I did promise to say a little about this trip as one or two people expressed an interest in my opinion of the Old Coach Road.
I left Carlisle with a couple of mates who turned round after 20 mile or so, leaving me to head on past Pooley Bridge up towards Martindale by Ullswater. I found a friendly farmer's wife who let me camp in their field.
Next day I was planning to head out towards Buttermere via the Old Coach Road and Keswick. It's a rough track and approaching it from the Ullswater side meant that all the climbing was done before I reached it, so the first three or so miles were a breeze. Wild and empty, great views of Blencathra, bit of a tail wind. The tricky bit comes at the end when the track drops very steeply for about two miles or so and the surface becomes much looser, I was hurtling all over the place and after a couple of spills, I dismounted for a bit until the track became less steep. But it's completely doable on a loaded tourer (especially my Roberts Roughstuff, which was built for just that kind of terrain). You just might get a bit frustrated that it may be necessary to get off on the downhill once or twice.
I had thought I might carry on past Buttermere, but the weather had taken a turn for the worse so I decided to bed down here for the night near Crummock Water.
The next morning was stunning- brilliant Spring sunshine glinting off a lake as blue as the sky above, so I left the tent and all my gear and headed out for a little day round trip via Honister Pass, Borrowdale and back via Whinlatter Pass. Spent a pleasant hour in the Kirkstile Inn that evening. Rode past my tent in the dark on the way back.
Next day I had to get to Wasdale Head to meet up with some friends who were climbing there. Took a short detour down to Ennerdale Water on the way.
Wastwater was quite wild- the sidewind turned into a headwind as I turned up the road that runs alongside. At one point as I crested a little rise in the road a gust forced me practically to a standstill.
The next day I was due to meet another set of friends in Barrow. Headed off through Eskdale and resisted the temptation to take a detour up and down Hardknott and Wrynose Passses (it wasn't hard to resist- I remember them only too well from days when I was much younger and fitter than I am now- I suspected I would end up walking up and down both of them now!)
Climbed up onto Birker fell and took one last glance back at the hills of the lakes before heading off towards Duddon Sands, such a contrast in terrain to where I had spent the last few days.
If you are interested there are a few fairly disorganized photos here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16762068@N04/sets/72157617859803055/show/ 
