Mardale New Years Day
It was a day of two halves really The first half misty and the second rather windy as we sat in the car at the head of Mardale waiting to see if the drizzle would stop, we drank a cup of coffee and reminisced about how the last time we had tried to get down here we had been thwarted by icy and snowy roads. We set of up Kirsty Howes and Kirsty Pike, it was a lovely pointy ridge we could think that we had been up this way before. Although I think that I had in the dim and distant past. We stopped for a cup of coffee and bit of something in our orange shelter. Before heading to high Street and Mardale Ill Bell. We then headed down to the stone shelter and had the rest of our lunch. I wasn’t sure if my ankle was up to much more but after a rest I thought it would cope. so we headed up to Hater Fell it became very wind for a while but the hill fog had gone and there were some lovely views down Kentmere, we looked at the mountain ponies and Kentmere cottage – happy days with Lancashire youth and community service residentials. It made me think of Mary and the day we took a group of girls up Angle Tarn. We then headed down to the track leading down from Gategarth Pass. There was lots of patchy snow and ice about but not enough in the gullies for Ice scrambling. Blea Tarn and Small Tarn were completely frozen over. A good start to the year.
Car park at head of Mardale
On the way up Kirsty Pike
On the Summit of High Street
Roger heading to the summit of Harter Fell
Harter Fell with High Street in the background.
Cairngorm Mountain 5th December Skiing
The first skiing of the year and what a brilliant day, powder snow, new ski’s – which are ace and no wind. As Roger said it made all the frustrations and stress and driving in the snow and worrying about things not arriving and stress about the possibility of not being able to get to the wedding worth it! ……and we got it all done….mind you little were we to know that the Scottish weather was planning another attack and we couldn’t get back home due to chaos in the central belt! 
The Butter Tubs: 24th October 2010
Distance 56.47 Time 3.25.37 hours Av Speed 16.47 km/h Max 53.71km/h
This was probably going to be the last bike ride of the year as from now on we intent to get ou mountain legs sorted ready for the winter mountaineering. We set of in anticipation of the big climb up past the butter tubs – would we make it?? first things first a bacon butty and coffee at Askrigg. Then we went up past Castle Bolton and over the tops and down to Reeth. We called in to our favorite bakery for a tea and scone. then on to Mucker tea room for a tea and tea cake…yes a three tea shop day. But we thought that we needed the sustenance to get us up the butter tubs! And it was very cold needed the tea to keep us warm! well in the event the Butter tub climb was very good but we managed it more easily than we anticipated. Although roger nearly got wiped out by a flock of sheep and a enthusiastic sheep dog. a wonderful decent down to the Wensleydale. A fantastic day.
Day One
Distance: 38.49 Km Time: 4 hours 7 minutes Av speed: 9.34 km/h Max speed: 60.22 km/h
Day Two
Distance: 45.43 Km Time: 5 hours 18 minutes Av speed: 8.56 km/h Max speed: 49.57 km/h
A fantastic couple of days, the weather was lovely and sunny but quite cold and Autumnal. We really needed our winter gloves and I was glad that I had brought my wind stopper hat. The cold north wind blew in our faces. But the tracks were superb. We joined a Roman road that followed the the ridge with views of all three peaks. As we crossed the tarmac road that lead down to Hawes we decided and blast down to the valley for coffee and cake was in order – I broke my speed record on the way down 60.22km/h although it was a lot slower as we climbed back up to the Roman road. Which we followed all the bumpy way down to Bainbridge. A very enjoyable evening in the Rose and Crown Bainbridge….a hearty breakfast and we were ready to set off again up the Roman road. more wonderful tracks…although my sac was having a not too positive effect on my bottom! By the time we got to Buckden we were feeling a bit weary and cold so you can imagine our delight when we found the warmest cosiest tea shop ever…log fire and the most amazing pheasant pie in the world. And Off we went again back over the route that had been covered in flying ants in the summer and back to the car…just time for fish and chips in Setttle – brilliant !
The road down to Hawes and back up!
Strathspey Steam Railway and a bird watching walk 25th September 2010
We had a great day, we got the train from Aviemore to boat of Garten so called because of the ferry over the Spey – now a bridge! We had a good walk through the forest and along the edge of Loch Garten. we didn’t really see any birds! and did the walk the wrong way round by mistake! but an enjoyable day all in all. notice the snow on the Cairngorms.
