Your ride today....

[chriswoody]

Overcast again, but at least it was dry and pleasantly mild at 7 degrees. I plotted a new route today using a combination of favourite trails and headed out into the forest. The first kilometres on the road pass pleasantly enough and I'm pleased that my recent work on the drivetrain has finally banished the gremlins that have been plaguing me for a while now.

I'm surprised to see a few folk out and about in the forest day, it's normally empty out here. I've been winding my way north on familiar trails and the ground is dry for a change, though the forest is damp and the trees covered in moss.

The dry ground means I'm able to make good time on the firmly packed gravel fire road and I'm enjoying the ride listening to the call of Buzzards though they remain out of sight over the trees.

Before long I'm swinging round south again and trails that until recently were a swampy mess have finally dried. The forest has changed and Silver Birch line the side of my route, providing a small splash of colour on an otherwise grey day.

Kilometres pass and I take a lazy meandering route through the forest until I hit a rough section churned up by the forestry workers. They've made an absolute mess here and it's tricky getting through.

The route overall is a large figure of eight and soon I find myself out of the forest and crossing my outbound path from earlier. Whilst the road riding should be easier, I'm riding into a challenging headwind now and struggling to make good time. It's with relief that I enter back into the forest and comparative shelter under the trees. I stop for a short while and refuel with a flapjack.

The last kilometers lay ahead now and the route turns more to single track flowing pleasantly through the trees.

I finally reach home several hours after setting off with just under 40 kilometers on the Garmin. Another pleasant winter ride, though some more sun like last week would be more than welcome.

 

[geocycle]

Almost didn’t get out today with 25 mph winds and this morning was wet. The rain eased after lunch and I felt the urge to get out so selected a sheltered route. Out through Arkholme and then the hilly roads through Dalton woods after which i plummeted down to Burton in Kendal. I picked through the minor roads towards Silverdale and Leighton moss. I contemplated a cake stop but the light was fading and I knew I’d be slow into a headwind. Headed homeward with 53 km and 730 m of climbing completed.
Lots of snowdrops out now.

 

[Dave 123]

I was going to go up near Princetown but the further I got towards the moor the heavier the drizzle was.

I’d passed a sign a bridleway between Cornwood and Lee Moor a million times, but never been on there, so today was the day.

A wide granite sand road gradually went up, and up and… eventually the wide track turned into single track, steep and rocky. I had to ride on Shanks’ pony before the first mile was out.

Although it’s a blot on the landscape it was interesting to see the Lee Moor workings from another angle.

Eventually I was able to ride again alongside the Lee Moor leat. To my right misty moorland, to my left a scarred moonscape.

I then went up to a very rocky tor, which I now know to be Great Trowlesworty Tor. Sheltered from the wind were a family of ponies. I sat with them for 15 minutes.

Down towards Cadover Bridge, but I turned left foe another bridleway on broad granite sand. Up and around I went until a sign said I had to go across open moor.

There was a 2’ slope down to a puddle…. I’ve been here before, so I was careful and ready as the front wheel sunk to its axle. It took me a second to get off my bike as it was sat at 45°.

Back to the van via a mile and a half of tarmac.

Just under 10 miles, but an interesting and enjoyable ride.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10695948045

 

[HLaB]

After yesterday's ride I felt like I needed a recovery ride and I headed out on a regular route to Fineshade's Grounds Cafe.

 

[Mrs M]

I was going to go up near Princetown but the further I got towards the moor the heavier the drizzle was.

I’d passed a sign a bridleway between Cornwood and Lee Moor a million times, but never been on there, so today was the day.

A wide granite sand road gradually went up, and up and… eventually the wide track turned into single track, steep and rocky. I had to ride on Shanks’ pony before the first mile was out.

Although it’s a blot on the landscape it was interesting to see the Lee Moor workings from another angle.

Eventually I was able to ride again alongside the Lee Moor leat. To my right misty moorland, to my left a scarred moonscape.

I then went up to a very rocky tor, which I now know to be Great Trowlesworty Tor. Sheltered from the wind were a family of ponies. I sat with them for 15 minutes.

Down towards Cadover Bridge, but I turned left foe another bridleway on broad granite sand. Up and around I went until a sign said I had to go across open moor.

