Social Distance Walks 014/015/016

 See I said there would be more walking type posts!
More local exercise walks, yet again the good weather continues...we'll pay for all these dry "lockdown" days. At the risk of repeating images from previous posts, on these rambles (at speed, they are exercise after all) I have concentrated on the closer interest in the main rather than distant views.
Please excuse/correct me if I have any of the plant names incorrect..hope you enjoy the photos...

Thursdays walk was North along the Lancaster Canal to Farleton.
A canal milestone, 10 miles to Lancaster...although you'd have to cross the M6 a couple of times risking...death! There are less dangerous alternatives , although these will add to the total distance.

The pair of Mute Swans have built a huge nest on the canal at Farleton.

Lesser Celandines

Stitchwort

Back along Emsfield and Old Lanes. these tractor tyre imprints caught my eye..clear to see how dry the ground has become.

The Horse Chestnut down the lane in growing at an incredible rate...compared to an earlier post. There is approx 9" of growth on these branches in a fortnight.

Easter Sunday and a rapid trip up and down Farleton Knott just over an hour up and down.
 These are Hartshead Ferns I think aka Mother-in-Laws Tongue.

Looking East from the true summit...From L-R Barbon Fells, Great Coum, Ingleborugh.

The summit crags from below

One of a number of cast iron mile markers on the A6070 as I headed back to the village.

Mayflower aka Lady's Smock, early I think for round here?

Today (Easter Sunday) I headed West the woods behind Hale being my target.
The hedgerows are really Springing (see what I did there!) into life.
This is Hazel on a freshly laid hedge in Old Lane.

Violet

Jack in the Hedge

Fresh Sycamore leaves, what a wonderful colour.

Ragged Robin...He's a good Old Boy (that's an in joke for one particular viewer)

Bluebells

The "crossroads" just inside Hale Wood...I actually took a path which isn't on any of the above!

Newly opened Beech leaves, is there anything which indicates Spring is here more than this?

Backlight Dogs Mercury

The dilapidated bridge as I headed back home across The Mosses, Farleton Knott in the distance.

Willow Flower
Back up to date with the walks and rides...there is I believe more wild/bird life to be seen in these troubled times. A byproduct of less vehicles and just generally less human traffic in all its forms perhaps? It might of course with less background noise and intrusion more is noticed. Either way it's welcome.
Tek Care and Stay Safe.

A Personal Motorcycle History....Or A Misspent Youth?

Another Me, Me, Me entry..with no apologies for the self indulgence. This could get a bit wordy.
 Not the usual type of post on this blog, but life changes and sometimes it's just time to reflect. So feel free to click elsewhere....there will be more walking/cycling etc posts along in the near future. This post will be one of a series..of I'm not sure how many!

 So as Lewis Carroll said "Where should I begin". The start would be as good a place as any...

 My first memories of a motorbike are from perhaps age 5ish. Most Saturdays I would be collected by my Maternal Grandad from Windermere and taken through to Ambleside for the day. No doubt to give my Mother a rest, (Dad worked Saturday mornings then) we didn't have a car. looking back I was probably spoilt by my Nana and Grandad, Uncle Ray was still "at home" then...and in the shed was his motorbike an AJS 500cc Twin. This was his everyday transport, I was allowed to sit on the AJS (whilst on it's stand). Sometimes it was started so that I could hear it run, always being told not to touch the exhaust pipes as they would burn me.

 My Grandad and my Father had both used motorbikes as transport in the late 1940's and 1950's as many people did, cars being pretty much out of reach financially for most people. When Mum and Dad got together his triumph 500 Speed Twin was not only used for his daily commute from High Oxenfell to Windermere (in all weathers), but for trips to watch races and scrambles all over the country with their mates. Silverstone and back (2up) there and back on a Sunday...before any Motorways!
 I was regaled with stories of a group of them all heading off to these race meetings, some of the antics and adventures..no breakdown service in those days. Dad had done his National Service in the REME and was a motor engineer (specialising in automatic gearboxes later) so punctures and breakdowns were not the trauma they cold have been and something could usually be fashioned to get them home.
 Of course motorcycles were dangerous (they still can be!) and both Dad and my Uncle Ray spent time in hospital with broken limbs. But to me hearing of the freedom and fun that you could experience non of that mattered.
 By the time I was 6 or 7 Mum and Dad had bought and converted a Standard Atlas into a campervan. This and future campers would give Mum Dad my Sister and I many future fantastic holidays and fuel my love of the outdoors and adventure. If there were local Car or Motorbike events we would go to spectate..many of those venues are no longer used...Silloth was a favourite I remember.

