4 met up at Barley Bridge, Charlie, Grant, George and CT. We considered Longsledale route but due to weather, winds, lack of legs and Grants bike test (newly serviced just like new...!) we decided 1 river crossing, Kentmere church and long houses. Nice steady start up the road, fiddle with lights to check home-wired LEDs (see photo showing LED board, heat sink, driver and cables), good to feel that boost does not get too hot. Along the top track cross river, up and over for the descent into Kentmere, here Grant enjoyed himself by passing others...whooooping and a' hollering...at some point he is alleged to have passed Charlie while splashing through a puddle (yellow card if it's true). Down the road and left for route up long houses, thru' first gate, onward and through second gate, uphill section starts but being a tad too muddy for clean runs, get to third gate, you know the pair of 5 bar gates, Grant or Charlie opened the right hand gate, CT wondered which way they wanted to go and said we usually take the left hand gate, no the others said you must be mistaken, it was the right hand gate; so CT thought he would go with the flow and see where it lead to..once through the gate and after a moment of looking ahead the others realised their mistake and agreed the left hand gate was the one, especially as it has the blue bridleway sign attached...! Up the hill through the stream crossing, where Grant promptly felt right into the water for a right soaking (justice for the earlier splashing some think). Now it was raining steady, shelter behing a wall for some fine flapjack from Charlie, now a quick head down HP out of the wind, quick peddle down the lanes, back to the cars for home, a wash and to dry out. Next ride Elterwater, park on the common.
5 met up near the Anglers Arms, Haverthwaite; Grant, Ian, Chris M, George and CT, although Chris M's bike was less than a month old he was already on a second rear tyre due to a tear in the side wall. Usual route pretty much, head south over bridge and past the old glass works and along the River Leven to come out at Low Brow Edge, climb up tarmac hill to take the bridleway north to Canny Hill. Now the first part is often muddy and tonight was no exception, quite thick but actually rideable in a smooth steady way (at least for some of the sections) but it did gloop up the bikes and slow down or stop gear changes. Once down to the lanes cross over the 590 and head up Barrow Banks for the steady climb up Chapel House plantation, there were loads of pines needles and these then stuck to the mud already on the bikes! Re-group at the top and try to shed some mud to enjoy the technical descent, it was a tad slippy all the way down! Down the lanes to Newby Bridge over to Finsthwaite where we were corrected after going the wrong way! and onwards to the refurbished bridleway down Wintering Park, back along the lanes and home for food and a bike clean. Next ride Kentmere.
George, Neil, Ian, Chris M, Grant, Charlie and CT met up at the Red Lion, Lowick and headed to Nibthwaite Grange and the warm up hill climb of Bletherbarrow Lane to get the descent to Ickenthwaite, this was great with many puddles to splash through, race around and get stuck in, the descent was excellant with a few tricky sections and the river bed type channel near the end requiring quick decisions and reflexes! All down safely, then along Corker land the up through Grizedale to join the bridleway up to Parkamoor, this involves some steady climbing, walking and good bike handling, once at the top just endure some more puddles (some deep!) to get to the start of the Parkamor descent down to Nibthwaite. Just remember to watch for the 4x4 tracks and not too get stuck in the ruts,
there were views of Conistion water in the moon light and the rocky sections are always a test, try not to dab! after the mid-rocky tester comes the fast blast down to Nibthwaite, re-group and spin along the lanes back to the cars. A great mild evening, the pub was packed with musicians, but we headed home for a wash down. Next ride is Haverthwaite.
5 met up, Ian, Neil, Jamie, Chris M and CT. Neil had come over on the ferry and so was keen to get back by 9pm (but I am sure some kind sole would have given him a lift, at least to Kendal!) Chris M was sporting a new bike and was keen to give it a good test. So we headed up the track to get the descent down to the lake, which was a bit loose and slippy in places, but it's a great ride down the hill, re-group at the bottom cycle along the lake side and head up to Scab Moss, here we came across some muddy sections and Chris M had his first puncture, we just thought it was the gloopy mud effect, anyway it turned out to be a shard of metal probably picked up on the road. Quick flapjack break (see new recipe on recipe blog) and once tyre back on head up to Hollin Band Plantation, up and over, past Moss Eccles Tarn and blast down to the cars. Neil was back in time for the ferry (or at least we didn't hear from him again...?) Chris M shot off to clean his bike and the rest went into the pub, now called the Cookoo Brow Inn, to see what makeover they have done, basically the stables are still there but there is one central bar, which was very quiet, i.e. 3 mountain bikers drinking beer and eating crisps. Although it was near to the 5th November there was no sign of fireworks, we'll have to wait for the weekend. Next ride is Lowick
