6 Turned out (Charlie, John, Grant, Paul, Jamie and Joel) for another loop from Hawkshead with Claife in our sights once more. The mistakes of the last ride on the 27th March was still fresh in our minds where we took a right turn instead of a left and so we set off in the right direction this time. Charlie took the lead and suggesting that we could take in a loop down to the shore on Windermere if we 'rode with a sense of purpose' (or something to that effect), I think this meant that we should stop chatting and ride.
We all set off towards Colthouse, along Scar House Lane, through Outgate, past the pub and taking the bridleway to the right, locally and affectionately known as snakebite alley, tonight was no exception with 3 punctures already. We stopped to regroup and repair and then headed out past Bletham Tarn and the after hitting the road we headed towards High Wray and then Base Camp.
At Base camp we 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 but this time rather than switching a tight 180 degrees and back up the fire road we continued along until Long Height where we continued to climb (with purpose) and then headed out of the forest for the first proper descent to Moss Eccles Tarn and on to Far Sawrey. From Sawrey we took the track that climbs up behind the pub and heads out towards Belt Ash Coppice, an excellent technical descent follows down to the shoreline of Windermere where 2 more punctures were sustained, the victims were Paul and Jamie who made the total '5', Charlie was currently the only one to escape the pinch flats this evening!
From the shoreline we continued along the rough track to Belle Grange until we reached the pitched bridleway for the walk that leads uphill and back towards Long Height, then Guide Posts for the final climb and then the long descent back to the road with Hawshead in our sights. Jamie puncturing again on this descent and with only his last 29'er tube to get him home he was lucky Hawkshead was twinkling in the distance.
It was 9.45 by the time we got back to the cars, no chips and only a half before bedtime!
Next ride: 15th May 2008 - 6.30 Barley Bridge, Staveley for Longsleddale
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