21st June 2007 - Ings for Garburn

6 riders turned out and rode round the Garburn circuit. After some discussion the clockwise route was chosen (its makes a change and GT had not been that way). So we cycled up the lane to get to Dubbs Road and go past Dubbs reservoir, a steady climb up to the junction with the Garburn track, through the first gate and upward and onward, after a wee while the first testing rocky section occurs, closely followed by the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rocky sections, well done CM for leading the way. CT had back trouble on the climb, must be age! We made it up and over the top so we could enjoy the descent down the rocky boulders, there is one section of large rock garden to provide a testing downhill, although CT was not concentrating and went tits up a full 30 feet before the large rock boulders, right over the handle bars, one foot still clipped in and landed on top of the bike, obviously causing some 'gear tooth' marks to both legs for his trouble! GT only 20 feet behind did the same thing at the same time, must be the mid-summer madness thing? Anyway we made it down the rest of the way, although Phil also fell over later on! Once safely down Garburn, turn right at Kentmere and head up to the first ford of three rivers and stay high to go past Mickle Moss, then along past Hugill Fell, down the track past The Heights, right past the farm and down the tricky narrow bridleway, where we all made it down. On pub stop tonight as we were heading home to tend our wounds! Next time it's a full moon for the Ribblehead route.

14th June 2007 - Walna Scar Road

During the previous 2 days it had rained and it only just stopped on Thursday evening, the famous five turned up at the rendezvous point, Broughton Forrest, one person looked at the black cloud over the 'old man', felt the force 5 wind and decided he did not have enough survival gear, so it became D'artagnan and the three musketeers. George parked his car at Torver village in case we needed to do a shuttle of bodies later on. We set off west down the forest road and after loosing some height, there is a left turn into a forest bridleway, this tests with some tree roots, before coming out on a fire road running to the right side of a stream, called River Lickle, near Stephenson Ground. Here we stopped to pump up Paul's tyre, after his pump failed he borrowed Georges new fangled pump, although he may have damaged some plastic bit off that as well, it was heard said that there are 3 things you should never lend out; a bike pump; a chainsaw or the wife!

On that note we headed north up the track, making steady if slow progress, we are about 200m (650ft) at this point, the highest point as we cross over Walna Scar is at 600m (2000ft) so there is some climbing to be done, so steady away...after a while we reach Natty Bridge, past this and the track narrows and the climbing becomes more of a test, some places we walk. After a while there is a flat plateau, a little boggy, as we round the corner past the rocks the winds picks up, but we can see some views, check out the photos, note the discussion on 'which way now'? After biking along under White Pike, trying to steer a straight line with the gusting wind, we came to some disused (roofless) buildings, where we stopped for a jelly baby ration (2 each apparently!) At this point we reach the Walna Scar Road and turn right to start the climb up, I got about 50yds up the track, when I ran out steam (or at least 2 jelly babies worth) then we walked up the track, with the occasional attempt at riding just to keep warm, the wind was now gusting around a force 6-7, so riding was a test as the wind was being funnelled down the hill directly to us, or so it seemed. We made it up to the pass over the Scar but at the top it was blowing a force 8 and walking with bikes was hard enough, luckily once over the top we dropped down into calmer winds and could bike down the track, this was rocky in sections, but a welcome relief from the walk up!

Follow the track down, past Goatfoot crags over a little bridge and look for a right hand turn through some bracken, to take the bridleway down with Torver Beck on your left. This gets you down past the old quarry and into Torver village. Back at Georges car and he offered to drive us up and leave Paul looking after the bikes, but some fool hardy heads said no, we'll cycle up and then George and Paul can drive up. It took us 10 mins of uphill to get back!

Anyway the rain held off and the windy climb was exhilarating, roll on next year (perhaps we'll do it the other way round...!!). Next Thursday it's the longest day, we'll be at Ings for Garburn pass.

7th June 2007 - Keswick, round Latrigg

5 riders travelled over to Keswick and one even cycled there!! (no prizes for guessing, but he rides an XXXL size bike!). We started off by the car park by the pool, at the back of the Keswick Hotel, we headed east along the old railway line, which is a very pleasant way to warm up, cycling along by the River Greta, in and out of the woods heading to Threlkeld. At the main road tee off through the village on up the lane past the Blencathra centre, just past the centre you arrive at the main bridleway at the base of Blease Fell and start heading north up the valley. It was a warm night, albeit the sun does not shine into the lower reaches of this valley during evening time. At the head of the valley you cross some streams and head up to the guide stones, another of those 'testing rocky' routes we keep referring to! then turn left and head south back down the valley on the opposite side below Lonscale Fell. Here you can see right down the valley back towards St, John's in the Vale and you can see Castle Rock (at least that's what we call it, 'cause it looks like a castle and it's made of rock!). We worked our way south along past Lonscale Craggs, these are various rocky outcrops which push you to the edge of the path and in some places there is a long drop down, it's worse than wet boardwalk and scary! At the end of the valley you come out to open ground for a quick whiz down to Whit Beck and back towards the car park. Here we took a little detour around/over Latrigg, worth the push up to the top for the panoramic views all around. Now for the downhill down the Cumbria Way, lots of dust flying and watch out for those gullies, no punctures tonight! A great finish to a sunny warm evening, now down to town for chips, after manoeuvring around (out of the way of...) Grants car!
Next week it's Walna Scar Road from Broughton Forrest Entrance off Hummer Lane.

31st May 2007 - Satterthwaite for Grizedale

6 riders turned up just south of Satterthwaite village, Ian was going to take us on a tour of the forrest on singletrack, without using the North Face route. We headed off towards the village to take a lane heading east to Rowley Wood and up a bridleway, the climb was a test with a particular rock slab giving some a challenge (others just walked up!) then up and over to enjoy the downhill track to the road near Blind Lane Wood. Here we headed north on tarmac, ignore the first bridleway on the left after Bleabery Hill, but take the next at a sort of lay-by. Take the climb up through 2 gates, this is also a good test of traction and stength, basically keep climbing up to the fire roads then take the first left and then right heading for the fox. Here we met up with a larger group of MTBers and we went over to Moor Top, but not for the North face, but to take the bridleway a few meters after the left turn off to the North face, this quickly descends and brings you to the fire road, where we continued climbing and then took the right hand turn to gain more height. We ended up on the fire road taking the right hand descent down the wooded section to Lawson Park, a great downhill, at the bottom some artists are apparently taking over an area and growing things, it looks like a garden! Anyway we met some more bikers here, but we headed back UP the track we had just come down but headed off to the right to try a new bridleway, it was very tricky to climb due to the tree roots, but it may be worth a downhill section another time. Back on the fire road and we headed left back the way we had come to find a fire road heading to the visitors centre, there is a particularly rocky descent which we enjoyed (including Mr Hardtail getting a flat) with Grant cackling in the background! Back by the centre having survived the washed out rocky ravine, we turned right up the fire road, then left and back to the cars via Moor Lane, a great way to finish a 2 hour dry and warm evening ride. 3 of us nipped into the pub for 'the best bitter shandy ever' . Next time it's Keswick for the ace downhill, park near the old station cafe, by the swimming pool.