On the first day of the C2C we were like a group of kids set free from school. It was wonderful to be responsible for nothing more than a bike and getting to Penrith by night fall. Fee's map reading got us through the more built up areas of Workington and Cockermouth and it was decided to take the C2C Guide's suggestion to avoid the off road section via Wythop Mill since the majority of the group were on road bikes. I was happy to go along with the decision knowing that I would get to bike that section the following week as part of my Lakeland Loop trip. The detour included cycling down a wide 'gutter' which ran along the side of a short section of the A66. This was interesting since receding flood water had left a deep swathe of debris over the top of any wide gutter that may once have existed! Wythop Woods was a delight after the proximity of the A66 and before we knew it we were speeding through Braithwaite and then into Keswick itself for a much needed lunch at a convenient cafe off the main car park. One of the most picturesque sections of the first day was cycling out from Keswick and through the Greta Gorge towards Threlkeld. This included crossing a host of different bridges, some of which were quite nerve racking for those not so keen on high open spaces.
We wanted to make Penrith by 6pm since we had booked a table for 6.30pm at a local Italian restaurant called Giannis and it's amazing what a bit of exercise can do for your appetite. The afternoon was a mixture of quiet roads and bridleways, there were glimpses of the more isolated aspects of the Lakes interspersed with pretty villages and properties. As we spun into Blencow the sight of Blencow Hall to our left was truly unexpected with its modern glazing covering the V shaped cleft in the first of its peele towers. However, our final destination was the much more modest Acorn Guest House in Penrith which was described as 'very handily placed for C2C cyclists being located only 5 yards from the C2C route itself'. Perfect!
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