27th March 2008 - Hawkshead

5 riders (Chris M, Joel, Jamie, Grant and Paul) turned out for the final nightride before the summer season starts again, it was a cold one and Grant was refusing to get out of his toasty warm car as it was only 6 degrees outside and getting colder.
Without the tour master (get well soon Chris) a discussion took place as to where we going and at 18.55 it was decided that we should head towards Claiffe. We all set off towards Colthouse, along Scar House Lane and then Loanthwaite Lane, we usually take a left towards Outgate but someone started right and we all followed (get well soon Chris). We climbed on the road until we hit the junction where we realised that we had missed the off road route to Snake Bite Alley, we decided then to continue towards High Wray and on towards Base camp.

At Base camp Chris M suggested a different approach and headed left off the main track and up a technical rocky section of a climb, this took us parallel to the forest track past the scout huts to Nor Moss before switching a tight 180 degrees before Scab Moss that took us back onto the fire road. At Guide Posts we took the left at the crossroads for the technical loop and then we headed up to Hollin Band plantation for the sweeping downhill towards Moss Eccles Tarn. At the gate another dilema became apparent, we wouldn't have enough battery to get us down to the shore and back and nobody was keen on the return leg on the road... the alternative was then decided to reverse our path to Guide Posts (get well soon Chris) and so we turned round and climbed back up! (...get well soon Chris) Jamie pointed out that this was on an MBR beginners route, but by the time we had climbed back to the top it was suggested that it would put off most beginners for good! The forestry Caterpillars had also been through recently which didn't help the situation and Grant was also getting concerned as he's not from these shores and was alarmed that caterpillars could create such damage!

From Guide Posts it was a final descent over Rough Hows down via Colthouse to Hawkshead.
No chips, Everyone was too cold and it was a least an hours drive home.

New feature: telemetry and google map of the route>>>

Cartographic Length = 14.597 km
Total Time: 02:16:24
Average Speed: 6.4 km/h, Maximum Speed: 31.5 km/h

NEXT RIDE - 3rd April

Gilpin Bridge for the beginning of the summer ride and a meal to celebrate the end of the winter rides. Remember the early 6.15 start!!