Day 6 - Charnock Richard to Ambleside

Charnock where? Look, I'm not going to explain again, just read yesterday's entry. Today's journey was just under 70 miles but felt much shorter. It's an odd sensation that only a week ago a 70 mile cycle would have been the longest I have ever ridden and yet now it feels almost as though I have done a half day!

Formalities first, breakfast was at 7am (cereal, banana, yoghurt, toast, croissant, juice and coffee). Carried my bike downstairs from my room (only one flight fortunately) and I was on the road before 8 and headed towards Preston for a morning of more urban cycling. Negotiated my way through Preston (pretty non-descript, sorry Prestonites) and got onto the A6 which I would stick to for the best part of 40 miles. A mixture of semi-country and small towns littered the route towards my next checkpoint, Lancaster.

Lancaster was a surprise, a nice surprise. I had expected another industrial Northern town but instead was faced with a charming historical town. I'm not sure if it's famous for anything but it certainly looks the part.


Sadly the local road planners had decided to turn it into a one-way maze. I had to stop by a canal to get my bearings but styled it out by pretending to take a photo of some canal boats.


I realised where I had gone wrong and headed off. In completely the opposite direction! After half a mile I realised my second mistake, turned around and got back on track, having to cycle down the same streets for a second time (the shame). Turned off where I should have done the first time and I was back on track.

Lunch stop was by the side of the A6 (breakfast bars, biscuits purloined from the hotel and an apple from this morning's breakfast buffet). About 2 hours later I entered the outskirts of the Lake District. I decided to load up the Ultimate Country album on my iPhone and headed into the national park accompanied by Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette et al.

The Lake District turned out to be a mini-me version of Devon and Cornwall. Maybe the hills are smaller or I'm a bit fitter than I was at the start of the week but I didn't particularly struggle with any of them. About this time Billy Ray Cyrus was imploring me not to tell his heart something which gave me cause to question the Ultimate part of this Ultimate Country album.

After a fair bit of uphill I started coasting down towards Lake Windermere which is very beautiful.


I reached my hotel just before 3pm (a record!) and within the hour I was unpacked, showered, washed my clothes and was downstairs making full use of the sauna, steam room, swimming pool and outdoor hot tub! For anyone else who wants to do this trip I recommend the Best Western hotel in Ambleside as a place to rest weary muscles and joints.


Tomorrow is another 8am breakfast unfortunately, especially since I will be doing my longest journey on the whole trip at 94 miles! A late finish is certain. I'm also aware from route guides that I will be faced with a right Jeremy Hunt, Culture Secretary of a hill to start with. Not much I can do about it except to grit my teeth and get on with the job in hand with the promise that the afternoon's cycling should be easier.

Here's a quick rundown of my average day:
• Wake up an hour before breakfast and get myself a coffee while watching the breakfast news.
• Shower, change and pack what I can ready.
• Breakfast with an eye on what I can take with me to eat on the road.
• Set off and cycle, cycle, cycle until my lunch stop, that is ideally at least 60% of my total day's journey.
• Lunch
• Cycle, cycle, cycle to my hotel destination for the night.
• Check in, lay down on my bed and drink a cup of sweet coffee (obviously).
• Shower whilst washing my cycle clothes used that day then put them on a radiator, towel rail or failing that use a desk fan to help dry them off.
• Change into evening wear and go and find a supermarket to buy some food for tomorrow's lunch.
• Find a pub and have a pint (or two or three or more) and if they serve food then eat there otherwise find a restaurant.
• Write my blog while drinking and eating then retire to my room.
• Read my book, set my alarm and collapse into my bed ready to face another day in the saddle.
• Repeat.

Day 6 route:

View Day 6 in a larger map

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Location:N Rd,Ambleside,United Kingdom