Not The Horsforth Hero?Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Not The Horsforth Hero?
50m recovery ride up to the craven arms and back on sunday. I took the Alan, which in its anodised gold aluminium splendour, turned the odd head. A woman on a touring triple asked if it was reynolds tubing, so i gave her a brief history of Alan and stated that it was aircraft grade ally, as that was all that was available at the time.
As i was coming down the hill towards the devonshire arms, i saw a rider approaching. Initially i took no notice of them and marked them down as a born again cyclist, mainly due to their modern attire; they looked a bit like someone who had got a load of halfords vouchers for their birthday. They were moving rather slowly which gave me the time necessary to deduce that it was Graham Breeze, sans Celeste Bianchi and sans Mercatone Uno jersey. He must now sometimes disguise himself as a born again occasional cyclist.
Luke Appleyard (Wharfedale)- quick on the dissent
10.21 miles, 2,006 feet, 3 hours 1 minute: Loughrigg trails, ascending/descending via Fishgarths Wood, Todd Crag and Lily Tarn, and doing a loop of the Roman Ruins and Borrans Park to begin with. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 750 feet, and banks of mist at multiple levels below that. Constant drizzle/light rain after the first half hour. No thunder/lightning. Terrain wet/saturated/streaming/slippery. Very few walkers on the fell; 2 runners seen.
It was indeed a black top - but still of Italian manufacture - and, of the six I wear, my choice when I am venturing forth incognito.
After all, one never knows whom one might meet when out on a bike.
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Last edited by Graham Breeze; 02-09-2024 at 07:02 PM.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
11.78 miles, 2,730 feet, 3 hours 17 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Roman Ruins - Borrans Park - Stagshaw Gardens - High Skelghyll - Skelghyll Lane - Mirk Lane - Wain Lane - Fell Lane - Robin Lane - Troutbeck - Nanny Lane - Wansfell Pike - race route descent - Ambleside. Blue sky/sunshine, occasional high fluffy clouds. No rain nor significant wind. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Quite a few walkers about; no runners seen.
It is looking like the race descent from the Pike is going to remain viable for the whole year.
Last edited by Mike T; 03-09-2024 at 09:05 PM.
10.19 miles, 2,957 feet, 3 hours 28 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including down the race route from the top to the road at High Close, down through Deerbolts Woods to Grasmere shore, and back up to the top via Loughrigg Terrace and the steps overlooking Grasmere. Sunshine, blue sky, and high fluffy clouds. A few minutes of drizzle. A moderate breeze from the south west. Terrain very variable - dry in many places, elsewhere damp/wet/slippery. Lots of walkers on the fell, particularly at Grasmere shore and at the top of Loughrigg; no runners seen.
The race descent is just bearable if I put my waterproof top on - including the hood - to mitigate the bracken.
10.59 miles, 3,044 feet, 3 hours 35 minutes: Ambleside to the top of Scandale and back, ascending via Low Sweden Bridge, the rock step, and High Sweden Bridge, returning much the same way with a couple of minor differences. Sunshine, blue sky, and high fluffy clouds mainly above the high tops. A very strong wind from the north - hence not going to the top of Red Screes. No rain. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Not many walkers on the fells; no runners seen.
12.5 miles, 3,577 feet, 4 hours 4 minutes: Fairfield Horseshoe clockwise from/to Ambleside. Sunshine and blue sky, a couple of tiny clouds, hazy in the distance. No rain. A very strong blustery wind from the north east. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Not many walkers the fells; 6 runners seen - 2 in the valley, 4 on the fells.
My specific route choices today were aimed at trying to mitigate that strong wind, so I took the 4 trods to the left/west on the ascent, went south west of Dove Crag, then down the non race side/west of the wall and the rock step. I met one runner as he was descending Nab Scar - he had turned back because of the wind.
10.01 miles, 2,912 feet, 3 hours 9 minutes: Ambleside - Rydal Park - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - High Sweden Bridge - Scandale - Red Screes - south ridge - Golden Rule Pub - Ambleside. Initially there was not a cloud in the sky, but some bubbled up as the day went on. No rain. A moderately strong wind from the north at times. Terrain dry with good grip. Quite a few walkers on the fells, some in large groups. 5 runners seen - 4 in the valley, 1 descending from Scandale.
I agree with Travs that Red Screes is a great fell. One of its many delights is taking in the wonderful view of Windermere whilst descending the south ridge.
Tricky clothing day today, wet but warm. Take a cag and be hot, or no cag and risk getting wet and chilled.
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