Ride Report Sunday 7th November 2021

The Cyclists Touring Club ride on Sunday 7th November headed towards the slopes of Ingleborough, Clapham being the destination.  A fine weather forecast attracted a good turnout of members at Halton Station, all anxious to enjoy the splendid autumnal conditions. A strong south westerly hastened our outward progress, but proved a little troublesome on the return.

The cycleway and the main valley road were unusually quiet, and this happy state of affairs continued through Wray and Wennington. The tailwind helped to push us up the Ravens Close climb, and onwards via Tatterthorn Lane into Ingleton for a welcome coffee stop at Inglesport.  A number of us succumbed to the aroma of bacon butties!

A slightly reduced group remounted and focussed their energies on the long ascent up the southern flank of Ingleborough, taking time to admire the sweeping views over the Bowland Fells which we had earned on the climb. More attention was required to the road ahead on the long and fast descent to Clapham via Newby Cote.

Our favoured stone shelter by Clapham Beck was unoccupied, and we enjoyed our sandwiches cosily in the lee of the wind. Then began the return into the lively wind, via Clapham Station, Keasden and Mewith Lane. We admired the numerous new signs put in place recently to inform us of the names of our well-frequented lanes, and tucked in behind the electrics on the more exposed sections.

Fortunately, the balcony route was free of hedge clippings and we escaped the punctures which we often get at this time of year; at one point we were held up briefly by some sheep being loaded into a trailer; but it gave us a chance to regroup and take a welcome break from the headwind.

There was no ‘appetite’ for a tea stop in Wray, and shortly afterwards we split into two groups, some retracing the outward route whilst the Carnforth contingent opted for more climbing via Gressingham, Swarthdale and Nether Kellet.

We were home by 2.30, with just 45 miles on the computer, but definitely worth the effort to keep the legs moving after a wet and less active couple of weeks, and importantly to savour the near-perfect autumnal conditions.

We welcome new members on our range of rides, which can be found on www.ctclancaster.org.uk

Len Howard