Day Two began with a rather sluggish rise out of bed and an aching stretch. Then a breakfast of porridge and cowboy coffee (I have since been given an AeroPress) as well as a mental note to steal a packet of sugar from the next coffee shop I visit for tomorrow’s morning coffee.
After a few minutes of packing (and reorganising) I was back on the road. Snaking through the remainder of the Peak District saw me leave the rolling farmlands of the southern roads to the slightly more mountain-esque terrain in the north, with roads not running up and down the hills but instead winding through. The way was, for the most part, empty, and as I hit the northernmost point of the Peak District and cut west the sun broke through the clouds as if welcoming me to the day ahead.
It was magnificent.
Cold, but magnificent.
Bypassing the big city
A quick hop on the motorway past Manchester and I again turned off and made my way through the Forest of Bowland. On the map the road looked far less destitute as it cut through to the other side but as I rode upon it – with sheep resting on either side of the single lane road with no markings – I began to hope and pray my bike would not fail me. I saw two cars in the span of about an hour as I wound through the peat-laden moorlands of Lancashire.
Not long after breaking through to the other side I was back in outstanding national beauty as I made my way into the bottom of the Lake District. Traffic had picked up and I’ll admit the final leg of today was perhaps less enjoyable than the rest. But the landscape of the Lake District soon won me over and by the time I crawled into my campsite I was tired and sore but very, very happy. Nestled on one of the northern lakes, I parked my bike and tent on the soft grass and fell into the routine of the end of day.
It only rained once, for about five minutes, which is a miracle given the Lake District is known for its rainy weather. It was another relaxed evening of reading and star gazing before drifting off to sleep. Tomorrow was the final – and shortest – leg of the journey and I had no plans to rush.
Day Two was now complete.