16th June 2011 - Broughton forest - Walna Scar road

This is a great ride, 4 made it to Hummer Lane for some mental stimulation, not sure that's how it feels when riding UP the Walna Scar Road, but it's a worthwhile challenge. Neil parked at the bottom of the hill and so had the first road section of uphill with cold legs, but he was ready for the climb thereafter! Paul, Jamie and CT parked by the forest entrance. Set off about 6,45, and first down through the forest, some slippy mud and roots, then a little climb up and over the fell, nice stuff to start, not get into climbing mode and start on the fire road, nice and steady, you can go up either side for a while we choose the right side, up to the gate and try to cross the wooden bridge, which is handlebar width +5mm so NO room for error! Now up some testing boggy and rocky sections and onto the plateau, here we go right but this is boggy, so next time we must try going left as this looks like there is a route. From here to the old slate huts is tricky but fun. At the slate huts pause for snacks and thought, is it best to turn off the brain or concentrate hard...now its' 8pm we set off up the track, this is graded but very steep, i.e. it is first gear all the way and you have to watch out for rocks jumping out in front of you to put you off! OK so perhaps memory playing tricks! Basically you have to work hard and after 12-15 minutes of hard 1st gear climbing of the edge of your seat and edge of traction, you loose concentration and stumble, well done Jamie cleaned it, the rest did not make the top corner and needed a dab. But the views were good from the top (see photos) and you could see Sellafield on the horizon. At the top eat some food, don a jacket and start the descent, suspension back on first and enjoy...Jamie was doing well when he tried to ride over some lichen (its slippy) and he came a cropper, just a bit of blood. Continue down and enjoy the rocks, after the bridge we had some play-time sessioning some chutes, JB had puncture no#1, down a bit more looking for the best lines, now head right and past the water falls, JB puncture no#2, anyone got a 29er tube (where was Grant when you need him?) so 26" tube went in and it worked. Down to the road and we find Neils car, we played 'pick shortest straw' (grass), nobody won (it was rigged) and there was no prize! so we 3 had to ride up the last section, the singletrack road takes about 10 minutes and we were rewarded with an owl flying off a wall. Back 9.40pm. No pub. Next ride is mid-summer meet at Ribblehead layby after pub.