2nd August 2020 ride to Barbon (Page three)

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Field Scabious at side of cycle path in Caton.

Ox-eye Daisy at side of the cycle path.

Rosebay Willowherb at side of cycle path in Caton.

Rosebay Willowherb at side of cycle path in Caton.

A close up of seed head at side of cycle path.

The view from the bridge at Crook n’Lune looking up the Lune Valley.

Ride report by Simeon Orme It was a bit of surprise to hear my mobile phone ringing on Saturday afternoon and it was Sandra wanting more information about the Sunday ride, we agree to meet at Devil’s Bridge near Kirkby Lonsdale at 10am. For those of you never been on ride led by me, I fan of meeting up central point, usually in cafe or tearoom at around 10am, its give everyone on ride, to decide weather they going to cycle there or put bike in back of the car and drive there! For what ever reason we both end up riding to Kirkby Lonsdale, its quite a scenic route up the Lune Valley from Halton to Kirkby Lonsdale following Kirkby Lonsdale Road and then the B6254 with views of the mountains of the Yorkshire Dales National Park on one side of road and on other side road distance views of the Lake District National Park. You may laugh at me but one of hazards of living in Halton for cyclist is climb out of village, which ever direction you go and only really flat route out of village is using the Lune Valley cycle path. So I had about a mile climbing to do get highest point of ride to Kirkby Lonsdale at 153m at place mark on the OS Map near Green Hill House Farm then it fairly easy ride to Kirkby Lonsdale which only 62m above sea level. I caught Sandra up, after passing through Whittington which is last village in Lancashire on the B6254 before cross over the county boundary into Cumbria and then into Kirkby Lonsdale. After crossing over the A65, we continue to follow the B6254 through Kirkby Lonsdale, as we the only folk on the ride, has no one else had phone me up to ask come out on ride and for ride leader this important thing as you not wasting value time waiting for folk to turn up at start of ride. We did not stop at cafe in Kirkby Lonsdale, but had food stop at bench in Kearstwick where we turn off the B6254 to follow the lanes up the Lune Valley to Rigmaden Park. For those of you who don’t live in the South Lakes, the Lune Valley from Kirkby Lonsdale up its source near Newbiggin-on-Lune for last few years as been in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. So I not boasting but the landscape in this part of the Lune Valley is outstanding, one of highlights of ride is stopping to look at the view of hall at Ringmaden Park. Once we pass through Ringmaden, we followed the lane down to Ringmaden Bridge which use to cross over River Lune, as it had been day of heavy showers we decided to leave exploring Dentdale for another day, after short section on the A683 we followed the lanes into Barbon for early lunch outside the village hall. After our lunch stop, we headed back down the Lune Valley, rejoining the A683 just outside Casterton, which stay on for next few miles, has headed through the villages of Over Burrow, Neither Burrow and Tunstall, before turning off the A683 at Wrayton, to follow lanes via Moss House over into Wenningdale. After passing through Wennington, there a few miles on the B6480, has we headed down Wenningdale to Wray where we parted company, for me it was to delights of coffee and cake at Bridge House Farm Tearooms in Wray and Sandra headed for home. After my brewstop, has its was still early in the afternoon, I decide head through Farleton and then follow the public byway over to Claughton, then the bridleway up to Caton Moor, pass Claughton Hall (which is home to millionaire) and then continue up pass the Clay Pit and then bridleway level out near Moorcock Hall Farm. What can say about the bridleway it was good walk with some good views, you can ride bits of it but to ride all of the climb up to Caton Moor you need to be very fit and some very low gears, once you get to top of climb on Caton Moor at 258m the views are outstanding, then its very fast ride down Quarry Road to Brookhouse, then after crossing over A683, I followed the cycle path back to Halton Station, I did stop to chat to Caroline Burrow at the Crook n’Lune who is cycling poet, she as facebook page and YouTube channel which have put links to on Useful information and links page of this site. You can click here to see photos of 9th August ride to Low Bentham or you can click here to download 41.1 mile route or you can checkout the What’s New Page to see what’s new on the site and you can also sign up for site’s free weekly newsletter.