C2C Day 4 Alston to Stanhope

The day started with a climb up Alston high street which was way too steep for us so with a ‘Full English’ still rolling around in the stomach we trudged up to the top of the town, the first of a number of big hills today. First monster was at Blackhill (690m) and the highest point on the Sustrans National Cycle Network. It also marked our exit from Cumbria into Northumberland. Luckily for Carol we found a little cycle shop in Nenthead before we reached this hill where a seasoned old biker was able to fix her gears. No low gearing since the start of the trip meant every climb was a thigh burning lung buster. But the wise old biker identified the problem, fixed the offending gear wheel and problem solved. At the same time as the gear fixing was going on our new Kiwi cycling chums we’re having a problem with one of their hired electric bikes and we’re having to phone the hire company to come and switch them back on again! Didn’t see them for the rest of the day! The next big grunt was at Allenheads (536m) where despite fully functioning gears we had to get off and push.(we’re not proud!). At this summit we passed out of Northumberland and into County Durham – ‘The Land of the Prince Bishops’ (what are they??). After that there was a glorious 5 miles of downhill through the purple haze of heather in bright sunshine to Rookhope where the evil demons who devised this C2C route now subjected us to another near vertical climb through fields of black faced sheep to the summit of Stanhope Common. From there another glorious 5 mile downhill through the sheep shit- covered minor road and into Stanhope. We are staying in Stanhope Old Hall an old Manor House first constructed in the 12th C. The floors slope all over the place and the angle of the bed will ensure that I will almost certainly roll out at some point.!! 1 day left – a mighty 44 miles into Tynemouth (mostly downhill – hurrah!).