Bank of Fleet Hotel Gatehouse of Fleet

Started off on another Sustrans Magical Mystery Tour. After finding myself at one point going in completely the opposite direction to where I wanted to go, I made a resolution to check the map before blindly following the wee blue signs. It seems that Sustrans will go to any length (and distance) to avoid even the shortest section of A road - not all A roads are that busy.

Passed through Gatehouse of Fleet, Kirkudbright ...

... br>It got to the stage where I had to ring my bell as I approached any sheep, as it appears they need extra time to panic before making stupid decisions. One ran out right in front of me and we both had to screech on the brakes, skidding towards one another. Not sure who was more scared. Others ran for ages along the road in front of me, not realising all they had to do was move to the side or stop. One sheep was ...

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Then drove on to Glasgow, but didn’t stay. Got stuck in some crazy traffic (worse than London I recon!!!) and got a bit lost on the motorways! Super spaghetti!

So headed south, and drove through some beautiful green rolling hills in the Dumfries. Beautiful part of the country here! So lush, and who knows how the sheep stand on those almost cliff like sides of these hills!

Stayed on a farm ...

... up peaceful country roads to Scotland. We headed through Annan to Caerlaverock Castle. This was well worth the visit being the first moated castle (yes the moat actually had water in it) I had seen. It was quite small and in ruins but you could still imagine the medieval knights being there. There were also the remains of an earlier attempt at a castle to see plus natterjack toads ...

... football ground. We had one drink ann went to Stuarts to pick up the kids as Sandra had been working the night before and was sleeping, Danielle was baby sitting. May had said that she would cook us all a meal, so we went tjo Jimmy and Mays and Alex went to pick up Sandra. We had a lovely ...

... five in the afternoon and with the sun long down, we parked up in a roadside country parking lot beside Nith Estuary. We were here because it was within walking distance of Caeverlock Castle, the first of what was to be many castle ruins. Instead of waiting to see the castle in daylight, we headed out with torches, following a winding path through thick marshlands to the back entrance of the ...

Ullswater is situated in the Northern area of the English Lake District and just 6 miles from junction 40 of the M6 motorway. Perfectly located for access but without having swarms of tourists so keeping the area serene and peaceful. The name "Ullswater" is believed to have come from an early Viking settler but due to a stone circle called The Cockpit at Barton Fell ...

... place we could get off for a turnaround was nearly to Sterling! (I'm exaggerating, but only just!) We stopped at a different ASDA for snacks and Demarara sugar. ASDA is owned by Wal*Mart. Some of the same in-store promotional themes and slogans are used. DH was amazed seeing periodicals with half-naked women on the cover and trashy tabloids. "You ...

We awoke (once again) to the pitter patter of rain on the tent...this was really welcome to myself as I had washed every bit of cycling clothes I have the night before and hung them out to dry. We managed to knock up a porridge and tea before packing the wet tents etc and heading down into Largs. Just as we were leaving Largs on the 1st hill of the day Carl's rear derailleur combusted into a million ...

... Wild goats and so me Red Deer which are the largest mammal in the UK. On the Sunday we went to Threave castle which is on a island in the middle of a river and you have to get a tinny across to it. It was really really pretty. We then went to Caerlaverock castle which is the first castle we have been to which has water in the moat. It was so cool to see this fairytale fortress castle.