10th October 2022
At the end of last month I was invited to attend a day at the Outward Bound centre in Aberdovey. This was a place that holds a special place in my heart after I went on a three week training course there, aged just 19. As an apprentice I was selected to attend from my company and had the most wonderful time learning about hiking, climbing, sailing, camping, rafting and white water canoeing. (Actually, the latter was terrifying, and the sole reason I’ve never been in a canoe since). The overall experience stayed with me, and decades later when I was in a position to send apprentices on such a course, I ensured that as many others as possible could have a similar experience. When the Outward Bound association invited me to relive the experience for just 24 hours, I readily accepted. This was for the 29th September. Since I was going to be in the region, I also arranged a short bike tour for the days following. Then events got in the way…
For an unspecified reason, the Outward Bound trip was cancelled, but I decided to still go on the bike tour. Then I became poorly. Nothing serious, but enough to make it unwise to attempt a three day unsupported cycle tour in what was forecasted very wet conditions. So I cancelled and promised myself that I’d get away as soon as I was better (and when it stopped raining!).
And that’s an overly long and complicated explanation of why I’m now in Ingleton after riding out this morning via the Fylde, Lancaster and Kirkby Lonsdale. It’s been a lovely sunny day (mostly) although I did get rained on a couple of times. I also had to battle a 15mph headwind for much of the day. That was my fault; I should’ve headed South, but I really fancied Ingleton.
A big headache today was trying to avoid punctures. It’s hedge trimming season and I spent much of the day minutely examining the tarmac in front of me checking for, and hopefully avoiding, thorns. Amazingly, I managed to succeed, although I still have to get back tomorrow…
I’m lodging in the Ingleton YHA. I’ve just recently begun using the YHA again since when Covid struck, they closed the dorms and their private rooms were far more expensive than Airbnb. And as many of you know, I do like value for money. I certainly got that at the Mason Arms for my meal tonight. I couldn’t decide whether to go for a starter and main or main and pud, but the former won. I asked what the soup was and was told it was ‘Minestrone with horse radish and dumplings’ which, although unusual, suited my desire for carbs and calories. When it arrived, it was a meal in itself! I did it justice, though, and nothing went to waste.
Tomorrow’s a shorter but hillier day, but annoyingly, the wind has switched direction, and although lighter, is now to be from the South! And rain’s forecast too. I suppose that’s what I should expect in Northern England in October.
11th October 2022
Apart from a change of scenery and a chance to actually *go* somewhere on a bike (rather than just on a round trip), the last two days were intended to augment my collection of Veloviewer ‘explorer’ tiles. There were several annoying gaps in the area which were just a bit too far to reach on a comfortable day ride, and I really don’t like driving anywhere just to go on a bike ride. So the routes were planned to pick off as many unexplored tiles as possible on the journey. Subject to a final audit, it looks like I have ridden in a further 27 new tiles which is good. Several were actually on the route, but some required a diversion along a dead-end road or track. One even involved leaving the bike by a hedge and marching off into a field for a quarter of a mile. This explains why the journey home began by heading off in the wrong direction before returning to Ingleton and then weaving like a drunk at the end of a night in the general direction of Settle. From there, it was just a straight run home along very familiar roads.
The whole trip was just shy of 140 miles with 8,500 feet of vertical height. I didn’t take many pictures largely because I didn’t see anything sufficiently photogenic, but also because it was trying to rain for almost the whole journey. My waterproofs stayed packed, but I was always on the point of putting my jacket on. One other point to celebrate, and that is the puncture-resilience of Schwalbe Marathon tyres. I have had punctures with them, but after another day dodging hedge trimmers, I managed to get home without any incidents.
P.S. I discovered a thorn which had punctured the front tyre the next day!