23rd April 2015 - Elterwater --> MTB and road rides

6 met up on the common near Elterwater, Charlie, Jamie M, Joel, George, Jamie B and CT, the route was not finalised and actually there were two rides. As my forks were being serviced awaiting a part I was on the road bike and decided to ride from work and take a scenic ride home via the Langdales, so Red Bank first to get to Elterwater then meet up with folks, then leave then to sort out their off-road ride and head along the Langdale valley. This of course means leaving the valley via the pass up Blea tarn, but it's only 25% and Charlie said it would be fine....and it was, hard but cleaned it:) back through little Langdale, too early for a pub stop so onto the Coniston road and down to take the east shore ride down Coniston as this is a scenic route, maybe a bit longer but it was a great summers evening, better to make the most of it. nice beach all to myself to eat a banana and flapjack.
Then down and round to Newby Bridge trying to keep to the back lanes, then Hazelrigg lane and past Seatle, then Newton fell over to Witherslack, now it was dark and the chain decided to split, so one side of the chain link came apart, unfortunately with no chain tool and no phone reception I just carried on very carefully for the next 8 odd miles, luckily I managed to nurse it home, but that did take 1 hour, so home by 11pm, 48 miles, 4 hours cycle time and I still had to fix the chain before an early start the next morning to ride back to work! But it was worth it to get a fine evening and another great bike experience!

Langdales

The Pikes

Blea tarn

Bike on Coniston water, east shore 

Coniston beach, all to myself

A little further down the water and the sun is setting 

Nice :)

Moon, it's now getting dark!

So the mountain bikers...not sure what they got up to, perhaps we will here some more, watch this space...
Next ride Barbon

16th April 2015 - High Cross, Hawkshead Hill for Grizedale

4 made it out on a sunny April evening, Grant, Andrew, Jamie and CT, JB & CT were there early and nipped off for a recky of a track spied earlier, this meant a 10 minute warm up! Back at the cars and met up with Grant and Andrew and a jogger also turned up and we all headed into the forest together, shown on a map as High Park plantation, head in on fire road and take first junction on right (really straight on) we then wondered where to go and so decided to head round to Moor Top via some of the NF route. All good from Moor Top saw a couple of MTBers near the car park, now down the NF and onto the rock garden test...but wait the test has been watered down by raising the ground level, so no real drop off, fairly easy now. Decision time, we ended up by going down the singletrack from the old challenge route, watch out for low hanging brambles and mud, at one large muddy puddle I was struggling through and JB blasted past, either his large volume tyres were doing a great job or he was carrying speed, guess which ;), now cross the stream and a test climb out, including a tree hopping competition, Jamie just rode it, CT took two goes and Andrew made a great effort just not quite able to clean it. Then carry on up the big climb (inc' a bit of a push;) then out onto a rock track to re-group and catch some breath, down the rocky route and you come out near the bottom of the black section, so climb up the left hand track, this is smoother, but still a test. At the fire road junction right turn and along to the black descent pause to take snaps of the view and then take on the black run! Ride down carefully;)
Now along to the NF and ride up the first section, now we were warmed up not too bad, at the top Grant broke out the Yorkie bar, that he had found on the trail! We were going to taste choc' biscuits but they were not to be found :( so flapjack instead. Now ride back via fire road and Lawson park descent past the gardens and come out near Lanehead centre, now just take the road back to the cars, nice and slowly! Cars at about 9.30 a great ride out. I think Andrew enjoyed getting out, especially whilst having a 5 week old baby at home, so a change is as good as a rest they say! not too sure;) Next ride Elterwater. 
Here are a few pics at the top of the Black:

9th April 2015 - Staveley for Longsleddale ride

8 started out in Staveley, Neil had cycled out from Windermere to join, Charlie, Jamie B & M, Grant, Joel, George and CT, after the usual faff we headed out over the bridge and up the tarmac warm up of Hall Lane, then off-road and head right over to Longsleddale. Enjoy the downhill section down to the houses:)

Crossing Black Beck

Sun going down

We then headed along to Sadgill ready for the climb out of the valley, steady climb this, Grant was tightening his pedals and we re-grouped at the mid-gate, after some jelly babies Charlie and Jamie M walked up chatting, while the rest of us had a go at the technical climb section. This part has been re-built a few years ago and now is settling down, still tricky to keep going but doable, I managed to clean it and keep going to regroup at the top, I put this down to not having jelly baby sugar in my system and having a p!ss at the bottom to save weight! Flap-jack at the top (with added coconut:).

Heading over into Longsleddale

Top of the hill re-group stop

Now descend even though the light was going, no lights and feel your way down, not actually that back, but a bit like Braille biking. Now go round hollow bank for the extra loop, then Green quarter and HP to finish. Here Charlie decided to head back and JP went to keep her company, Charlie was nursing a shoulder injury (apparently enjoying herself on the piste:). We did a bit of star gazing but could not see the ISS (link here is you want to know when to see it, if it's not cloudy). All safely down HP, ride back to the cars for around 10pm a great ride, Neil had to ride home as well, fair play, probably around 14 miles.
Next ride High Cross, Hawkshead Hill for Gizedale ride.

2nd April 2015 - Farleton from Milnthorpe

3 made it out on a dry evening after a dry day; Jamie, Grant and CT, we rode out from Milnthorpe for a warm up on the lanes and you can see Farleton fell approaching. First up HolmePark fell, nice testing climb then steady approach, we were passed by Stuart and his two dogs (unfair as I am sure they were pulling him up;) After all the rain we wondered how the ground would be, but after a dry day the trails were excellent, good rocky tests and some singletrack as well. We were also passed by 7 other riders and Stuart rejoined us for a short section, I even cleaned the climb to the shelter up top and another rock garden, but also fell over at other sections! Anyway it was a great ride over the fell, some good learning routes and we ended with the old downhill descent, then a warm down ride back to Milnthorpe, all very civilised. Next ride Staveley for Longsleddale