Conishead, Salt Cotes and Canal Foot.

A short stroll in the warm afternoon sun, having parked in the overflow carpark at Conishead Priory.

Firstly through the mature woodland on the permissive path to the shore.

Then along the shore...not much of it available at first due to very high tides!

Footpaths and little used lanes took us to Sand Hall and this old chimney in the middle of a field. An old brickworks chimney apparently.

Through Salt Cotes and round Hammerside Point to Canal Foot.
Then it was back much the same way.
Very mild today, hard to believe its almost November!

Great How

Great How I hear you say....where's that? Its the little bump with the great views adjacent to the Thirlmere dam. Its a "Birkett" as well!

Parking beside the A591 Castle Rock is well seen across the valley, I understand it may soon change its appearance....a huge rockfall is imminent 

A permissive path gives access to the top.
This is the view Northeast from the North top, even in the dull overcast weather today the scene was excellent.

This is from the South top (and the higher) Brown Cove on the left and the Central Fells to the West of Thirlmere

Raven Crag across Thirlmere, not much wind today we could hear climbers on the crag calling.

Almost the full length of Thirlmere is seen from here, the autumn colours are just starting here in the Lakes. We returned to the car by the lakeside path and lane past ridge end Farm.
So there we have it, Great How. A grand way to spend a few hours of anyones day, pick a clear day and see all it has to offer!

BMW Day Ride Over The North Yorks Moors to Whitby

A good forecast, and possibly the last really good day off I'd have on the motorbike. It's been a while since I've visited the North Yorks Moors and Whitby, so off I went!

The best way for me to get over to Wensleydale is via Ingleton and Ribblehead.
The viaduct looking magnificent, not a cloud in the sky!

Wensleydale. my favourite of the Yorkshire Dales.

All the way down Wensleydale to Masham, a coffee in the square as I watched the world go by sat in the amazingly warm sun.

Then it was across the Vale of York and over Sutton Bank. I turned off to pass Rievaulx Abbey...guarded by geese by the look of things.

Leaving the A170 at Kirbymoorside I headed onto the North York Moors, lots of heather was being burnt. here between Gillamoor and Rosedale.

I stopped on Rosedale Bank near the old kilns at the Ironstone works for a late lunch.

I just sat and admired the wonderful view up Rosedale.

I rode into Rosedale and then back out and over to Egton Bridge. 

Just a few miles further and I was in Whitby, pleasingly free of crowds!
Heres the abbey seen through the old whale jawbones caught in less enlightened times.

Looking back to Whitby proper the South side of the harbour a mass of pantile roofs.

Leaving Whitby, I followed the coast, through Sandsend and making a visit to Runswick Bay. This view is from Port Mulgrave...a much quieter spot. I lingered for a while before heading back West.

Riding over into Commondale then Kildale, the light was fading. The air was heavy with smoke as well from the heather burning.
I rode home via Scotch Corner and the A66.
A great day....glad I kept the BMW...nearly sold it earlier in the year because I wasn't using it enough!