27th March 2014 - Troutbeck for Robin Lane...and beyond

4 met up at the layby in Troutbeck George, Grant, Jamie and CT, note Jamie was riding a rigid 700c cx bike, he had rode down to met us, having parked up at the MiLs. So route decision made as we usually go to do a bit o' Graburn, instead thought we'd go towards Ambleside so Robin Lane, should be good on a cx;) check those tyre pressures. OK so there is a little hill climb to start but you can't have everything....nice and steady, up and over Robin Lane. Nice route down towards Ambleside, Grant even made it down the rocky section in one piece, then we decided to carry on towards Ambleside and take the coffin route and up around Rydal via the caves; so off we headed, going up the back lanes to avoid the main road to get to the coffin route, a slight detour towards low Sweden bridge, but we made it down to the right road and cruised along, we were then passed by a group with hardtail mtb, a narrow tyre one-one with niner fork and assorted others, so we rode with these guys for a while along the coffin route until we paused at a gate, whilst CT added some air to a rear tyre adjustment stop. Then onward to those testing bits of the coffin run and safely down to the road and over to climb up to the top of red bank (note a newer section has been prepared, maybe they need some singletrack down by the wood:)), a brief rest for a bit to eat, then race down past the caves and back on the road, we re-grouped at the car park opposite Hayes and discussed a route back, lets stay off the main road so back up Robin lane and back to the cars, down past the church for the last singletrack and oh wait Jamie had ridden all the way down, so he had to ride back up hat hill to his car;( we were at the cars for 10pm! Good ride, no real rain, jobs a good 'un. Next ride will be Keswick, park Brundholme Road, back of Fitz park at bottom of spoonygreen lane.