LEJOG DAY 21 Kirtlebridge to Leadhills 75 km, 828m.
Today we had a first. John F revealed that he is a closet literist. 8km into today’s ride he made a beeline for a monument(first time he has shown interest in monuments) in the village of Ecclefechan. It was a monument to their greatest son, Thomas Carlyle, the noted essayist and humanist.
And to continue (days late from the Willows Renee Macintosh Tearooms in Glasgow; back of room out of sight).
The rest of the day flowed a simple pattern. Ride uphill, into a 17 knot headwind gusting 25-30), at 7 C and with intermittent rain. Scottish summer.
On the plus side we were on a proper cycle path beside the ‘B’ road to West Scotland, and that ‘B’ road has been nearly deserted since the motorway opened 100 yards away.
However, we were in Scotland. We know this because we can’t understand anyone.
Windfarms started appearing. I was excited with ten turbines. Then there were hundreds. Shame that they don’t produce useful power (according to LNP troglodytes). After a few false tops we finally started the descent into the Clyde Valley.
After a few kms downhill, with sidewind, it was left turn and only 5km and 50m climb to Lead Hills and our hotel.
But that was 5 km straight into the wind funnelling down the valley, and 50m nett climbing repeated maybe 5 or six times in various ups n downs. Knackered. Hillary and Christine did amazingly well to manage.
Parallel to the disused light gauge railway, pas the wild campers, past the mown patches of Heather giving the grouse breeding sites and safety before the moor burns,past Scotlans highest golf course and the UK’s oldest subscription library and Gnomes illegal to The Hopetoun Arms for the night.
Apparently Kimg Charles stays there when he comes to shoot the grouse that nest in safety on the moors. I wonder if he or his security team climb three flights of stairs to the attic roomlets we had?
A quick beef pie and pint and to bed.