There was a 2’ slope down to a puddle…. I’ve been here before, so I was careful and ready as the front wheel sunk to its axle. It took me a second to get off my bike as it was sat at 45°.

Back to the van via a mile and a half of tarmac.

Just under 10 miles, but an interesting and enjoyable ride.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10695948045

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Great pics 😎

 

[a.twiddler]

7/2/24
All psyched up to do some (very) amateur industrial archeology combined with a shopping trip on the Spirit recumbent bike this morning. Better to grab the chance today as the forecast is for a deluge of snow for the next couple of days. Some sunshine, mild, little wind. A nice ride across town planned, downhill to the river. My fingers were tingling by the time I crossed over the A54 but the short sharp climb up Station Road hill soon warmed them up. Then right into Rilshaw Lane, where recent housebuilding has brick walls crowding the fences alongside this once rural lane like something from Day of the Triffids. After a long gradual climb, reaching Clive Lane, I turned left then straight on through the traffic lights. Through the industrial estate along the painted roadside cycle track to start with. I had to move out to pass a works vehicle attending to some hole by the roadside, then a bit further on a large truck was stopped on the cycle lane. I nipped on to the adjacent footpath as there was no one about, and stayed on it as the surface was smoother.

Having passed through the industrial estate I turned left on to Bostock Road until I reached Wharton Bridge over the West Coast Main Line where I crossed over the road. There were railings where I was able to look through northwards to the former site where a branch once curved away towards Wharton.

There was nothing to see today, but in recent history (at least in railway terms ) at one time this was busy with freight. On the other side of the bridge was a roundabout but I followed the pavement round into the entrance to an estate. Soon I was on a road which ran parallel to the railway. I passed a gated entrance to the right, which looked promising, but I pressed on hoping to find more traces. Eventually the road became more of an unsurfaced track which curved away from the railway so I turned round and followed my incoming route. Across the lines was Winsford Signal box and on my side were some sidings which may have been part of the infrastructure leading to the branch. I came to the gated entrance again. It seemed likely that that was the remains of where the branch left the main line. According to my map the unmade road ran towards the railway then left and parallel to the main line until it reached the end of the sidings. The gate was festooned with warning signs and was presumably the entrance to a rail related business. I took a photo of the gate and the view through it.

The estate seems to have been built over the alignment of the branch, as were parts of the bypass. I came to the exit roundabout and carried on through Wharton.

I turned right into Nat Lane and followed its meanderings until I came to the roundabout on the bypass. Going left, it’s a dual carriageway with a cycle and pedestrian lane each side. Going right, to the roundabout I’d crossed earlier, it was a two lane road with no pedestrian or cycle facilities. Both stretches of road used part of the alignment of the old railway.

Continuing left on the cyclepath I took a few random photos. A couple of dog walkers were obliviously gasbagging in the distance but went their separate ways. Another one came towards me on the bike side of the white line. Rather than prat about I just used the other side. I don’t expect the dog to be able to tell the difference, but the owner? I suppose he’s on this path a lot more regularly than I am.

I came to the roundabout where the bypass joins the old Wharton road. This road rises steeply from the river and would have passed the Over and Wharton station entrance. There are no obvious railway artefacts to be seen in the 1 mile 22 chains between here and the main line, not even an old bridge abutment. On the embankment above the roundabout, by an advertising hoarding, remain a few courses of brick from the station platform at the buffer stop end.

Part of the station land is under the gardens of the houses behind the adjacent fence. There was quite a steep climb up the grassy bank from the pavement by the roundabout, not helped by all the recent rain. As I struggled up the slope, in a gap seemingly deliberately left by whoever planted the surrounding shrubbery, a girl in a passing van called out, “We know what you’re doing. You’re going for a piss!” Charming. A Vicky Pollard wannabe, obviously. The ground at the top of the bank was level. Someone had put paving stones alongside the fence, and there seemed to to be an unofficial path through the shrubbery at each end.

The rest of the station area would have stood on land at the same level as the top of the embankment where the roundabout and start of the bypass now exist at a much lower level. There’s been a massive amount of excavation to create the new lower level, so it’s not surprising there’s not much left.