It was an interesting weekend…we looked at the bungalow at and thought it wonderful hopefully we will be able to purchase it! Wedding Fair at Strathpeffer on the Sunday.
From Keld to Reeth and back via Tan Hill 5th September 2010
Distance 46.13 km Time 2.30.31 hours Av Speed 18.38 km/h Max speed 57.59
We thought an easier day would be in order today as we did have quite a hard day on Friday. We parked just up the lane from Keld and cycled down to Thwaite for a cheese scone with Wensleydale cheese and tomato chutney. It was good but not as good as the one in Sedbergh although it was good but the teashop at Glenmore is still the King!
What a fantastic day……..cycling down Swaledale ……..a tea and chocolate brownie in Reeth …but what a lot of cars on the green….shame…then a brilliant ride up the valley to Tan Hill and only passed by three parties of proper cyclists…. passed the inn and a fast ride down back to the car.
Home for roast pork, parsnip mash and veg……and still my strawberries, blueberries chocolate cake and cream to go.
It might be too hard for us but we won’t know until we go and have a look. 3rd September 2010
Distance 42.44km/h Time 5.27.09 hours Av speed 7.78 km/h Max Speed 57.31km/h
We left the car at the cross roads at Howgill and set of towards Sedbergh. We headed to our usual cafe for some sustenance as we new that there was a very hard day in front of us. As it was closed we went next door and had an excellent cheese scone. But soon it was time to head off down the road and then up the valley towards Ravenstonedale. At first it as tarmac and then a lovely bridleway but after a steep bit it turned into a single track trail that took some going to keep on between the drop on the left, the dips to streams, gorse bushes on the right and cow poo in the track. after ages we got a good view of Cautley spout and crag…… onward and upward …….finally we got to a tarmac road and a wonderful decent down to Ravenstonedale. Got a off road bike speed record! Ice cream at the Black swan community shop after eating our sandwiched on a bench looking at some rather lovely ponies.
well are we up to the rest of the route we shall see…………a track leads up the ridge heavily grassed and very hard going…some pushing needed! a wonderful ridge but hard hard going and then up to the trig point at the top of the calf and a wonderful steep descent back to the car. it was 7.15pm by then!
our starting point and the track back down.
Cautley Spout
On the top of the calf
Distance 32.17 km/h Time 4.09.15 hours Average Speed 7.74 Km/hMax Speed 51.89 km/h
It was exactly 17 years to the day since we first did this route…..remember the Tarn but not the bog. We parked up the road from Langclife and set off to settle via the road then a rather nice Bridle Way that was a bit narrow and required concentration. At Settle we stopped at the Naked man..lovely. After a stop at the smallest gallery we started up the hill to Malham…our legs new that they had done a bit after yesterday. the tracks were lovely all the way to Malham which was suitable busy. The back up the hill to the tarn, round the tarn and along a road looking for the bridle way back over the hill to Langclife. What a sting in the tail, no track on the ground to start but a field then a faint track …hard work but it could be worse! then it got a bit boggy and steeper…but it could be worse and there would soon be the down hill! Got to the top but still boggy…i got my front wheel stuck and fell sideways in. A wet ride back to the car. But what a great last down hill on the road and I broke my down hill record 51.89.
Ingleborough Phen-y-ghent
Rye Loaf Hill
Gisburn Forest and Bolton-by-Bowland 29th August 2010
Distance 62.73 km/h Time 3.45 hours Average Speed 16.72km/h Max Speed 50.02km/h
A very windy day!! very very windy! Also a three tea shop day. First in in Clapham, Second in Bolton in Bowland, Third the Naked Man in Settle. This route also had a very good views of the Three Peaks and Pendle Hill 
Roger with Inglebough and Penygent
Inglebough and Penygent
Pendle Hill
The Pennine Way North of Horton in Ribblesdale 15th August 2010
Distance 44.35km/h Time 3.57.36 hours Average Speed 11.19 km/h Max Speed 48.99 km/h
We started the day with a cuppa at the 3 peaks cafe, which was very nice although after great excitement at finding a three peaks buffy, disappointment to discover that they would only sell one to club members. What an amazing route, we did end up going a bit wrong as we missed a turn and ended up improvising and cutting across the the return route which we did the wrong way round and then on the way back cut back across and did a figure of eight. We had some amazing views of the three peaks. The last few miles there were millions and millions of flying ants …..never seem so many! a very good route…..
Peny-g-hent
Ingleborough
Whernside
Mountain Days and Photo Nights 