A short loop with lumps... Sunday 3rd May, 2020
/I’ve been finding it difficult to get motivated to ride much but I decided to have a go with a little spin over Hala, into Happy Valley, up through Quermore and then onto Rigg Lane past Clougha. This missed out the long climb up to Littledale but kept the unavoidable and steep part of Littledale Road in. There were some good views across the valleys! The trees on Broom Brow Wood looking north-west from Littledale Road had a nice range of greens and from Baines Cragg I could see across to Clougha in the south, to the Lakeland Fells in the north-west and the brow of the Cragg northwards. I heard another cuckoo in the woods on the lower reaches of Clougha. Once over the brow and on the descent into Littledale I passed Peter and Tracey working hard on the climb up. After a long descent into Brookhouse I saw some cyclists ride off down a lane - Holme Lane - which revealed Brookhouse to be a pretty village that I didn’t know existed. At the bottom I crossed to join the multi-use path going southwards and found the two cyclists paused. One was Richard, cycling with a buddy. I said hello and then set off on the path towards Crook O’Lune where I left to join the road up to Halton. The cycle paths have become crowded with walkers and just about impossible to physically distance on - but the roads are much clearer than they usually are. And today I found some delightful quiet roads (Long Lane through Quernmore and Rigg Lane) with stichwort, bluebells and dandelions decorating the verges.
Tim Dant, 3rd May
