25th October 2018 - Hawkshead Hill for Grizedale

3 turned out, Charlie, Jamie M and CT, forecast had minimal dampness, nature decided to prove BBC weather wrong and sent some drizzle over, nothing too bad so off we went...where to go, Grizedale has a load of trails to choose...head up and left towards Moor Top red trail, good choice as a starter and down to the rock garden, more decisions but decided not to loose too much height and headed up the fire road. Headed over to Parker moor, past the house and left into the forest, dropped down one section of singletrack, more fire road, singletrack, some red trail all good and then back to the cars. Nice ride out 12 odd miles. No photos but did wee two deer, sometimes their eyes do look odd when glowing reflection of head torches.
Too dark for pictures, so here's a couple from an Autumn weekend:

Levens park

18th October 2018 - Farleton

Well a bit of a gap between write ups, maybe I've not been out much;) last week there we a mini ride (or was it a bike test;) and a few others came to the pub for food at the Derby Arms, like an end of season small gathering but we did raise a drink for George as he was away and JP who was on the train! Nice to have a little catch up, Neil was in training and did not let on about his Blackpool plan for the next Sunday, it is a flat ride and includes a ferry! Good effort all round, worth the training camp;)
So Jamie M and CT made it out for a ride up Farleton on a fine evening, plenty of starts out, it was cool but OK once you got going. It is a nice ride with technical aspects to make it interesting, just nice to get out on the MTB!

Sunset before we got off-road

Ambleside Waterhead after recent rain, earlier in the week

23rd August 2018 - Witherslack from Gilpin

Just George and CT for this ride and it rained twice! Fairly usual route round the hill, up and over, not to bad but again wet at start and end, but still good to get out and ride.
Next ride TBA

16th August 2018 - Staveley loop

George, Grant and CT met up at Barley Bridge and headed round for a anti-clockwise loop, weather looked OK from the start with some clouds over the horizon. Up and along to Staveley head and continue up the technical climb, left at the small building and back round to drop into Kentmere.
Pause for photos: 

Carry on around and up and over to two rivers, here the rain started and the rivers were high but passable. Once down past the bottom river the last section is being worked on by diggers and looks like it is either sanitised or made accessible, we will have to see how it lasts. Back in the rain and quickly into the cars, nice easy tootle out if a bit wet.
Next ride Witherslack way.

9th August 2018 - Gilpin Bridge ride

3 riders turned up for this ride Jamie, Charlie and George.

We set off up the Lyth Valley road and instead of taking the bridleway opposite the Hotel we took an earlier left up the Row to join the track that leads up to the Heavey Reserve. Conditions were very dry and even though it was overcast the views were excellent. After passing through the reserve and heading for the cairn we spotted some other riders coming behind us. Just before the cairn we turned right and Jamie took us on a very interesting fast single track which took us back to the start of the reserve.

We then headed back up to the cairn where we caught up with the other riders one of them was a work collegue of Charlie's.

We then carried on across the top of the ridge and down the tricky section through the woods to the bottom of Whitbarrow, we then headed towards the school avoiding the muddy track on the right. Then up to the woods where Jamie and George took the left track and Charlie went right. Back to the road taking a right down the bridleway to the Derby Arms. Charlies friends were having a drink and we proceeded back up the road to the start. Jamie cycled home. Total distance 15.5miles

Next ride Staveley on 16th August

7th June 2018 - Gilpin Bridge

Just 2 riders Jamie and George met at Gilpin Bridge. Jamie drove there which was unusual. We set off along the Lyth Valley road turning left up the bridleway opposite the hotel. The riding conditions were superb on the scar. We headed up to the Heavey reserve and then carried on down into the woods near the limestone slab. Here the tracks were very dry and fast. Then down past the barn cafe keeping left to avoid the muddy section. Jamie saving his legs for the Sam Houghton on Saturday.  Up past the school and taking the left bridleway to the start of the woods. Here we took the technical track which is now a double track until you get to the top of the hill when the normal track resumes. George as usual did not complete it all and stopped as usual at the sharp bend. From here we proceeded back down the road to the cars. In total around 14 miles.
Next ride Staveley if anyone is out.

Can you guess what it is yet....

31st May 2018 - Grasmere circuit

Just JB and CT heading out from Grasmere for a lap of the local hills, down the road up the woods near Red Bank, some pushing up some hills, some walking, a different view:) down again, along Elterwater and home all nice and quiet.
Next ride Gilpin Bridge

17th May 2018 - Lowick, heading west

4 met up near the Red Lion, Lowick, Jamie, George, Grant and CT. After the usual faff at the start, do we need lights etc, we set off west for a lap of Blawith Knott, but could we navigate the way, it's been a while! Head to Kiln Bank, then over to Tottlebank, left up tarmac and then off-road, cross road and keep going, JB and Grant headed up, George and CT kept to the low route, this meant they got a blast of a downhill:) Then along and round to Climb Stile, as it suggests a hill;) Snack at the top before the nav' over/through woodland fell, which basically looks like a large mogul field! We managed to get back on route and back via Tottlebank, all good;) Useful time to go as not all the plants have grown up!
Next ride Grasmere

Nice evening!

