Blackford - Kirkstone

We woke on the Dandie Dinmont campsite in Blackford to find a flat tyre on Rob's rear wheel. We had a few oat bars to lift our spirits and once this was repaired (with some chatty support from a few of the elderly caravaners on the site) we were on our way towards Carlisle for breakfast. In Carlisle we completely just happened upon a place called John Watt & Son, a Victorian style coffee house which smelt incredible and had quite the tea selection too. We had a lovely cooked breakfast here complete with Cumberland sausages.

We got lost leaving Carlisle but did manage to stumble upon a bike shop so we nipped in for some air in Rob's tyre. Once we'd evenutally managed to find our way out of Carlisle we began to see the hills of the Lakes looming large in the distance. 

We stopped for lunch (which we'd picked up from M & S in Carlisle) in a small village called Hesket Newmarket on a nice little bench here. A few hills aside, our route into the Lakes was remarkably rolling and we were blessed with a sunny evening as we rolled towards Ullswater to the campsite at the bottom of Kirkstone Pass.

The campsite on the pass had a pub attached to it where we feasted on the best steak and ale pies we've had in a while and some lovely local beers. We went to bed full and happy to finally have made it to the Lakes.