CTC Sunday Ride to Grange over Sands 30th May ‘21

Lancaster and South Lakes Cyclists Touring Club enjoyed a 60 mile Bank Holiday Sunday ride to bustling and sun-drenched Grange via Beetham. Seven riders hastened from Beaumont to the Garden Centre for morning coffee, taking in the delightfully green and pleasant countryside around Burton and Holme. We met up with another four Club members for a good chin-wag before eventually deciding that we needed to turn the cranks again in direction Grange.

The lanes around Heversham were busy, as was the A6 for the short distance to the A590 before we regained the lanes at Levens Village. Passing the Derby Arms and through Meathop, encountering family groups seeking solitude, we arrived in Grange to a carnival atmosphere, with brightly-roofed craft-stocked gazebos on the promenade.

After being slowly baked in the mid-day sun we tried to generate a welcome breeze with an initially rapid ride to Lindale and up the Winster Valley, taking a slightly more circuitous route past Witherslack Church. A further more hilly departure from the traditional route, around Mill Side, occasioned a mild revolt by half of the company before a choreographed reunification at the cross roads on the old A590.

Crossing the very busy dual carriageway at Gilpin Bridge was thought too risky, so it was a retrace to Levens Village and onwards over Heversham Moss , Sandside and Storth. As it was only 4 o’clock, advantage was taken of the recently re-opened café at Leighton Moss RSPB, sitting in the shade until gentle hints caused us to head for home.

The Club programme of rides and other events can be found on our website, www.ctclancaster.org.uk

Len Howard