 My Uncle Ray had sold the AJS, so there were no motorbikes to see and dream of. There was then a period when other things filled my free time. Like other kids I kicking a football about ( I was never any good). We now lived in Bowness, so riding my bike, exploring the hills, woods, fishing and generally messing about beside and in/on Windermere was were I would be found most of the time I wasn't at school or asleep.

Motorbikes were all but forgotten, I'm sure my parents and Nana were very pleased.

Skip on a few years and age 16 I'm on the ferry across Windermere with my bike off fishing to Rawlinson Nab. There next to me was a Honda SL125...like the one below. Wow I thought, how cool is that? It was clearly out of reach , mainly because would have been limited to 50cc capacity but also by its likely cost (I had no idea how much it was anyway). I had a small amount of money saved up from work at weekends and school holidays, On the way back from fishing I called into the newsagents and bought the Motor Cycle newspaper...Oh dear!!

 I was still at school and had elected to do an extra year to obtain some extra GCE's (that dates me). I had no clear idea what career I would like to follow so more qualifications seemed like a good idea. Looking back with 20/20 hindsight this was a mistake. I didn't enjoy that last year, most of my schoolmates had left and were earning "proper" money. By now I was 17 so I left with my 6 GCE's and off I went.

 Jobs locally were hard to come by anyway, so I did the weekend/holiday job "fulltime" for a couple of months. Then a fulltime job came up in Kendal, decent enough money, and I was taken on.

 Only one problem, getting there...a motorbike was the answer of course. In those days no test required as long as it was below 250cc (madness looking back, its a wonder any of us survived!)

so off I went with Dad to "James Walker's" motorcycle emporium with £200 burning a hole in my pocket. Long since gone, and run by his son Frank (in his 60's then) he was a real character. It didn't take me long to decide on the steed of my dreams, I'd seen "Easy Rider" I knew what I wanted....

Please accept my apologies for the image quality and to whoever owns the copyright

Yep...a Honda ST70 Monkey Bike!
Mine was exactly like the one pictured, bought used for the princely sum of £170 the remaining £30 was enough to tax and insure the beast. We loaded it in the back of Mum and Dads camper and off we went home.
Now bear in mind at this point I had never ridden a motorcycle......
Thanks for reading
Tek care and Stay Safe.
To be continued....

Solo Social Distance Rides 005/006/007

Three more days of what has become the new normal. So 3 more rides, these were actually over 4 days (split by a walk). The weather continues to be superb...very frustrating I must admit. Rationing oneself to only approx 1 hours exercise in such excellent conditions certainly tests the resolve!
My personal little project to traverse all the metalled roads and Lanes within 5km of my home continues. Here's a few photos from the latest rides...

No caption required.

Looking North from Milnthorpe Bridge as the River Bela enters the Kent estuary.

Beetham Church, taken on good Friday no services of course due to the "lockdown"

Different bike similar photo to a previous post...with the exception that the tide is covering much of "The Marsh" Good Friday's tide was over 10 metres!

The A590 today looking towards the Lakes, I doubt it has looked like this since it was built over 50 years ago....lets hope as soon as the "lockdown" is removed we will all be using it to access the areas we love so much.

I wonder how old this old milestone is...my guess is it was moved during construction of the A590 only 50 metres or so away. Preston Rich isn't a person...it' an area Rich being short for Richard!
No chance of missing the Benchmark either!

The Lancaster Canal aquaduct over Peasey Beck, the main feeder of the River Bela...in fact from this point in it's journey to the sea it is the Bela. 

The Lancaster Canal as it leaves Crooklands and heads off for Kendal....or at least it did once.

My first sighting of this seasons Bluebells, early I would say for round here. they were on a sunny bank along Nook Lane.
I'll probably go back to walking for a few days and give the bikes a rest....who knows?
Difficult times...Tek Care and Stay Safe. 

Redundancy = Retirement ?

Good question!

It's one I've been wrestling with for quite a few months now. I was actually made redundant a fortnight ago yesterday...the 25th March. It was not unexpected, I'd seen it coming for at least 6 months. the "Lockdown" set in place (correctly of course) on the 23rd March was the final nail in an already ailing company.