The almost complete disappearance of the Over and Wharton branch is ironic, as it was not some long lingering, mouldering victim of the Beeching Axe of the 1960s. Although the passenger service was withdrawn and the station closed to passengers on 16 June 1947, goods traffic survived and the station remained open for mainly rock salt traffic until March 1991. The track was subsequently lifted and the buildings demolished in almost indecent haste.

Ah well, back to the present. After taking some photos, there seemed to be two options for getting back down the slippery embankment. a) walk down facing outwards, slip, and slide down on my back. b) walk down facing the slope, slip, and slide down on my front. I opted for b as it gave me the option of hanging on to shrubbery, or at least twiggery, on the way down. I arrived at the bottom the right way up and unmuddied, much to my relief.

I hopped on the bike, crossed over, then after another photo,

rolled down to the river again, climbed up Weaver St and into Dingle Lane to my usual supermarket. After locking up, a chap got out of his car and gave me a grilling about the bike.

An occupational hazard when you ride a recumbent, but it seemed that this bloke must have been living in a cave as far as awareness of cycle technology was concerned. He seemed astounded at everything I said. Either he was a very good wind up artist, or needs to get out more. Maybe I need to get out less!

After escaping to get my shopping done, I unlocked and loaded and got rolling. Back to Dingle Lane, through an estate to Gladstone St, Townfields Rd and Swanlow Lane. Took a longer route along Swanlow Lane to stretch out the mileage a bit. Quite a gratifying ride overall.

Distance 10.12 miles. Max speed 22.3 mph. Average speed 6.6mph. According to Garmin.
317 ft ascent. According to Bikehike.

 

[ianbarton]

7/2/24Having passed through the industrial estate I turned left on to Bostock Road until I reached Wharton Bridge over the West Coast Main Line where I crossed over the road. There were railings where I was able to look through northwards to the former site where a branch once curved away towards Wharton.

Many years ago (early 1900's) one of my relatives who was well off, but very stingy, went to buy a ticket from Wharton to Liverpool. He asked for a third-class ticket. The conductor said something like "Mr Barton shouldn't you be travelling First Class". He replied, "If there was a Fourth Class I would be using that".

 

[chriswoody]

I decided to nip out for a cheeky ride this afternoon before darkness set in. After the record breaking floods in late december the river has remained stubbornly high and the last few days rain has made it rise again, it's still much lower than it's December heights though. I decided to risk a ride along it's banks and headed of West to follow the gravel roads there. Within a few kilometres I can see the debris from the floods all over and then I come across the first flooded section.

Normally here there is a paddock between the trail and the river, but not at the moment.

It's not long before I find a flooded section too deep to attempt and I backtrack a short way and take a higher forest trail up past the horse farm. It's here that things go awry, many metres above the river level I start to daydream and fail to clock the puddle in front of me. It's like the illustration you often see in kids books of the Dr Foster tale, I managed several metres before it gets deep, seriously deep, then the mud at the bottom ensnares the wheels. I track stand before giving in to the inevitable, I'm stranded meters from dry land and the water is freezing as it floods into my shoes. I swiftly regain my focus and continue on through increasingly muddy trails towards the river crossing.

Reaching the waterworks I stop and look at the flattened vegetation and sediment left after the flood waters receded and watch the water thunder through the gates.

I swing round to the East now and start heading towards home on good gravel trails. The trails are muddy and all around there is evidence of vegetation hanging in the branches of neighbouring trees, witness to the heights the water reached in December. To my left the flooded fields look beautiful in the late afternoon light, it's hard to discern the normal river channel.

I pass through the next village and suddenly I'm on my own, the trails are empty of the occasional dog walkers that can often be seen. I soon discover why when rounding a corner I'm faced with another flooded section of trail. I briefly consider turning aside and onto another trail that strikes deeper into the woods and away from the flood, but after careful contemplation I decide what the hell and set forth into the waters.

I make it through and continue on my way, the river, normally no where near here, is an ever present companion.

Another kilometre further on I encounter what transpires to be the last flooded section and with some trepidation I ford it with no major dramas.

