Tour_2023

Alan and I took trains to start with.

I hopped off at Penrith and had a lovely warm sunny ride down to Appleby stopping for a double scoop ice cream.

Carried on through rolling fields and quiet roads to Kirkby Stephen Youth Hostel, I arrived just before Alan.

An early start today, lot's of climbing today and the weather hot and sunny.

The day started with a cleg biting a hole in my leg at Winton.

Approaching Tan Hill

We didn't stop at Tan Hill but instead enjoyed Arkengarthdale and had lunch in Reeth.

Second lunch was in Muker at the tearoom with the CTC winged wheel.

After Keld a storm came in and suddenly is was cold and we were lashed with horizontal rain going over Birkdale Common.

Dinner out in the evening with our pals George, Kit and Alex.

Nice easy run to Brough then a long slog over to Middleton in Teesdale and lunch.

The red flags were flying on the ride up warning us to stay on the road.

Red flags above Brough

In the afternoon we thought it was one hill to get over to Stanhope but there's a big valley to cross half way over so it's actually two climbs.

Very hot in Stanhope, luckily there was an ice cream van at the ford, stopped for an hour.

Then Crawleyside Bank, a 'classic' apparently and a lung busting ascent for us.

Cosy night in at Edmunbyers, fifty years since our first stay at this Youth Hostel.

2023 Tour Map