10th May 2018 - Grasmere

Jamie B, Grant, Phil, Jamie M and CT met in Grasmere for a sunny evening, so we headed up Easedale tarn for something different, up past the waterfalls, some boulder steps to negotiate and also memorise for the descent back down;) We got to the tarn and Grant decided he needed new brake pads for the descent and promptly started taking his bike to bits...at the most exposed and windiest point on the ride, even Phil put on a jumper!! eventually Grant got it all back together and we started the descent, which was fun, make sure you have brakes and a dropper post!

Product placement! 

We all made it back, down in the village Jamie Mac' decided to play safe and head back, so now we were four. So we headed for Red bank and climbed the bridleway up to Loughrigg terrace, here we saw a young deer just 25 yds away, earlier we had sight of a red squirrel, always good to see. Then we did the terrace and down to the caves, then cross over the main road and up to the coffin route, along and back down to white moss, along the river and back via the woods. All good 20km.
Next ride Lowick

3rd May 2018 - Keswick, lap of Latrigg

Jamie, Charlie, George and CT met up in Keswick for a quick lap to Threlkeld and back, now the old railway line still has some bridges down following the 2015 floods, so we headed up Spooneygreen lane, yes the steep warm up route! we topped out above Latrigg near the car park, nice steady start;) then headed east to Wescoe, no easy bridleway link, so we headed to Threlkeld and took the road back up past the Blencathra centre and onto the fell track. Here we did the usual up and down the valley, we stopped to look at the track ahead on the other side of the valley, it is high and exposed! Carry on and check out the hydro scheme, fairly low impact with just the pump house, other works have blended back into the landscape nicely. Now back with some head wind to Latrigg and enjoy the descent back to the cars:) 25km 700m climbing, all good.
Next ride is Grasmere

The only photo I took, building and mountains!

26th April 2018 - Staveley - Kentmere

Well it was the fab four that turned out again, still with mud on from the last ride;) Charlie, Grant, Jamie and CT. Anti-clockwise loop of Kentmere, head up to Staveley head as a warm up then along to Green Quarter, steady climb up before the descent, drop down to Kentmere Hall, check out the building works, scaffold up and over the tower, will be interesting when finished. Head up the track to two rivers, here we went right and down to Ings on the fast descent with Charlie keeping up with the 29ers! Tootle back on the cycle path. All good, loads of daylight these evenings:)
Next ride Keswick

19th April 2018 - Tewitfield - Farleton

Grant and Jamie met at the lay-by by the Methodist church and Charlie and CT rode out on a nice evening for a ride, sadly JP was stuck in traffic down Blackpool way. We set off along the canal and to get to the first bit you actually ride along the M6! Then a little further along you go along the mainline railway tracks, all very urban to start. You also go past Holme and see the Mill Pond from the other side, then at the other end of Holme come out on the road and head east for the usual route up Farleton. Met a few folk out in the evening, bikers, walkers and runners, great views from the tops, with a level cloud layer the sun was setting beneath (see pic), so cooling down we headed back, Charlie has some ideas on getting back via the woods, so here goes...she had a map, so we had to keep up and hoped she did not put the hammer down;) it all went virtually to plan, a little bit of mud to keep us grounded, back on the road near Burton we headed won the canel for the route back or home. Nice to be able to ride out and nearly back in daylight, some lights used on the road.
Next ride Staveley

Charlie in action

Hardly moving

Sun below cloud layer

Disadvantage to shorts!

12th April 2018 - Rydal to Elterwater ride

George, Grant and CT started from Pelter bridge car park and headed up to the coffin route back towards Grasmere, it had been raining heavily but had settled down to light rain when we set off, so the going was damp. Steady climb to start then the coffin route, this has had some treatment in areas but there are still tree roots around, nice views along the way now daylight is here:)

Add caption here "Grant was....."

Just riding along

You can see the BW we will take later:)

We dropped into White Moss and down to the beech, here Grant managed to clean the steps down hill and was chuffed, climb up the hill and head past YHA to Elterwater, head through the quarry, up the technical climbs and down the fast lane and back for Loughrigg terrace, not the caves as George had a slow tyre leak and we had to keep pumping it up,  no obvious leak think it burped an edge seal and would not quite re-seal, so back to the cars. Nearly 10 miles!
Next ride Tewitfield!

