Winskill and Catrigg Force

This is a great little walk, starting in Langcliffe and ascending to the Winskill Stones before dropping down to Catrigg Force. Then back onto the Pennine Bridleway and down into Stainforth, before crossing the busy B6479. Over Stainforth Bridge and follow the River Ribble downstream to Langcliffe Mill, and back up to Langcliffe. Heres a few pics of today's stroll..

The lane leading to the short climb up to Winskill Stones

Pen-Y-Ghent from Winskill

Not much water in Catrigg Force today.

Heading down the Pennine Bridleway into Stainforth, Ingleborough in the background

Stainforth Force and Bridge

We've never seen as many Primrose's aas this year, the banks beside the Ribble were covered

An Evening Ride up Farleton Knott...A Little Bit Cheeky :-)

Farleton Knott dominates the view from my home, just a couple of fields and a road away! This evening rather than bash a few miles out on the roadbike I had a ride up on the fat bike...and very ice it was too!

The bridleway leaves the road, passes through Holme Field farm and enters the open fell here.

The National Trust have encouraged the grazing of hardy coo's on the fell, Belted Galloways at the moment.

From the high point of the bridleway I took one of the old tracks built to remove the limestone pavement.
Here the distant view is filled by Ingleborough and Whernside.

To the North the Howgills and round to the Barbon Fells.

Here on the summit of Farleton Knott the Lakes Fells are seen, a bit hazy this evening sadly.

And here South West towards Morecambe Bay 

Rough Stuff Fellowship Ride Over The Calf

So was this a "rough stuff" ride in the true ethos of the club or a mountain bike ride? It's a fine difference! Anyway it was my turn to lead a ride, having planned to ride over The Calf in the Howgill Fells several months ago we were fortunate that the weather was pretty good. We met in the cafe in Sedbergh and rode off up Howgill Lane...

Once off Howgill Lane the climbing started in earnest, a rest before the drag up to Winder!

The going is mainly short cropped turf, it did seem "draggy" today into a brisk North Easterly wind!

The summit of Winder and the view to the West.

The bridleway surface has been improved over the years...nothing has changed about the steepness though! This is the steep pull onto Calders!

Once on top of Calders the summit of The Calf is clearly seen...roughly behind Ian on the photo.

Here we're on the top of The Calf...objective 1 achieved...probably the easy bit in hindsight.

Then it was down Bowderdale, quite tricky singletrack for an old man like me!

Bowderdale is roughly 4 miles long, it seemed more like 40miles today into the wind!

Here we're almost at the foot of Bowderdale, Yarlside is seen at the head of the valley lit by the sun.

A short section of tarmac and a grim bridleway near "Gars" and eventually we picked up this great little lane near Newbiggin. This would take us over to Ravenstonedale.

Its a stiff tarmac climb from Ravenstonedale up to the isolated farm of Adamathwaite...2 arrows on the map.

Its not a bad bridleway from Adamathwaite round to Narthwaite. Although difficult to follow on the ground just after this point.

The bridleway contours above the deserted farm of  Mountain View in its almost forgotten valley.

We then picked up the bridleway that would take us almost all the way back to Sedbergh. Here the footbridge across Cautley Beck near the Cross Keys.

The bridleway contours high above the Rawthey Valley providing more technical singletrack...the views were very distracting!
A good route, but make no mistake pretty hard going.

A Ramble Beside the River Ribble

Not quite the wall to wall sunshine promised, but we enjoyed a short walk beside the slow flowing River Ribble between West Bradford and Grindleton. Nice and flat for P :-)

Lots of Primroses on the banks today

Our outward leg followed the Ribble Way.

Some great reflections, you have to remind yourself it's a river.

Blossom is starting to fill the hedgerows...we did see our first Swallows of this year as well...
but I didn't take any pics of them!

Fat Bike Fun in Yewdale and Tilbirthwite

A foggy morning was against the forecast, but with the promise of warm sunshine due in the afternoon I loaded the car up and set off. I arrived at Sheperd's Bridge near High Yewdale Farm just as the sun started to appear. No rush today with a new bike to work out, I had a vague route planned in my mind I'd see how things panned out....

Guess who ate all the Easter Eggs?
I've thought about buying a Fat Bike for more than 2 years. So now I've taken the plunge and bought this Felt Double Double 30...looks heavy but weighs quite a bit less than my 29er!
The 4" wide tyres look heavy...but are of course full of air!
Anyway on with the ride..

Riding down to Low Yewdale , I took the bridleway over to Boon Crag. Then down to Coniston Water and a bit of road work up to Low Bank Ground. Then up this great bridleway which climbs at a good gradient through Lawson Park Farm. 

This brings you onto the "North Face Trail". I rode this for a little way noting that some trail maintenence had been carried out to replace some boardwalk. 

As I came out of the woods I stopped for lunch near High Park. I enjoyed the view over to the Coniston fells, remnants of the inversion still hanging in front of the "Old Man".

I arrived at High Cross to find that a new section of "Multi Use" path was almost completed.

My next section of off road was the old road over Arnside Intake. As you reach the high point of the Iron Keld bridleway you're treated to this view of the Langdale Fells framed by the old Larch trees.

Its a great descent down to the road below Park fell. From here Helvellyn is seen in the background.

This bridleway near Colwith has also been improved. I followed it up to High Park before passing through Stang End . Then heading South to Hodge Close.

I always like to have a mooch round the old tips here...nice and quiet place even on Easter Monday!

I felt good and was enjoying the ride immensely so decided to put a loop in round into Little langdale and over to High Tilbirthwaite.
This track is now very eroded still almost completely rideable on a fat bike tho!
The pimple in the distance in Pike O'Blisco.

Back through Tilbirthwaite to Hodge Close I came across these "Hairy Coo's", only young un's!

From Hodge Close it was on one of my favourite bridleways round the back of the quarries and down Low Coppice to reach tarmac for a km or so back to the car.
So how did I find the Fat Bike?....Awesome, I couldn't believe they climb so well. They smooth out the trail in a different way to suspension. But you've got to embrace low pressure...6-8psi for me.
They certainly put the grin factor into cycling!