To Buttermere

May 27, 2005

A fairly short ride today, mostly on very beautiful and quiet single lane roads, under grey skies. The morning took us to Keswick, where we stopped in at a sandwich shop for lunch; and in the afternoon to Buttermere, with the ride punctuated by an agonizing but short 20 degree climb (we pushed it) to a saddle, followed by a precipitous 25 degree drop to the village.

Our room was at the east end of the lake, a bit over a mile to the village center and the only eating option around. We walked this distance 6 times - 3 round trips - twice for suppers (at the Fish Hotel the first night, and then the Bridge Hotel), and then on our day hike during the layover day.

Today's ride: 36 miles (58 km)
Total: 246 miles (396 km)

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Lyle McLeodDon't you love the Lake District! Quaint valleys with pastoral villages set beside beautiful calm lakes ..... interconnected with insanely steep single track roads! Looks like you came into Buttermere from the north (you can see the two road grade signs on Google street view!). Back in 1982 when I was on my (completely random) post uni tour of Europe I was on my way to Buttermere from the east on the B5289 that went south from Keswick along Derwent water. My target that day was a Youth Hostel at Honister pass just a few km's east of Buttermere. When I reached Seatoller (a farm yard, a few houses and a very nice pub) on the east side of the pass I made my weekly collect phone call home to my parents from a classic British red phone booth.During that call I found out that my dad had just picked up my degree that morning at my uni's convocation! To celebrate I decided to treat myself to a real meal, and a couple of pints, at the Seatoller pub. Once that was done I started to head up the pass to the hostel. I was immediately met with a 25% grade sign and what looked like a wall of pavement in front of me! It was a nice night, there was a small stream with a few trees (and more than a few sheep) nearby so I made the correct decision to have another pint and pull out my bivy sac and spend the night beside the stream. Still remember it vividly!
From your posts from the next few days when you are in Scotland, it looks like you got the proper Scottish west coast weather welcome! Seeing Rachael cowering under an awning in Kilmartin looks like a 'normal' west coast day! Still anticipating the bluebird days in Skye that you teased everyone with in your intro page :)
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Lyle McLeodYes, we came in from the north. That little knife blade ridge north of Buttermere still stands out in our memories. And yes, we did love the Lake District. Every sketched out version of a next ride through Britain includes a second visit here. I’d like to see if we could still make it up Helvellyn, though my knees might think otherwise.

You’ll to forget about that sopping ride to Kilmartin temporarily, as it was published in error and now hidden again. We’ve got a few days ahead of us still before we get there. Try to act surprised when it appears again.
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3 years ago

Lyle McLeodTo Scott Anderson😲 how’s this!
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3 years ago