Sunday 21 June 2015

Wanna Get Fit....Get Fat!!

A ride from Clappersgate on the Fat bike. Adds a new dimension to any mountain bike ride. Love seeing folks faces when the spot the tyres...
I rode the renovated and recently extended multi-use track to Low wray.
The sheet of water is Blelham Tarn, and the hill behind Latterbarrow. Which we visited last Sunday!

Wray Bay, I then followed the bridleway to Belle Grange before climbing over Claife Heights and back to Windermere's shore. 

Fat Felt meets Fox!
More bridleways and I climbed via Dale Park up to this spot in Grizedale forest 

A bit of North Face trail and bridleways before I dropped down into Hawkshead.

A short stretch of road to Outgate, and I was able to pick up a favourite track down towards Low Wray. Thus completing my circuit, all that remained was to ride the multi-use track back to Clappersgate :-))

Sunday 14 June 2015

Latterbarrow (Near Hawkshead)

I climbed this lowly hill many times in my teens, and the odd time since but probably not in the last 10 years. Lots of clear felling of the evergreens has gone on since then, it made this walk seem quite different from those visits in the past.

We parked near Colthouse and walked up the bridleway which skirts the nameless tarn above. Afew more years and it will be completely silted up I think.

Once beyond Rough How Intake we headed North and saw our target across the clear felled Old Intake

Its a huge cairn /obelisk on the top of Latterbarrow. The sign asks people not to climb the memorial. The sun was trying it's hardest to make an appearance. from here it was more or less downhill back to the car. 

We did however make the detour through Crag Wood on this permissive path...I'd not been along here before very nice. It would have been even better a few weeks earlier as the Bluebells were all but done.
Only a short walk today but we both enjoyed the outing.

Friday 12 June 2015

Over to the Land of the Prince Bishops on the BMW

I had a day out on my motorbike yesterday, it was to hot for walking or cycling...if you have another toy to play with! :-)) So I headed over to my favourite place to ride, the North Pennines. Wonderful quiet open sweeping roads, and lanes with lots of old mine interest.

Just under 20 miles up the M6 and I was onto minor roads. Across Asby fell past sunbiggin Tarn.

Here in Brough i had a snack and was intrigued by these knitted covers for railings!

Over into Teesdale then here across the River Wear near Wolsingham.

A short way up Weardale to Stanhope, home to this fossil tree.

Over Crawleyside to Edmundbyers and along the South side of the Derwent reservoir to Blanchland. A lot of scaffolding in the village...so I took this photo of the church!

Then over to Rookhope and down into Upper Weardale, time wasn't on my side so I missed out on a visit  to the Killhope Wheel this time.

From Nent Head I took the narrow road which follows the old hushes and mine workings down into the South Tyne valley and the pleasant village of Garrigill.

I did stop for tea and cake at Hartside Cafe, a favourite haunt of motorcyclists...and these days cyclists as well. It will be rather busier in September when the Tour of Britain has a stage finish here.

Through the Eden valley, then the climb up onto Orton Scar...it seems to be a good year for Buttercups!

As I reached the edge of Orton Scar the Howgills were laid out before me.
Just a few minutes back down the M6 and I was home, one of the best days I've had on the BMW for a long while. Great weather, Great scenery and a Great bike :-))

Sunday 7 June 2015

Black Fell

Today's amble took us to the summit of Black Fell. This was the first Wainwright that P. has summited since her knee op over 12 months ago. She was very proud of herself, as indeed she should be!

We were just out for a ramble today really, but with the weather so good and P. feeling her knees were good we left the Arnside Intake track and headed off through Iron Keld. Its a nice gradual climb up to Black Fell from here...ideal.


It was however very windy my photo's are blurred! The views from this lowly top are excellent, here across to Wetherlam and Coniston Old Man.
A very successful day. I like Black fell, I'll no doubt be back in the not to distant future!