An Aborted Ride to Semerwater...Bloody Hell It Were Windy!

I was to knackered to write this ride up last night! A rough idea of my original plan, park in Clapham ride over Cam Fell to Semerwater and back via Buckden Littondale and Foxup. Nothing ridiculous, a bit testing I thought. I hadn't bargained on the combination of high humidity and an unbelievable headwind....this what I actually did (sorry lots of the pics have my bike in them?)

I headed off up Long Lane...its a long but gradual climb

Once out onto the open fell its all rideable over to Selside, this forms part of the Settle Loop of the Pennine Bridleway

Pen y Ghent seen across Thieves Moss. Just over the wall from the high point on the bridleway.

On the Pennine Bridleway having just crossed the "new" bridge over the Ribble.

A short stretch of tarmac to High Birkwith, just beyond here the Pennine Bridleway and Pennine Way coincide.

Sell Gill Hole...(I think?) quite a bit of water in the beck after the previous nights rain.

Over Ling Gill Bridge...

....and up onto the Cam Fell Road. The full force of the wind was hitting me by now and sapping my energy. Even on the flat sections it was almost impossible to make any headway!

As the Roman Road started to descend towards Fleet Moss I realised it was decision time progress had been painfully slow. Reluctantly I turned round and retraced my route to Old Ing. I couldn't believe the speed I was able to ride at with the wind behind me! :-)

I walked this section of Pennine Way from Old Ing to the bridleway which gives a long if rough ride down to Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Straight into the Pen-y-Ghent Cafe for a pint mug of tea and a piece of fruitcake, in an effort to put something back into the tank!

A short bit of tarmac and then the Pennine Bridleway again over to Fiezor, Austwick and Thwaite Lane and the tunnels back to the car at Clapham.