Sunday
- Garrigill -> Parkhead Station house
- 39km ~11hrs
After breakfast fixed up the bike with Richard’s kind help as best possible, but having walked the bike on the flat tube the tyre was fraying and not in great shape. It looked like a spoke head had cut through the rim tape to puncture the tube so used some black tape (essential carry) to provide some protection, used the spare tube and refitted the wheel. Got moving around 11am and tacked the obligatory climb out of Garrigill and the “banzai!” downhill into Nenthead where the tube suddenly deflated again (though thankfully not at speed)
Blacksmiths
Found Mark Fearn the blacksmith in Nenthead (climb up towards the offroad section and its a green caravan visible down a lane) who was incredibly helpful and practical in rebuilding the tyre with strong tape, but nothing wrong could be found with the tube. Very strange. Since we had already climbed half the offroad, decide to continue up the ‘offroad’ section, which was quick but a really hard push. Don’t even think about it unless you have a mountain bike, no load and an engine. The top brought us out to Black Hill and the highest point on the C2C at 609m (2000ft) and the sign for Northumberland. It was nice to think that it was on average downhill from here.
Onward
The delays with the bike meant a bit of rethinking concerning tonights stop so used a food break in Allenheads to phone ahead and book a berth at the Parkhead Station just after Stanhope. A quick break at Stanhope just before the very steep climb up to Stanhope Moor - and the tyre went completly flat again! Do the best to inflate it (strangely it would take air) and push/ride up towards the Station. Sue kindly took one of my rear panniers, but it was still a draining ride on a semi-inflated, occasionally deflating tyre.
Parkhead Station
The folks at the Station couldn’t have been nicer, Steve had come down in the car to find us as it got late, and the meal was excellent and very welcome. Its right on the route so drop in and say hi to Terry and Lorraine, you will need a rest at that point anyway!