Tuesday 26th October 2021
Jessie Stevens is a young woman with a desire to change the world. She is concerned (along with HM The Queen, apparently) that those in power are not acting quickly enough to enact changes necessary to halt the rise in global CO2 emissions. She wants to attend the forthcoming climate conference to “bring youth representation to a conversation often dominated by older voices”.
Unable to afford the train fare and refusing to fly, Jessie decided to cycle the 570 miles from her home in Devon to the CoP26 Summit in Glasgow, and she’s invited the public to join her for the ride.
So that’s where I’ve been today as she travelled from Warrington to Lancaster. I met up with her team in Whittle-le-Woods and cycled with them to Preston.
Coincidentally, next week I am accompanying another friend on day one of his journey to Glasgow on a bike to attend the same conference. More of this next week.
Thursday 4th November 2021
Today was another CoP26-inspired trip. Dave had arranged to cycle to Glasgow to take part in the mass march on Saturday to register his desire for world leaders to take action on climate change. I wasn’t able to join him for the full ride, but could ride with him today.
We met at Garstang at 10am, although I was almost late due to flooded roads (possibly due climate change?) and headed north towards Caton where we met Jim.
The three of us continued to Kirkby Lonsdale for lunch (at a burger van – not our usual epicurean standard) and then cycled up the spectacular Barbondale, which has now become one of my favourite valleys. The headwind was a pain, and the cold never really went away peaking at about 6°C, but later in the afternoon, it fell to less than 1°C. The route was created by Dave and I agreed to follow it, despite having reservations about taking a loaded bike out of Dent past the station and down to Garsdale Head. But it’s done now, although the climb took five minutes longer than the last time I did it. I’m a bit disappointed that Strava doesn’t have a separate category to indicate a bike with panniers.
The accommodation tonight is the Kirkby Stephen hostel which occupies a former Methodist Chapel. It’s a marvellous building with original stained glass windows and pews. There is a kitchen here, but we chose to eat at a local hostelry – the trouble to which we go to support local business!
Tomorrow, we are all heading different directions: Dave to Moffat, Jim to Caton and me to Settle. It will be cold again, but hopefully the wind will be on my side. Perhaps…
Friday 5th November 2021
This morning as we were leaving the accommodation, I made an interesting discovery in the bedroom: a pair of ladies knickers! I immediately blamed Jim, who, since he’d already left, blamed Dave. I really don’t think either of them would choose to wear black skimpies with silver stars, so we can only assume they were left behind by the previous occupant. Makes you wonder about the cleaning regime at the hostel, though.
Dave left for Scotland early, but Jim and I cycled first West, then South which was a nuisance since the wind had changed to a southwesterly. Although the mercury didn’t really show it, today felt a top-coat warmer (as they say round here).
A cyclist has two enemies: gravity and wind resistance, and today, the former was the dominant element slowing me down. To misquote Sam Ewing, “It’s not the miles you put in that counts, but what you put into the miles”. Today’s modest mileage was harder than I thought because each mile had lots of vertical feet in it. And of course, I can no longer blame Dave since I planned today’s route myself. What was I thinking? At least I captured one of Simon Warren’s climbs (no. 177, White Shaw Moss). No time records threatened, however but at least the next time I pass this way, it’ll be an easy target to beat.
Lunch in Dent consisted of a cup of tea and apple pie with clotted cream – just what I needed before tackling the serious climb ahead of me. (I later discovered that the official climb start point was just before where I’d stopped to take a video! So the 6+ minute stop was added onto my climbing time. Clearly Simon Warren has no sense of the aesthetic, or he’d have moved the start to after the viewpoint. Just saying. I’m not bitter or anything.
There was low cloud for much of the day. Well actually, it was probably normal cloud, but in the hills I found myself bumping into it rather frequently. And let me tell you, when you’re them, clouds are very wet. The sun eventually appeared about 2pm, which was a shame because I arrived at my destination at 2.45.
I also saw an interesting sight whilst cycling down Kingsdale – an empty river bed! After the rain we’ve had, I couldn’t understand it, especially since the river in question feeds some of the famous Ingleton Falls. I was pondering this mystery when I noticed a mile or so later that the river was suddenly full again! Can any geology experts explain that? Is it one of these underground rivers like in Malham? If so, why was there an unused river bed? No prizes for an answer, but it has left me puzzled.
In the afternoon, I met up with Geraldine who had driven from home to Giggleswick. Tonight, we’re going to a concert at the Victoria Hall in Settle to see Andy Fairweather Low. I just hope he’s not wide-eyed and legless. I suppose he’ll have grown out of that phase by now.
