29th September 2011 - Selside for Borrowdale

7 made it to the A6 rendezvous point, some confusion to the exact spot but we all made it in the end, Charlie, George, Grant, Chris M, Joel, Jamie and CT. There was a little discussion on exact route but in the end it was the anti-clockwise route, incorporating the tarmac climb to the Whinfell mast and back through Borrowdale valley. We started by dropping down the bridleway opposite Forest Hall, with George doing a great navigation job to get us across the beck and onto the lane, now a nice warm up ride before the mast ascent! We managed to get up the climb without lights; a break-away group went out in front with a little in-fighting, Granto trying to foul CT at a cattle grid, but 5 stayed away until the top. At the top it was decidedly gloomy and time for food, but where was JP, as he did not have his lights on we could not see that he had fallen behind, but he did emerge from the darkness, just a little shocked by the 10+ minute first gear climb! After a re-group now it was time for lights, the bridleway off the fell was fairly wet and muddy in places, ride lightly to keep those wheels turning, all made it down, turn left onto the track and along the valley bottom, approaching Low Borrowdale and Chris M had a slow puncture, which turned into a slow tyre change, was it a thorn or a pinch, Murphy's law says you'll only find out AFTER you have put your spare tube back in!! At the farmhouse there were a few folk having a party, we continued on past High Borrowdale and while stopped at a gate, we all turned our lights off to revel in the darkness, in this valley there are no visible artificial lights, the stars were clear along with the aircraft, this is a wonderful spot on a barmy summer-esk evening. Back on bikes riding through puddles, last hill to the road, take first left and blast down the track, only to find a group of ponies trying to get to the gate at the same time as us, probably thought we were UFOs, navigate though the wild-life, right onto the track, up the lane fighting off the night fire-fly trying to eat us and cross over to another bridleway below jungle cafe caravan place and ride back to the cars. Overall a warm mud splattered evening ride. Next ride is Winster, park near the church.