LEJOG Day 7 - Runcorn to Slaidburn
Day 7
64 miles
4h 50min
1283m ascent
2600 calories
Today was a shorter day up through urban Lancashire and into the AONB - the forest of Bowland.
We pushed our planned start back to 0830, & I went for the holiday Inn breakfast at 0800. I got a text from Greg saying he was here & on time for once... bless him, actually 30min early! So sadly he had to wait.
Dad was pretty stressed at the breakfast as 2 coach tours had arrived, making the buffet a bit of a fight for food, service, & to hear one another speaking. I reminded him that it would probably be the busiest place we'd be in for a while!
Oh also the 2 chaps we had met on day 5 came over to me at breakfast! They were having to go home halfway, but wished me the best of luck & will be back next year to complete it.
Anyway dad & Greg met, & we went on our way north of Runcorn, leaving dad to have his chilled morning before his short motorbike ride to our next destination.
The route wasn't the nicest - taking us through the Warrington borough on A roads, & around Bolton then into Blackburn.
Despite leaving around 8:45/9, we were cracking on a bit, managing to be halfway by 11:30 ish.
Clearly getting used to this cycling lark!
I have to say, however, my main issue is surprisingly not physical fatigue or tired legs. ..but painful saddle sores developing/getting worse. Despite bi-daily use of chammy cream. Just going to have to deal with it I guess!
We hoped to find some vegan offerings in Blackburn, but were shut down - not only with the minimal/zero results on Google, but when we cycled to a 'vegetarian-friendly' place (on trip advisor) & found a small canteen serving bacon, spam and sausage/egg butties, we retired to the small urban park opposite to eat the food we'd pre-bought. I'm now starting to understand my mum's taste in food...considering as she was brought up in the neighbouring county..
I got some bananas from their Spar, which involved a bit of stress for the cashiers as the pictures had been removed from their till screens so they'd have to use their glasses now- "Why do they always make our lives so difficult" they said.
After Blackburn we re-entered fresh air & countryside views. We even went past somewhere my boyfriend & I had bouldered at this year (I made poor Greg stop & get off his bike to show him the way to the grit stone..very interesting for him, I'm sure! Although he told me to never apologise for enthusiasm. :D)
As we climbed the major hill of the day the views looked out over industrial northern towns, with old factory chimneys dotted around, and large rounded hills as their backdrop. 2 cyclists came up behind, & after seeing my jersey exclaimed, "we were going to ask where you're headed, but I guess we don't need to!", then chatted to us for a bit - they'd done the ride themselves in the past. They asked for this blog address & bid us good luck & farewell.
The final section was into the forest of Bowland, an AONB, which I had cycled through for a 100 mile sportive 3 weeks ago. It's a pretty area, with multiple stone hamlets, hills of moor-like heatherland, but also richly farmed green fields.They even have a wild boar park!
Quite amusing to me is how my riding partner reacts to other cyclists: if a road bike cycles past us, you can guarantee the seedling of competition within greg starts to grow at increasing speeds, as he begins to chase the cyclist from behind. Just to prove a point (whilst I struggle at the back to keep him in sight until he gets bored!). Maybe i should ditch the hybrid on future tours...
Anyway, we glided down into Slaidburn to the pub dad & i are staying in, which happens to be in front of Greg's YHA. We got here at 15:35, pretty good timing really.
Slaidburn is in the middle of the AONB, & lies on the river Hudder. It's name means 'stream by the sheep pasture'. It's a very small but quaint stone village popular with walkers.
Sadly father has a rotten cold, so is feeling pretty sorry for himself (& is a bit gutted that he's not actually doing the cycling). So this eve I had a little walk with him before he went back to the room, then went to the shop before it closed, & chilled in the YHA kitchen - heating lentils whist greg made some spaghetti.
