CTC LANCASTER & SOUTH LAKES RIDE REPORT Sunday 29th Oct 2023 Casterton

An unexpected improvement in the weather prospects enticed 8 riders from Lancaster Cyclists Touring Club to gather at Beaumont College for an autumnal excursion to Casterton Golf Club café. There was no indication that anyone had turned up an hour early having neglected to change their timepieces !

The planned route featured a number of steep inclines to protect us from the steadily encroaching autumn chill. The sun made some brief  appearances to enliven the already colourful palette of leaves still clinging to the trees.

The high road to Nether Kellet got us warmed up and also rewarded us with the Grange and South Lakeland vista, and good progress was made to Burton, picking up three more riders at Over Kellet and Priest Hutton.

The challenging climb through Clawthorpe to the fell top was mostly taken in our stride, with the more athletic/ younger ones benefitting from the distant views to the north for longer than the plodders riding’ tempo’. Then followed the hedge- fringed descent on the smooth newly-surfaced lane to Hutton Roof Church, followed by the more graduated downhill to Low Biggins and on to Casterton

After a lengthy lunch and elongated natter at the golf club café, with its cyclist-orientated menu, we navigated the busy Devils Bridge and A65, and turned our wheels towards Whittington. The climb over the watershed past Docker Park put some more much-needed warmth into cooling bodies, only to be lost again by the rapid descent into the Keer Valley. It was decided to eschew the long climb up Sunny Bank, and take the flatter lanes through Capernwray and the Kellets.

Altogether, a most enjoyable Sunday excursion ‘awheel’ of about 40 miles for most.

CTC Lancaster welcomes new riders. You can find rides and other information on

www.ctclancaster.org.uk