I have been in continuous employment for 44 years 6 months, so have definitely done my "bit"! There is no doubt that I have felt more tired mentally, partially work based but also through losses of family. I have in the main enjoyed both companies I have worked for, the colleagues I have worked with have made going to work a pleasure. Indeed many have become firm friends.

I've been lucky with my health as well , only 1 days absence since 1977 (I had 3 weeks in plaster in late 1977 after a motorbike tumble). In many ways a charmed life so far especially considering some of the daft things (in hindsight) I've done over the years.

So here I am on the "scrapheap of life" ! 😃

I really don't see it like that at all, I have looked forward to having all my time "free"....and of course what happens...I'm confined to barracks by the "Lockdown". That's only short term of course, but a lot of the ideas and outdoor activities are on hold. They'll keep!!

I still haven't decided that I've definitely finished work for good, maybe an odd day or two a week  perhaps. I'm sure Winter will be more of a challenge, but I fully intend to have at least he Summer and early Autumn off.

As this is a particularly personal post and it seems all about ME..ME..ME! I'll end this on a positive note and admit to having a secret affair (well from the blog anyway) over the last 18 months with my new love...

...Miss Miata!
The above image taken this time last year in happier times.
We've had a ball! It's meant the motorbike has had a lot less use. Many of the trips I would have done on the motorbike as solo, are now shared with P who loves the "Red Car".
 I haven't featured any of these trips on the blog, but going forward I probably will.
Anyway, well done if you've read through my ramblings this far...
Tek Care and Stay Safe

Solo Social Distance Rides 002/003/004

Staying on the bike/s for the time being, I have continued with my "project" to ride all the roads and lanes within 5km of my home. We continue to be blessed with dry weather, it finally started to warm up today...thank goodness! The images below are really only a record of my doings (for me!). If they provide pleasure or are informative for others that's great....

Sunday, and I headed South and Southwest.
The image above is the Lancaster Canal as it's cut (sadly) by the M6.
The sign on the right hand side stating a welcome to Cumbria and the Lake District...unfortunately this currently isn't the case.
We beg people to stay away...Please!

I rode through Yealand Redmayne and Storrs, before dropping down to Leighton Moss. 

More lanes heading broadly North, and past Hazelslack and it's tower seen above. I rarely use this lane....it's usually liberally coated with cow muck!

Through Storth I then headed back via Dallam Park and Beetham.
This splendid metal Heron adorns the Heron Theatre in Beetham.
A short stretch of the pleasantly quiet A6 and then Pye's Bridge Lane home. 

Monday and I changed bikes to my carbon Defy...the downside to riding a "faster" bike is fewer photo's (the engine is the same of course!)
This is taken from Sandside looking across the Kent estuary to White Scar the Southern end of Whitbarrow Scar.

Today I concentrated on the area to the area "behind Sandside and Storth.
Inevitably I rode part of the coast as I linked the lanes together.
This photo looks North up the Bela thread of the estuary to Heversham head. 

It's a stiff climb from sea level to this point just below Haverbrack. It gives a great view to Whitbarrow, with the skyline filled with the Lakes hills...so near yet so faraway...

....and from the same point looking in a more Northerly direction.
 The large body of water the River Kent as it enters the estuary, Red Screes in the centre of this rather hazy view.
I rode back home from here via Beetham, Hangbridge and Moor Lanes before picking up Old Lane once more.
Cycling is a funny old game...it might just be me but I generally find my mind wandering as I ride along in solitude. It's hard to believe whats happening, but so very, very serious. I almost feel guilty taking my hour or so exercise (even tho' I see few people and touch nothing other than my bike) But I like many other people live in a flat, first floor in my case...so no garden...but how LUCKY am I to be able to access such wonderful countryside and fresh air....I really have nothing to complain about at all.
Tek Care and Stay Safe

Solo Social Distance Ride 001

A change of tack today....or at least transport. I've walked all the footpaths and bridleways at least once within a distance/time acceptable under the current restrictions. So today I decided it was time to do some easy rides from home.
 I have had a good look at the OS maps, and have imposed a distance limit (from home as the crow flies) of 5km. this still gives me lots of options, very little if any I haven't been ridden before. But some of these lanes and bridleways only an odd time or two. I intend to try and traverse all of them as a project on my daily exercise during the lockdown.
It was overcast and cool today....we are promised sun and a much warmer day tomorrow. Anyway lets not get ahead of ourselves....here's a few images from today's ride.

