23rd October 2014 - Clappersgate

4 riders met up, Charlie, George, Jamie and CT; Charlie was already worrying about gear issues (possibly cable issues), JB had bought the cross bike and George wondered if he needed a waterproof....so from Clappersgate by the river head south and onto the cycle path route which runs mostly alongside the road, as a couple of places you need to cross over the road and also nip along the actual road, but it better than having to cycle along with all the cars. If you keep with it you end up near Low Wray camp-site entrance, then just have to head up the road. At Wray castle entrance we chatted about route choice and decided to head down the lake shore, then up the detour past base camp-ish, at this point it started to rain...so George was right to question the coat, hard enough to stop and put jackets on, then once off-road we took then off again as the rain had eased. Remember this bit the other Jamie had punctured a few weeks ago, but Jamie crosser just forgot to lift his rear tyre over a water bar and ooops puncture #1, quick change and off. Still raining so up the left fork and re-group at the top, now right and up to the guide posts, then left and down to Colthouse, coats on again, more rain and puncture #2. At the bottom decided to head back, first via the lanes (watch that spray from the rear tyres) then back onto the cycle past route and back to the cars, the rain had stopped no not too bad. 11 odd miles, just double figures and bikes still working and JB still had spare tubes in his pack :) Next ride Troutbeck