's Church (http://www.standrewspenrith.org.uk/welcome.htm).

From Penrith, we took a more cross-country route to Carlisle.  At one point, about 6 tractors came roaring past us on quite a narrow road!  It was one of those days when it's a joy to be out cycling - blue skies, a cooling breeze (not too strong!), beautiful countryside to cycle through, and stunning views of distant fells.

Carlisle provided an ice-cream and toilet break, before we pedalled on to Gretna.  So we're now north of the border, but as Nathan says, 'the end is still not in sight'!  We're over half-way now, but there's still over 400 miles to cycle.

We couldn't do this without Steve - we left him behind at Geoff and Brenda's to pack to car; he caught us up (having been chasing us along the A6!) in Penrith, and recharged our water bottles and provided edible encouragements; after sharing lunch with us, he continued to Carlisle, where he met us again with more water for our bottles and good things to eat; then he drove to the B&B and unloaded the car before meeting us in Gretna where we loaded the bikes onto the car and went to find some tea before coming back here.  He's spent the evening sorting out food and water for tomorrow, and generally making sure that we'll be ready to leave in the morning.  And tomorrow, he'll probably do the same all over again!  
Right at the end of the day, we crossed the border!

The River Kent in Kendal this morning

Looking up Longsleddale on our way up to Shap Summit

Looking back down the road from Shap Summit

Distances from Gretna,
including Lands End and John O'Groats -
we really are more than half way!

LeJoG in pictures

These videos use lots of the photos we took during our cycle ride, to tell the story - they're in order, from start to finish.  If you&#...