It's a few kilometres to go now and the rest of the way is on mostly firm gravel. It might be a while until I can come this way again, let's see how the weather goes and whether we can finally get some respite from these conditions. I arrive back muddy and wet, but feeling content with an enjoyable and fun ride of just over 26 kilometres.

 

[Dave 123]

A short Dartmoor ride in and around Hound Tor.

The weather started off fine, but then 10 minutes into the ride the wet stuff appeared……

So to be honest I was under dressed and I gave up!

7.5 miles.

 

[geocycle]

Lovely day, after two days of sleet the sun came out and the winds fell. The forecast was better in the west so headed to Staveley Via the drumlin field with its short steep hills. Felt very spring like and even got a fly in my eye, a classic phenological indicator. Lots of cyclists out and enjoyed a couple of chats. A reasonable number of birds with kestrel and buzzards enjoying a good hunting day. Also got a glimpse of the Cumbrian Mountain Explorer excursion train heading to Carlisle and the legendary 555 bus that calls everywhere between Lancaster and Keswick. Back via the Lyth valley with its satisfying cycling roads. 103 km with 1114 m of climbing.

Pictures of Howgills from east of Kendal, Lyth valley and Kent estuary.

 

[HLaB]

Lol, p’tured on the club and my chemo damaged hands were completely numb for 5mins and when I did get it changed and started to pump it up, some one mentioned CO2. Thats when the fun started. The MucOff chuck is fast and controllable but it’s got one problem it occasionally eats (for want of a better term) the screw head of the presta valve and you have to pull it quite hard to get it out. Today it wouldn’t pull out! so I ended up with a fancy valve cap. At least I found out why the bike was so sluggish, the front wheel was full of water. The Chuck Cap was good for the 6 miles to the cafe and 7 miles after. Lol the tube then p’tured again and wary of my hands whilst it was cyclable I pressed on cautiously (11.3mph ave) for nearly 5 miles until I got to an old war memorial and it had warmed up nicely. Changed the tube much faster this time with working hands, even though it was complicated a bit by the stuck MucOff chuck, and came back by a lbs where I bought some new tubes and a new CO2 chuck. Now I know why my first instinct was the hand pump and not the CO2

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[lazybloke]

A short local circuit of 14 miles into the North Downs tonight, mainly to try a B&M IQ-X front light.
I was always fairly pleased with my old Lidl front lights but this is much better.

 

[Dave 123]

14 miles around local dirty lanes and a bit of bridleway which may have been cleaner!

A few skylarks singing and primrose flowering.

 

[Mike_P]

Pure pedal power for the first this year and it was the Hybrid emerged from its months of slumber. Outbound via the Nidderdale Greenway became slightly aquatic if somewhat shallow. It had however defeated a youngster.

Through Ripley and along the lane to Nidd from the A61 I decided given the westerly that I would be better heading east upgrade from Nidd on the B6165 than the climb in the other direction. What I forgot was how likely it was Town Street, obviously named when bigger things were foreseen, would be flooded. It was indeed a canal passing under the driveway to Nidd Hall.

Around bottom of the stroke pedal deep so soggy shoes and socks emerged. East as planned on the B6265 then turned off to Brearton for the ABC of Pubs and Cafes, 2024 Challenge https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/abc-of-pubs-and-cafes-2024.295234/ where I was quickly favoured by a local cat.

West now and completing the loop back to Nidd, back down the lane to the A61 and Ripley where I followed the bypass and A61/B6161 through Killinghall before heading west, south and west, now on the A59, to the second ABC Pub.

This part of the A59 was pretty quite due to once again the road being closed at Cote de Blubberhouses yet again (the road surface has cracked open).
West, south then east on Penny Pot Lane making a rare use of the shared pavement to avoid a long queue at a set of temporary lights.
18.83 miles 771ft climbed.

 

[colly]

The first time posting in here since................a long time ago. (2021 it turns out).

A shortish ride out to get some eggs from the farm shop. Nothing spectacular just a simple plod around some local lanes. I found I only had a £20 note with me so I overpaid for 3 dozen eggs using the honesty box. I'll catch up the next time I call and seeing as I get through eggs at an alarming rate it won't be long.

Almost 14 miles in a chilly wind.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/146746892