26th July 2020 ride up Roeburndale and down Littledale (Page two)

- Page one - Route - Report -

The view from bridge looking up the River Roeburn

The view looking across the bridge over River Roeburn.

A closeup of chain on the bridge.

The Oak at side of lane on the climb up to Haylot Farm.

Road sign at Haylot Farm and view looking back down Roeburndale.

Another view of the road sign.

A view gate post, at the gate before the climb up to Winder.

The view from Winder look back towards Haylot Farm.

Another view from Winder looking back towards Haylot Farm.

The view looking down Roeburndale Road.

A view of The Manor House at Halton.

Ride report by Simeon Orme Yes I know I fully intended have ride up to Lupton but it was spur of the moment decision has I was heading out of Beech Road in Halton to turn right instead of left, has thought it would good idea to head towards Wray from brew at the Bridge House Farm Tearooms. The reasoning for this decision that it had been raining first thing in the morning and had been waiting move on before adventuring out, I may be getting soft in my old age, but I hate getting soakings in my leisure time, its something do with we getting to may soakings at work where we no option to grim and bear it, its maybe down to global warming but officially the school holidays in England and now start of monsoon reason where it rain just about every other day until September when kids go back to School. Any way follow the usual route up to Wray, I must say where the Lune Valley Cycle Path joins the A683, its getting point where cyclists new to cycling turn around head back down cycle path, it may be something to do with amount of traffic on the A683 but its shame to see happen and there need to safer route up the Lune Valley to encourage more folk to leave their car at home on Sunday or Saturday and explore the local area on two wheels. A lot of us locals to tend to forget that the area between Caton and Hornby is in National Park call the Forest of Bowland and those cyclists who turn back at end cycle path do miss out on some outstanding scenery on both sides of A683 and then the B6480, its shame not enough of us in lockdown have not learn to leave the car at home and spoil it for rest us who adventure out on two wheels or two feet. Once I turn off the B6480 in Wray, the noise of the traffic die away but it was shame that there were a few rain showers about, as did send a few folk enjoying their morning brew outside tearoom run for cover, so I had my coffee and cake inside the tearoom. Once enjoy my coffee and cake, I decide to take hard way home up Roeburndale and down Littledale, the highest point of the ride is at 313m on Roeburndale Road where you can all way to coast. To get to that point there about 400m of climbing to do! Once climb out of Wray and turn on to Moor Lane its like go back in time and know real reason for motorist to use this road unless they can read a map and mind opening and closing several gates which seem most of the Sunday drivers off using this route over to Littledale. A lot of you reading this will know Moor Lane depending on which way you rode across the Salter Fell Track, as that hard bit over Whit Moor which you have to cross before starting ride along the Salter Fell Track if heading off to Slainburn or if heading towards Wray, the last hard bit before you get a brew in Wray. So once climb over Whit Moor and drop back down into Roeburndale and did a bit more climbing just pass Lower Salter, I turn off the route up to beginning of the Salter Fell Track, to follow the public byway up to Haylot Farm, it does not advertise fact that it public byway on gate at start of route over Littledale, it just as sign say Haylot Farm, I did stop for some thing to eat, after recrossing over River Roeburn before start of the climb up to Haylot Farm. The highlight for me on this climb or for me its case pushing my the climb is the small Oak tree at side of the road it been there for many years and when get up close to it wonder how its survive this many years and stories it could tell if only it could talk you. Once you get to Haylot Farm its worth stopping to look at view down Roeburndale before getting on your bike for short ride down to Bladder Stone Beck before final push up to Winder and once pass cattle grid about quarter mile after Winder, there not much pedaling to do until get to Brookhouse, then its case picking which way want get back on cycle path, I headed through Caton and then followed cycle path back to Halton Station. There various ways of doing this route, I would recommend following the route of Way of Rose up the Lune Valley and just after Butt Yeats follow Back Lane into Wray. For those of you want a bit off-road adventure there is permitted bridleway from Pike Gill Wood to Alcocks Farm which show on OS Map as footpath, then there another permitted bridleway going across Roeburndale via Middlewood Farm which show on OS map as footpath which follow down in valley bottom where there apple orchard, I would recommend use footbridge to cross River Roeburn, as permitted bridleway crosses River Roeburn via ford. Once you cross over the River Roeburn, the pernitted bridleway follows Farm Road through Middlewood Farm up to Moor Lane. There many ways of extending this ride to make enjoyable day ride and hope you enjoy reading this report and looking at the photos of ride which taken 18mm to 135mm lens. Do add comment to comment box belong, you can log in using your Facebook account or other social media accounts it does help get the website notice if you leave comment on website and not on social media. 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