It's supposed to rain tomorrow, nooo! But can't wait to be in the lovely lake district! Buenas noches x
64 miles
4h 50min
1283m ascent
2600 calories
Today was a shorter day up through urban Lancashire and into the AONB - the forest of Bowland.
 |
| Greg's morning view (jammy sod!) |
We pushed our planned start back to 0830, & I went for the holiday Inn breakfast at 0800. I got a text from Greg saying he was here & on time for once... bless him, actually 30min early! So sadly he had to wait.
Dad was pretty stressed at the breakfast as 2 coach tours had arrived, making the buffet a bit of a fight for food, service, & to hear one another speaking. I reminded him that it would probably be the busiest place we'd be in for a while!
Oh also the 2 chaps we had met on day 5 came over to me at breakfast! They were having to go home halfway, but wished me the best of luck & will be back next year to complete it.
Anyway dad & Greg met, & we went on our way north of Runcorn, leaving dad to have his chilled morning before his short motorbike ride to our next destination.
The route wasn't the nicest - taking us through the Warrington borough on A roads, & around Bolton then into Blackburn.
Despite leaving around 8:45/9, we were cracking on a bit, managing to be halfway by 11:30 ish.
Clearly getting used to this cycling lark!
 |
| Smiling through the saddle sore pain! |
I have to say, however, my main issue is surprisingly not physical fatigue or tired legs. ..but painful saddle sores developing/getting worse. Despite bi-daily use of chammy cream. Just going to have to deal with it I guess!
We hoped to find some vegan offerings in Blackburn, but were shut down - not only with the minimal/zero results on Google, but when we cycled to a 'vegetarian-friendly' place (on trip advisor) & found a small canteen serving bacon, spam and sausage/egg butties, we retired to the small urban park opposite to eat the food we'd pre-bought. I'm now starting to understand my mum's taste in food...considering as she was brought up in the neighbouring county..
I got some bananas from their Spar, which involved a bit of stress for the cashiers as the pictures had been removed from their till screens so they'd have to use their glasses now- "Why do they always make our lives so difficult" they said.
After Blackburn we re-entered fresh air & countryside views. We even went past somewhere my boyfriend & I had bouldered at this year (I made poor Greg stop & get off his bike to show him the way to the grit stone..very interesting for him, I'm sure! Although he told me to never apologise for enthusiasm. :D)
As we climbed the major hill of the day the views looked out over industrial northern towns, with old factory chimneys dotted around, and large rounded hills as their backdrop. 2 cyclists came up behind, & after seeing my jersey exclaimed, "we were going to ask where you're headed, but I guess we don't need to!", then chatted to us for a bit - they'd done the ride themselves in the past. They asked for this blog address & bid us good luck & farewell.
The final section was into the forest of Bowland, an AONB, which I had cycled through for a 100 mile sportive 3 weeks ago. It's a pretty area, with multiple stone hamlets, hills of moor-like heatherland, but also richly farmed green fields.They even have a wild boar park!
Quite amusing to me is how my riding partner reacts to other cyclists: if a road bike cycles past us, you can guarantee the seedling of competition within greg starts to grow at increasing speeds, as he begins to chase the cyclist from behind. Just to prove a point (whilst I struggle at the back to keep him in sight until he gets bored!). Maybe i should ditch the hybrid on future tours...
Anyway, we glided down into Slaidburn to the pub dad & i are staying in, which happens to be in front of Greg's YHA. We got here at 15:35, pretty good timing really.
Slaidburn is in the middle of the AONB, & lies on the river Hudder. It's name means 'stream by the sheep pasture'. It's a very small but quaint stone village popular with walkers.
Sadly father has a rotten cold, so is feeling pretty sorry for himself (& is a bit gutted that he's not actually doing the cycling). So this eve I had a little walk with him before he went back to the room, then went to the shop before it closed, & chilled in the YHA kitchen - heating lentils whist greg made some spaghetti.
It's supposed to rain tomorrow, nooo! But can't wait to be in the lovely lake district! Buenas noches x
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