13th November 2014 - High Cross Hawkshead Hill - A balmy night in November for Mission Impossible...

We parked at High Cross and 3 made it out Charlie, George and CT, it started out windy and following earlier rain in the afternoon, jackets were worn. We started off heading into Grizedale on fire road, some uphill but not too steep. Carry on through the forest and head for Parksmoor and down past the cottage, then climb back up and east to the descent to Satterthwaite, not all the way, then left towards the visitor centre and head up the NF route, CT went first but dabbed a little way into the climb, G&C went past, then later we passed Charlie and George took the lead for a while, he was first to that sharp right hand corner and slipped off the rock with a yelp, Charlie shouted out it must be impossible corner...just as CT approached it, so take a wide entry line and keep left and go past George and clean it, yes you can! probably only the second time but always good to do it, then continue on and up. This NF section seems to have changed, possibly different in the dark, a little more warn, some more obvious drops off the side, but it was a good route up. Now the wind had eased and the temperature was fine, so jackets off to cool and not over boil in a bag. Continue on NF route for two more sections and meet up with Biketreks gang along the way, last time we bumped into them was in Grizedale as well, the stars were out and you could see the lights of Coniston down below, very tranquil ride back to the fire road and back to the cars. 13 off miles and a great ride out. Next ride likely to be Barley Bridge, Staveley.