After a long time planning the ride, it was finally upon us, complete with a borrowed bike for Adi, her own falling apart the day we set off! (Thanks Aunty Olly)  When we did plan it, we had no idea that the first day of our three day ride was to be the hottest the country had had for several years, by the top of Whinlatter Pass we knew this all to well.

The ride started simply enough through the estates of Whitehaven and along the cycle path cutting through Cleater Moor for the 2^nd stamping of the day. Already we were stocking up on fluid realising that this was to be the main requirement for the day. It was then on towards Keswick and what a beautiful ride it was, spectacular lakes scenery as we climbed and dipped through the Lake District, sun beaming down as if to celebrate the adventure with us. The idea of the ride first came about some months ago and all to soon it was upon us. We had managed to get quite a bit of sponsorship for our two chosen charities, the Hartlepool and District Hospice and the British Heart Foundation and hoped that, what we now realised would be quite a tough challenge, was one that we would complete.

After lunch in Keswick, served by the most inarticulate chip-server in the northern hemisphere and the by now essential watering, we moved on. We decided to do a little detour from our proposed original route to take in the Castlerigg Stone Circle. A bit of a climb but well worth it, stunning scenery and a nice backdrop for photos.

Then it was on to our 1^st stop at Greystoke. This was reached initially by a bit of a miserable climb alongside the A66. Searing afternoon heat making the ride harder than we had envisaged. At this point Mike politely remarked that the route profiles I had printed were slightly out on the climbs we had so far encountered. In all of these years I have known him I didn’t realise he swore like that!

All in all a good, if burning hot day. One or two minor disasters, 2 chains off, a gear changer falling off and running out of water just before Whinlatter Pass (at this point I should point out that the Orange Calipo's in the Whinlatter Visitors Centre are well worth queuing for). We arrived in Greystoke at around 6pm and brewed up on the village green prior to finding our B&B, possibly the friendliest B&B I’ve ever stayed at -to the point that the landlady stopped watching Eastenders to run us down to the local Pub, even picking us up when we’d finished or 2^nd chip meal of the day. A couple of shandies in the village pub and it was off to the land of nod before tomorrow, the day of the hills………………………

The day began with a gentle ride from Greystoke through Penrith where we carried on with our Sustrans stamping. Then on through Langwathby as it started to rain. Meeting a cyclist coming the other way who told us that the weather was ‘somewhat worse’ (or words to that effect) on the tops was a tad disquieting, but onwards and upwards. After receiving a bit of a drowning we approached the infamous Hartside, something that had worried me right from beginning the planning of this ride. The weather improved to welcome us to the ‘Beware Winter Weather’ sign and the start of the hill. At this point my training for the ride started to kick in and the group split for the first time. I had started the hill vowing to myself that I would make it up without getting off and lo and behold, my stubbornness paid off and I did, indeed, manage to do just that, to a rousing chorus of applause from 4 other C2C’s at the top. Sandwiches and copious amounts of tea followed as I had one of the  applauding cafe users take the obligatory photo .

Then on to Allenheads were I waited in the Pub for Adi and Mike to arrive, Adi’s ever cheerful and determined smile coming round the corner a couple of hours later. Another tremendous evening meal and a couple of pints in the unique Allenheads Inn and so to bed, the ‘Day of the Hills’ completed.

(yes, it's a beer towel)

At this point we were considering phoning our families in order to meet us hot towels as well as quality Champagne, something that we had to chuckle at later as we were met by glorious sunshine. A lovely ride all the way over to Stanhope, a lot of it long, speedy downhills, excellent. It was only at this point that I realised that the reason Mike was sitting on his rear pannier frame was not a comfort thing but his back brakes hadn’t worked since Keswick!

A special mention at this point for the coffee place we stumbled across in Stanhope were I had a superb piece of Apricot crumble and Mike had soup that he proposed to on more that one occasion. The atmosphere in there was further lightened when the waitress told us that awaiting us was the biggest hill of the ride. ‘Rubbish’ we cried, ‘we’ve done all the hills’

How wrong………..Crawleyside, which I now understand is Latin for ‘bugger me that’s steep’ was one sod of a hill that was the only barrier between us and home. Once at the top we got another stamp in the bizarre stamping point at the top of Stanhope Moor in the form of a trailer caravan completely decked out in C2C bits and bobs. Then there it was, a long hill all the way into Roker.

It was nice to get a bit of speed up and the ride was fairly pleasant though slightly more industrial than we had seen previously but by now we were all fairly excited at the prospect of finishing and this didn't really seem to matter.

Eventually it was into Sunderland, the last 15 miles or so seeming to take an age. The sight of the Stadium of Light told us that the end was nigh and indeed as we turned the corner into Roker our welcome party came into site. Greeting us was a congratulations banner stretched across the road. Helen greeting each of us with a congrats card, a box of Thorntons choccies and a packet of radox, which first...... which first ?????

So there we have it, 3 excellent days that had seen us traverse the Lake District, the Pennines and Upper Tynedale. It all seemed to finish too quickly and even now we are planning the next adventure.......................