I used my Titanium Elan with its optional lighter wheels and wider mixed terrain tyres. Ideal for the rough potholed, gravel strewn lanes today.
This is Nook Bridge.

A wider view of Nook Bridge and Farleton Beck.

Road Closed the sign said...and indeed it would have been for anything other than a bike.
This is just along the lane from Nook to Whetstone, the old limestone culvert (beautifully constructed) overwhelmed in the floods earlier this year.

I turned off before Whetstone to descend via Black Yeats to Crooklands.
I took the opportunity to take this photo of the Lakeland hills before I dropped down though.

The basin just West of the M6 on the Lancaster Canal. The boat/barge (not sure) is the Water Witch and belongs to the Lancaster Canal Trust. It takes folk for trips along this section of the canal in Summer...although maybe not this year 😨
I don't take as many photo's when I'm riding, so I must try harder!
From here I made my way back home by Ackenthwaite. Only a short ride (trying not to take the Mick) but a pleasant change from the walking over the past 14 days.
Tek Care and Stay Safe

Yet More Local Solo Social Distance Walks 011/012/013

Another 3 days another 3 walks! We are still allowed to exercise, so I continue to get out for my daily constitutional. The weather is still being kind although it has become a lot cooler, predominantly dry though. I have manged to find small sections of footpath/bridleway which are new to me. I have discounted these in the past because of the likely very wet conditions underfoot. The prolonged dry spell has made them passable in trail shoes...with care. The sky has in the main been overcast thugh so the photo's are perhaps a little dull.
Here's a few images of the past 3 day's....

The remains of 5 Beehive Coke Ovens, these are towards the South of Holme village and on the opposite side of the canal to the towpath...which has probably helped them survive in their current condition. More information can be found here .

Further on the towpath past Holme Mills, you leave the village behind. Looking back Farleton Knott fills the background.

Leaving the canal behind I dropped down onto the mosses and along Hilderstone Lane.
The bridleway in the photo is usually extremely wet...often underwater! Today merely damp.

This is the view North from the highpoint of the bridleway..an altitude sickness inducing 40m!
From here I walked beside the A6 for a short distance, then back home across The Mosses on the quiet lanes. Other than 1 dog walker on the towpath, I didn't see any pedestrians...or indeed cyclists.

Thursday saw me walking generally West, back down Old Lane. The naughty cows above have only just been let out after a Winter inside...they were very inquisitive and no doubt plotting against humans!

The un-walked footpath today, it's not very long and follows field perimeters (in the main) from Hang Bridge to Pye's Bridge. 

A new view for me along the River Bela towards Hang Bridge. This footpath seems to see very few walkers....

....Little wonder if this was the only way forward. There is in fact a gate just out of shot.
It's quite likely that the 2 large pieces of limestone forming the stile were "robbed from Farleton Fell or Knott.

My route back was along Pye's Bridge Lane a grand vista to the North/ Northeast.
From left to right...Sleddle Fells, Whinfell its neighbours and the Howgills.
Home was reached via Elmsfield and Old Lanes. No one was encountered today on foot or cycle, hardly surprising considering the bitter wind.

Today I again walked down Old Lane stopping to photograph the same Horse Chestnut bud as several days ago...Spring is really moving on.

Leaving Elmsfield Lane I headed towards Overthwaite. Leaving the lane to head Eastwards across a number of fields...some of them rather moist! Lord knows what they would have been like a fortnight ago. This is another footpath which clearly sees very little use. Except for the avid "Footpath Bagger" there is little to encourage a passage!

Although just before I crossed the M6 (actually under, by means of an underpass) there was this view of Heversham Head. Sadly beyond my range of walking within the advisory time limit at the moment.

As I said earlier Spring is moving along and the hedgerows are full of blossom.
This image was taken on the towpath almost back at home. 2 walkers were seen today, but at a distance of over a 100 metres.
So there we have it, 3 more days mini walks.
As I have said before in previous posts I'm extremely lucky living where I do, I never thought I would be so grateful to be on the edge of a village with open countryside on three sides.
I also realise that not everyone who loves the outdoors is in such a lucky position. If these posts are of any help to give people a connection to what we are all missing that's wonderful.
Hopefully it won't be to long we can ALL enjoy the outdoors as we'd wish.
Tek Care & Stay Safe.