The quarry

A little fella

5th April 2018 - Grasmere for Elterwater

Three managed to get out, George, Jamie and CT. It had been a blue sky day, although cooling off towards the evening, JB was in short socks! when they guys drove over from Kendal way the traffic was mega going the other way due to Easter holiday folk being out for a nice day and getting back for tea, so we were doing the right thing and riding!
So we headed off for a play in the woods...Penny Rock Wood to start, then up the hill near Red Bank, over the top and past the YHA, around here we paused to take a look at the view

Head down the sheep track;) into Elterwater and up the lane past Dale End, head left and over the ford (via the bridge these days) turn right for a loop of Little Langdale tarn, part way CT got distracted by some buildings!

"Window"

Potential

Patience 

Nice view, location...location...location :)

Then we saw a track...shall we... go on then, up a fell and into some trees, round and about and spy a big hole! eventually over to the bridleway back down, past Bridge End and onto the road back to Dale End and left for the technical descent then Elterwater and back via the YHA, down Loughrigg for a bit then left back to Penny Rock wood, JB punctured a tyre and so we stopped to put a screw in it (technical term to stop the air leak) onwards and back to the cars. Nice ride nearly 14 miles.

That's a big hole....

Food at last...no wait it's closed, Doh!

Next ride Rydal, Pelter Bridge car park

29th March 2018 - Whitbarrow

Well not many out tonight...OK so only JB who cycled out from Kendal for a lap to test bike and legs!
Next ride from Grasmere

22nd March 2018 - Pelter Bridge - Elterwater

Charlie, Jamie and CT met up in a deserted car park (free after 6pm;) Charlie was coming out for some practice and brought cake, let's hope that is a lesson for everyone...here's hoping;) So up the hill, what up to start for the warm up! yes we've done it before and it's OK, so up to the caves, steady away, possibility of rain later but OK now and mild enough, ease up to the caves and onwards up Loughrigg terrace, past Deerbolts and past the YHA into Elterwater, along the road through Chapel Stile and up the road until the bridleway on the LHS then along the woods and north above the quarry. Stop for cake, ok so now some drizzle, no need for Goretex just yet, head down the lane and back to Elterwater, up past the YHA (where we saw frogs, it's that time of year again watch out) and down past Rydal water and back before 9pm, nice and easy.
No photos from the ride but some a few days later, Spring :)
Next ride Whitbarrow

They're back and in the garden pond!

View from Wray castle

View from Latterheath, Ings-Troutbeck lane

15th March 2018 - Ings

Grant, Phil, Jamie and Ct met up at Ings for a nice evenings ride, nice and easy was the request so we headed up Dubbs for a steady warm up. Phil was finding it tricky to get used to his non-fat semi-fat almost thin 3" tyres but probably better in the mud! There'll be no mud tonight... Garburn calls, wot I hear you say the big ride, not over the top Garburn, let's see if they have finished the bottom section of stone sets. So up Dubbs and left for the downhill, set dropper post and enjoy...Grants chain kept coming off from ring, these thick/thin tensioned single ring jobbies are over rated;) And yes they have finished the stone track, very nice we were able to clean it down easily, not sure about climbing back up, maybe we'll see later;) Now we headed up Kirkstone road, past Lime Fitt and we stopped at the intersection of the road and bridleway, not sure on the option we tossed a coin, Phil called heads we head up the lane into Troutbeck and heads it was, so on for a lap of Wain and Mirk, down Wain it was ace! The climb back up was a muddy start and a walk in places, but steady away, Grant had chain issues again. We eased back into Troutbeck and headed down by the church, sweat single-track, but not we were back at the bottom of Garburn so we may as well try out the climb. It is rideable, just keep going, keep peddling and head on up, managed to clean from bottom right up to Dubbs lane, here we turned right, had some more of JBs cake:) Then enjoyed the fast descent down! and back to the pub for a beer. About 24km.
Next ride Pelter Bridge

8th March 2018 - Gilpin Bridge

Jamie, Joel, Phil and CT met up at the lay-by, Phil thought it sounded a bit odd to meet up on a dark evening in a lay-by and drove round a couple of times as no one was there, but two of us cycled over, two had fat bikes, two 29ers;) all good so we set off north on the road and were honked at by a car, we just thought it was a MTB lover, but Phil thought it was one of his family relatives! Keep on going until the hotel and take the left bridleway up the tricky climb and it's tricky, keep going and meet the main lane, here we paused and heard some screaming sounds, could have been a werewolf, could have been some pesky kids or lambs crying for there mums...we shall never know as we didn't hang about. on-wards for a while then tee off left and nav' yourself up and over the tops, through some trees, over some rocks, enjoy the view back south, Blackpool perhaps? Steady away on this nice evening, virtually spring like, down to Beck head and over past Witherslack school and down into the woods, a tad muddy at this point, I shall not lie, JP did not like the mud! A top notch ride, great pope cake or is it hope cake by JB; we really must up the snack game folks! Back to the cars and a ride home for two of us, I had forgotten the M6 junction closure and so was dogging juggernauts down the A6!!
Next ride Ings

"Nice Words!"

