The ride report by Simeon Orme It has take few years now to decide where I want this website to go in the coming years, has enjoy my cycling which for me is about going exploring the local area and seeing what’s out there! With the photography it about telling you the story of the ride in photos and with the web mastering is showing you what my ride are about. I know, I keep saying that I am lucky live in this part of England which ever direction we go on bike there beautiful scenery to look at! The Winster Valley is one those beautiful landscapes that most folk miss, has speed along the A590 or the A591 to the Lake District National Park hot spots of the central lakes. You would not believe but its possible to see only two or three folk in valley all day and the village at top of valley, which the valley takes its name from is only few miles from Bowness -on-Windermere. The valley is maze of lanes, public byways, bridleways and footpaths. With charming hamlets every mile or so and few large halls, one of favorite halls to take photos of in the valley is Cowmere Hall which about mile away from Bowland Bridge. The ideal for this ride came from the local RSF group which was going hold its first ride of the year, my plan was going to hello then go off to do my own thing but I left a little to late setting off from Halton and sign of them all day. At this time of year its best using the motor car to transport your bike nearer to the national park even us local live in North Lancashire. One best places to abandon your motor car to go exploring the southern parts of the national park is strength of the old A590 running from near Sampool up to the Derby Arms near Witherslack, I decided to leave my motor vehicle near the Derby Arms, has my plan was call in at Harry’s Cafe Bar at Yew Tree Barn in Low Newton this some do with that like their sausage bun which kept me going until well pass my lunch time. So after, I unloaded the bike from the back of the car, I use the underpass to get across the A590, then followed the lane across Meathop Moss, you do see a lot of folk on bikes on this lane as its main route cyclist’s use to getting to Grange-over-Sands or Levens and is part of Bay cycle way from Barrow to Glasson. I was soon in Meathop, then after crossing the River Winster via Meathop New Bridge and then followed the B 5277 into Lindale. Yes will hold my hand up and did walk up The Gill which use to be part of A590 before the bypass was build about forty years ago. From top of The Gill, I headed along Hollow Lane and then along Cartmel before heading into Low Newton for stop at Harry’s Cafe Bar. It was full enjoying their lakeland breakfasts and I am sorry just don’t understand cyclist’s who don’t stop at cafes on their rides at weekends, for me it about cycling culture that brought up in and that I come from cycling family, to be honest I think anyone who does not stop at cafe or tearoom is odd they did not get basic training that got from parents and cycling greats like Fred Lloyd or Bob Harrison. The cafe stop is about taking rest from the ride, refueling and chatting to others on the ride. In my case, I usually by myself, the rides I do advertise on this website are not popular for some reason, maybe I will see pigs flying over the starting point of ride if someone turns up for ride other than myself and my cameras After I left the cafe, I headed for High Newton and then headed along Height Road, there some great views from this road looking across the Winster Valley and towards the coast. I was soon leaving Height Road and heading along Simpson Ground Road to the hamlet of Simpson Ground. At Simpson Ground, I did short detour to visit the Simpson Ground Reservoir which maybe for me was on of highlights of the ride, taking the photos of the two swans on Reservoir. For eagle eye of you the Reservoir is on Right to roam land where we have only legal right to walk across, its worth pushing your bike the short distance from the bridleway and leave it my tree, to go and look at the view across the reservoir. After my detour the weather started to go downhill, has followed the public byway across Simpson Ground Allotment and for those like technical challenge of try keep your feet dry and not falling off cycling across the ford over Way Beck. I was back on tarmac heading through the hamlet of Foxfield, then the tarmac ran out for ride to Sow How Farm before turning back into tarmac lane again. As the weather had started turn for worst, I headed along Fell Foot Brow towards Lightwood before following the lanes down into Winster Valley and crossing over River Winster near Little Hartbarrow. Then followed the lanes back down the Winster Valley making to car for 3pm. I was glad I had got out for ride and took few good photos and still learning how to use my new Pentax K- 70 camera. You can click here to download the 20.8 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.