18th January 2007 - Oxen Park

5 riders met up at Oxen Park, some parked at the pub, some down the lane and others next to the village hall, eventually by a process of elimination (& mobile phone) we all met at the village hall. Jamie's chiropractor said best give the ride a miss so Jamie came to chat about arrangements for Sundays Glentress trip. Afterwards 4 of us set off, head west for Bandrake Head and turn right up the steep tarmac lane which once through the farm goes into a bridleway, head north and enjoy the bumpy track, which due to the rain was wet and in places it felt like going down some rapids, but in the dry may seem more normal. At the end of this track is High Ickenthwaite where we turned left and down Corker Lane, head down to Force Forge, where we could have taken the left turn and the testing climb up the bridleway, but after some thought we agreed to carry on along the road and climb on tarmac and then come back down the bridleway, so this is what we did, and it seems a very short descent compared to climbing it! We then turned left on the road and took the right hand bridleway at Force Mills, go past Sawrey Stricely wood and Stricely Intake, where we stopped for a chat, some home made energy bars (recipe to follow) then down the track, which in summer seems very fast but now you have to follow the water course and just try to stay upright! Down at Thwaite Moss we turned right, then right again and left onto the road before a right turn UP the lane over Yew Beck and back to High Ickenthwaite, take the first track on the left through a gate, keep left and head for The Riggs taking care of the washed out gullies along the way, then back to the cars. A quick change and into the pub for a warm up drink. Next week its Britannia Inn, Elterwater.