1st January 2020 ride up Longsleddale and down the Kentmere Valley (Page five)

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The view looking back down the public byway towards Sadgill.

Two views of the Hawthorn Tree, half way up the climb out of Longsleddale.

At summit of the pass.

A bit further along the track heading down into the Kentmere Valley.

The view looking back up the track from Stile End

A view of the farm buildings at Stile End.

A pine shoots near the end of the track.

The sign at end of the public byway.

The view looking back along High Lane towards Brockstones.

A view of the road heading down the Kentmere Valley near Philipson’s Wood.

Back at the car at Ashes Lane.

Ride report by Simeon Orme Riding this route on New Year Day, as come a bit annual tradition that I do each year, it may be something to do with Wilf’s Cafe in Staveley being open on New Year Day but for me its reminding myself that I lucky to live in the South Lakes and that I put the bike in the back car, then travel about 35 minutes up the M6 and then A591, then spend the day enjoying the delights of these two lakeland valleys, which sadly most folk miss, as they rush up the A591 into the central lakes. Has I was explaining to someone this week, the distance between places get longer once get pass Lancaster, its a wise move sometimes to put the bike in the back of the car, to spend more time to exploring area otherwise ride that would be 21 miles long may turn into sixty plus mile ride which maybe okay in the summer months when there more daylight but at this time of the year we limit to 6 to 7 hours of daylight. Ashes Lane is great place leave the car park for the day and use the bike go exploring the Lake District National Park. For those of us who enjoy off-road riding on bike, turns into track just after the campsite, its post be road look after by Cumbria County Council but the good mile of track between the campsite and the hamlet of Ashes was mash up by off-road car rallies in the eighties until the farmer put stop it and the County Council never got around to repairing the track. I found this out chatting to one of local farmers, has I was riding back along the track. It surprising what you find out about place when stop chat to someone on a ride. From top of Ashes Lane, its nice ride down the Crook Road into Staveley and any ride this part of world is not ride with out detour to Wilf’s Cafe for coffee and cake and maybe be look around that cycle store across the Mill Yard from the cafe. The cycle store was closed with van park right in front of door of store. After my coffee break, I followed the lane down the Kent Valley for next few miles and just before started the climb up Potter Fell Road, I change the lens on my camera to the macro lens. Then spend enjoyable climb, stopping every few minutes to take a photo and at summit of climb I noticed the Potter Fell Little Library which look quite new and took a photo of it, it surprise me again how may likes the photo got on local facebook group for Morecambe and Heysham, its was about 48 likes in about 48 hours, it may inspire others to do same for local area. Then it was fairly easy ride to Garnett Bridge, at this time of the year keep to the tarmac when riding up Longsleddale but there nice bridleway on the west side of the dale, starting in Garnett Bridge which you can follow all way up to Till’s Hole near Sadgill. Part way up the dale by St. Mary Church there public toilet which the local community of the valley look after and its free to use. All going to say about ride up Longsleddale can be sum up by the photos that I took of the dale, what ever opinion on beauty is my top ten of most beautiful lakeland valleys. Call me old fashion I do use paper maps they do work and do not rely on battery power, I was ask by group of three mountain bikers near Sadgill who battery power gps device which had die, so we interesting chat on how they could back to Staveley. Once I got to Sadgill, the interesting part of ride starts for a lot of you reading this, in my opinion best way of doing the Sadgill to Stile End public byway if you on a gravel bike is from Sadgill end, as get all the climbing done in part of the track and if you fit enough you can ride most track across to Stile End in the Kentmere Valley. Again depending on how fit you are, allow your self up to hour to do the crossing and at this time of the year do the crossing in daylight hours, as the hairpin bend on the Longsleddale may cause some problems in the dark. Another tradition of my on this ride is taking photo of the Hawthorn Tree above the Hairpin bend, if doing the crossing from Stile End side when you see the Hawthorn Tree slow down if you on mountain bike as you getting to technical part of ride and for us who are bit old fashion riding gravel bikes or touring bikes its time get off and walk. Please remember that the track is public byway and motor taffic do use it, as found out later on in the crossing when I stop to let two motor bikers pass me and one of them had pick up my waterproof legging which fallen off back of my saddlebag and return them to me. Once was got end of the track, its nearly all down hill to Staveley and reason for lack photos of the Kentmere Valley. Then from Staveley it was short ride back to Ashes Lane and in the five days that off during New Year period, I manage to do four ride totaling over 80 miles not bad at this time of the year, for someone who is 55 years old. You can click here to see photos of 5th January ride to Simpson Ground and around the Winster Valley or you can click here to download 21.3 mile route or you can check out forthcoming events page. Also 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.