LEJOG day 7. Less miles, more milestones and some reflections! So today was the big day, our day to cross the border into Scotland!! It’s my first visit and aside from getting here on the Hogwarts Express, what better way is there to arrive than by bike? Today we ‘only’ covered 65 miles and climbed 2287 ft, but this included the edge of the Lake District which was breathtaking in more ways than one, a visit to Carlisle, crossing the border at Gretna Green and then travelling on to Dumfries!
The Lake District was so beautiful today… such a treat to wake up there and start our day on the bike in such wonderful surroundings! We set off to Pooley Bridge at the end of Ullswater and had to stop to admire the lake and take a few photos. I think the Lake District is one of the first places on the trip that I’ve actually felt a little sad to visit, sad that I have less time to explore and fully soak it up, and that we live such a long way away from it! I’ll have to come back!
Our little Lake District visit ended with a very steep climb, but there were gorgeous views all round when I made the summit!
From there we sped down into Carlisle to meet Caroline, Andrew and Kat who had very kindly come all the way across from Newcastle to see me! Lovely to see you all and thank you so much for coming over! 
😊 On our way out of Carlisle we popped in to see the castle and the ‘Weeping Window’ poppy display that was on – I was so glad to see this having missed the original in London four years ago!
From then on it was the rush to the border! And then finally we were there, and really after all the excitement, it was a bit of an anticlimax! We took some photos with the signs, chatted to other LEJOGers and supporters who were around and then started our final stretch to Dumfries. I am still yet to see a single kilt or hear any bagpipes, though at least tonight’s Premier Inn has tartan chairs!
After 7 days and 544.5 miles on the bike, the last run in tonight was for some reason rather hard work, although today was a ‘short’ day! My saddle is feeling increasingly uncomfortable and my legs were ready for a rest!
So I’ve now cycled many more consecutive long days than I have before, today I’ve crossed into a new country, and tomorrow I’m going further north than I’ve ever been in my life! This is definitely ‘here be dragons’ territory from now on in! Who knows what we’ll come across next!
Caroline said to me today how proud Gookey would be if she knew what I was doing. I’m so sad that when I go to see her and tell her about my adventures she won’t recognise me and won’t really understand what I’ve done or why I am doing it. I hope she’ll like some of the photos I’ve taken and that she might be able to see it’s me with the big smile and and the cycle helmet when I point myself out, but I don’t know that she will. Sadly unless we do something to try and find a cure we won’t be able to stop this horrible disease from stealing our loved ones. I’m so lucky to be making these memories and just hope that I’m doing so I can help others keep their memories and their personalities.
Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me trying to make a difference so far. If anyone else would like to donate, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Harriet-Bowyer-LEJOG