Blogs from Carlisle, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe - page 4

The campground we were at described itself as having a private beach. The truth was it backed out onto a mudbank. I have to say, I really understand why the English go crazy for Australian beaches. Anyway, we headed off to Gretna in the morning with little fuss, other than that Christie's sniffles had developed into a gale. After our morning coffee, we did a wee bit of shopping and then headed across the border into England for Carlisle. Other than meeting a couple of loca cyclists on the way and having a chat, the days ride was fairly uneventful and unspectacular. We pulled into Carlisle and checked out train fares to London as we had both had enough of this weather and Christie really wasn't doing well with her cold. In the end, we ... read more

Just testing to see if this works. Sorry for cluttering up your inboxes! Amy... read more

Sunday, July 29, 2007, Glasgow to Carlisle: 6:15am- Get the wake up call. Having taken my shower the night before I proceed to condense my two suitcases into one (since Globus will only “Take care” of one.) We’re suppose to leave our suitcases outside our hotel room door when we go down to breakfast at 7am. 7:30am- I am dressed and everything is repacked. I go down stairs and join the group for breakfast but, thanks to my insanity, I am too nervous to eat anything so I have OJ and enjoy the heartburn for the next 30 minutes. Our guide, Margie, asks where my suitcase is and I said it’s in the hall. They mean it when they say leave it at 7am. 7:45am- I go and find Margie and ask what she’s heard about ... read more

Wow! What a day. We have really seen some of the country today and had a real treat along the way .... but some of the hills would not be out of place on Le Tour. The day started well and we made good head way around Manchester and up Northwards to Blackburn. We passed Ewood Park and then started our climb up into the Forest of Bowland. The road up from Clitheroe to the first peak was steep and long, but the second climb up to the Trough of Bowland was by far the longest and hardest we've experienced on the journey so far. It seemed to go on for miles and miles and took every bit of our strength and sweat. On the plus side - the weather was OK and the views spectacular. ... read more

As our Los Angeles Geographical Society tour bus approached the border of Scotland and England, the coach driver asked if we wanted to stop at Gretna Green. (Wink, wink!) Gretna Green is famous as the place where couples eloped to marry in the 18th and 19th centuries and avoid parental permission. Wow, was the driver surprised when several of us made a counter proposal! As we are crossing the border into England, let's see Hadrian's Wall instead, we said! (There was not time for both.) I don't think the driver had ever had a group ask to see Hadrian's Wall before. Even Valene demurred and said that the ruins of Hadrian's Wall were nothing like the Great Wall of China. Lee Dodson and I were the most in favor of a stop, and soon others went ... read more