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