Cycling is an exciting, enthusiastic and extraordinary activity for all ages. The excitement was the very reason for a fantastic morning at Lake District. The bike hire, the boat ride, the cycles then the countryside seemed like a whole story altogether. It was the story of ‘The Pleasant Winds of Lake District’.
When we arrived at Lake District, we spent an adventurous Day 1 at Brockhole(The Vast Windermere), a mighty Day 2 at Skafelpike(One of the best hikes) and a pleasant Day 3 at Wray and Wales. What caught out interest was not the cycles or the journey, it was the beautiful morning in the pleasant countryside of Lake District.
We dropped by at around 10ish to collect our bikes and then hurriedly rushed to our boat-ride across the vast Windermere to Wray. We swiftly mounted our bikes onto the boat and then admired the breeze of the lake in a pleasant style. The boat may have appeared to drift away, although, waves of water rippled gracefully and revealed a bright blue under the sun. Across the lake, we could see Wray wrapped in a forest green grove and we could hear the dawn chorus of the beautiful birds. There was a warm breeze just brushing the skin and a fresh atmosphere as clean as a crystal. That morning couldn’t have been better for cycling. It was a perfect Summer day!
As we drew closer to the end of our boat ride, we clipped on our helmets, prepared our bags and slowly began to walk the cycle towards the dock. When we came to a halt, we mounted on, and well, we commenced our bike ride!
Our first few minutes were relaxed. We peddled moderately and adapted to the gears and the bumpy surface. The rocks were crowding out and the surface was covered with crumbled dust coated by leaves. For the first few moments, it was quite difficult in that terrain, however, the flat roads only took a couple of minutes before they appeared.
Swiftly, we rode ahead to the smoother road. We felt the terrain below us transition into a very soft interaction. The wheels had suddenly gone from having a clunky and slippery movement to a delightfully flowing revolution. As we entered the paradise, the canopy restricted the intense sunlight and it guarded us against the heat. We endured the moment. Each and every aspect. Cycling away leisurely and allowing the wind to just gently brush the skin. We settled into the rhythm and gained speed whilst beginning to explore the countryside.
Up and down, left and right, restlessly meandering like a pebble in a river, we swayed over the hills towards a nearby lake.
On the way, we saw a castle in the distance, and recalled that someone had said that there was a beautiful castle there; we hurried towards it. The canopy above suddenly vanished as we peddled hard to our goal. Finally, we made it. We peeked through the entrance and saw a stretched road with fern-coloured trees packed on either side, all the way. It was like a gateway to heaven, so beautifully crafted. Our cycles were longing to drag us into the castle, although time didn’t permit so we continued the peddling to our next destination – the lake.
As we drifted away from the castle, in the cycle-friendly roads, we were accompanied by beautiful green lush all around us. Despite the time constraint, we took it at a pleasant pace and stopped here and there for capturing the moments. The greenery was for sure a tribute to the eyes!
Speedily, we cycled further into Wray, away from our starting point and to our surprise, the lanes got narrower and more uneven. We entered a village. I noticed the chickens roaming around randomly and the farm smell spreading. The farmhouses were all close to each other and there was a neighbouring connection between the people and the farmland atmosphere. Even squeezing through those tapered roads, I relished the ambience. Whilst being stared at, with surprise, by the locals, we cycled up and down the uneven roads and saw our turning point – the lake.
Our goal from the beginning was to reach the lake which in our minds was a good achievement. Fortunately, we got there on time and stopped by to only see it from a distance and then reverse. We did, however, find some shade and a good viewing spot so we stayed there for a break and then ascended again for an inclined return journey.
On our way back, we caught the Outgate road and cycled freely with the gentle wind. Gradually, the bare heat and pleasant wind faded away and we entered our canopy again. Recollecting all the moments, we cycled back on the same path, with the same racing excitement to get back on time for a personal best cycle ride(2018). We turned our last corner and saw our parents waiting at our finish line. Some pictures, some laughter and chatter helped us on our way back on the boat ride, and that was how our story ended. All in all, we savoured every minute of our 8-mile journey through the ‘Pleasant Winds of Lake District’.
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