Day 11: Slaidburn to Sedburgh

SEDBURGH CHURCHYARD WITH TRAMP

With Maggie now here to do the logistics (thank you very much, Maggie), Norman decides that he is sufficiently recovered to try cycling again. The day starts off, as we are coming to expect, with a long slog of a climb. At one point, we seem to have reached the top leading to a plateau, but Kate, who knows the area, is suspiciously quiet when I suggest this. It turns out to be merely the top. We go whizzing down, and then have to climb up the next lot. I’m getting to hate the downhill bits of hills almost as much as the uphill bits: just wasteful really. Later, the declivities get a bit better designed, and can be dealt with by swooping. We meet up with Liz and Hugh (in-laws) about half way along.
The days is absolutely beautiful, warm and sunny, everything bursting out all over. All the meadows are full of buttercups, so dense that they might almost be a crop. It’s been like this all the way up. It’s such a wonderful day that we decide to take a scenic detour up a little valley: tomorrow is a relatively short day, and we should be able to make up. Lambs are everywhere, in some cases in the middle of the road. Also some calves and foals, some so new that they are still unsteady on their feet. I’m beginning to sound a bit Fotherington-Thomas here, I know. When we pass flat areas of the valley, the weather has enticed everyone to strip off and sunbathe or play football.
Appleby is absolutely full of horses (it’s the start of the Horse Fair Week), as well as police, more police, RSPCA inspectors, travellers and their caravans. Caravans, some traditional and horsedrawn like covered wagons, some modern and expensive, and some in between, as far as the eye can see. Horses of all shapes and sizes on the road, and by the roadside. More dangerously groups of young travellers are taking their little jogging carts (?)/ sulkies (?) along the roads, and even racing despite the fact that there are cars on the road at the same time.
Norman seems to have made it through successfully.