A nite ride:)

22nd February 2018 - Clappersgate for Claife

3 met up, George, Jamie and CT, cold but dry, we headed up the track next to the road, then along to Wray Castle for a quick look and continued on along the shore route past Bell Grange and onto the climb up and over to Far Sawrey, this is a testing climb and JB nearly cleaned it, really good dry conditions for the most part, then right at the pub and right again and through the water crossing and up past moss eccles tarn, it was a cold climb for George as his heated gloves stopped working, why you ask? well he took a tumble at the water crossing and got a soaking:( the gloves did come back on and he was not electrocuted! Up through the woods, left and head to guide posts, left again and then a detour to Colthouse and back via the lanes. 25.7km with 547m climbing.
Next ride Gilpin bridge
No ride pics, but some from this week anyway;)

Nice viewpoint

Can you guess what it is yet...

15th February 2018 - Staveley

Charlie, George, Jamie and Ct met up in Staveley, it was a tad cold and we headed up the road to 3 rivers for a little tarmac hill to warm up with, instead of doing the steep tarmac lane climb we went along the bottom to the old pump works and along to Kentmere that way. Charlies brakes were rubbing due to different wheel set up and this slowed her down and she had studded tyres waiting for the ice and snow, so perhaps we should head higher up;) We made it to Kentmere but Charlies brakes were slowing her down ans so she headed back by the lanes. We decided to try Garburn as it was a dry if windy evening, steady climb up, but we met show soon enough and walked a far few sections, the top section between the top gates was windy, and wet underneath snow if you broke through, so a bit of a challenge and very windy! The first downhill was tricky too, snow not quite hard enough, then down to Dubbs and back.
Next ride is Clappersgate.

High viz bike is useful ;)

1st February 2018 - Troutbeck

The three amigos turned up, Grant Jamie and CT, it was a bit nippy so lets head up a hill to warm up, straight up from the bottom of Garburn then and we can check out the bridleway work going on as they are re-pitching the last section, using vertical slabs of stone, really interesting to see, just can't ride up yet so we walked up, along the way passed a walker who said if we were going to the top of Garburn there was ice, of course there would be 'cause JB has taken his ice spikes off ;) Onward and upward...at least to the next section where after a pause we realised Jamie's chain was not running right, turns out jockey wheel bearing was on the way out and playing up, so a bit of checking required. We carried on to the Dubbs lane intersection but due to JBs chain/jockey interface issue and the fact that the wind was really starting to pick up we decided not to do Garburn but head back to Robin lane for a lap of Ambleside. We paused at the seat on Robin lane as the moon was very bright, so a few phone snaps until the cold reduced the battery to low mode only! So we kept moving it was a nice clear night with a great moon (not quite super or blue;)
Now onto Jenkins crag for the descent into Ambleside, nice and steady with the moon coming through the trees, very atmospheric, down through town and onto the coffin route where someone has done some work to level the path for some of the way, there is still some technical singletrack and JB cleaned the rooty section and most of the next climb, really good going! Grant said he read in the Gazette that this path was in the top 30 walks in the country! We dropped down into Rydal and then up to the caves, down the limestone slab descent and under Loughrigg back to town and return via Jenkins crag, it's a stiff climb and we feasted on flapack, jaffa cakes and Grant added a Gel to make it 3 courses!, then climb on and back to Troutbeck.
So Strava had got cut off due to battery issues but the backup old Nokia I had going to compare the two systems recorded 26.3 km (16 odd miles) 550m climbing, started at 6.30 back for 10pm Nice!
Next ride Stavely

Is that just the moon....no Grant taking a breather

Big yellow....Moon

A cave en-route

25th January 2018 - Clappersgate round Loughrigg

4 met up at Clappersgate, it was a very wet drive over but faired up for most of the ride, George, Grant, Jamie and CT, Grant remembered his shoes, bonus, forgot his helmet battery, not so good, but gave him an excuse to cycle slowly at the back :) We headed back along the under Loughrigg lane as a warm up, then up to the caves, along the fell and down to the beach, up around to top of red bank, down into Elterwater and a little circuit, back along Elterwater river and back via the lanes, nice ride in the end, cold but not freezing as long as you kept moving. No pub stops, no cafe stops, not even cake;) but managed to ride 19.43km, with 539m climbing and it looks nice round route on the map!.
Next ride Troutbeck.