Ride report by Simeon Orme I had plan on doing this ride on the Sunday and due to the bad weather we currently having and one hazards of living on large island just off the coast of Europe which us folk who live in the British Isles some time forget that we do live on Island and do work outside during the work, so if I have to get soaking, I sooner paid while being soak. So move the ride to Monday. Ashes Lane, is always is good starting point for ride if you are using the car to get that extra distance from your home area, it just outside the honey pots of Ambleside, Bowness-on-Windermere and Windermere where the tourists and visitor want to go but for the cyclist its good place to leave car park up for the day and go exploring the Lake District National Park. One the gems of the national park are Longsleddale and the Kentmere Valleys which a lot folk forget about when they heading to honey pots of the lakes but these two valleys are honey pot in their own right for the off-road cyclist’s, has you only have open up the Ordnance Survey for the area, to see number of right of ways crisscrossing the area to know you go happily spend the day exploring the area. One best tracks to do when the ground conditions are wet and get feel for the area, is the public byway from Sadgill to Stile End which was goal for this ride. I have done this track both ways in the past and recommend you start it from Sadgill end in Longsleddale as its fairly steep climb out of Longsleddale once you at the summit of pass, its fairly easy ride to Stile End of the track. Has usual I was by myself was ride, I did advertise it on the RSF and as well by own website but do disappointing when you do this than know one turn up but your self. If never cycle along Ashes Lane, its start off as tarmac lane to the campsite and then once you get pass the campsite its turns into interesting track to ride along with some nice views of South Eastern Lakeland Mountains to look at, before turning back into tarmac road at the hamlet of Ashes, thens its easy climb up to Crook Road and short ride to Staveley where most folk in know go and some time at Wilf’s Cafe. My excuse for visiting a cafe on ride, I doing research for the Cyclist’s Cafe Guide on this website and I am keeping to it but price of things go up when first starting visiting Wilf’s Cafe, use get change out of five pound note but now it was £5.10 for coffee and cake. One of reasons that take time to take photo of cake that I am just about to eat and post image on social media and on this website, its shows folk that we stop at cafe or tearoom to chat and take some time out on the ride to relax. One finished my brew, I follow the lane down the eastern side of the Kent Valley stopping a few times to take photos (Wide angle photos are taken with new Crosstour Action Camera CT8500 which I am still play with). After a few miles, I headed up Potter Fell Road which quite hard climb and end up pushing the bike up it but was rewarded at summit of climb with some views looking across the valley towards Kendal. From the summit of the climb it fairly ride down to the Garrnet Bridge Road which followed up to Garrnet Bridge which is the starting point for ride up Longsleddale. Lonsleddale is beauitful valley and with many ways for the cyclist’s, the walker and horse rider to get out of it but for motorist its 4 miles to dead end. So usually only get local motor traffic on the lane up Sadgill. The valley boast one of cleanest public toilet in the national park which is half way up the valley by the church. The while ride up Longsleddale, you just at the views, as the hills turn into mountains as get nearer to Sadgill. I stop for lunch at bench at side of lane near High Barn. After lunch, I continue up the valley to Sadgill where some light rain was coming down. In Sadgill, I left the tarmac behind for next hour, for me case pushing by bike up the climb has no point in riding it but if you were on mountain bike you would able to ride most of climb out of Longsleddale accept for the hairpin bend which half way up the climb which may prove tricky for some. Once you got pass the hairpin bend, you be able ride most the track up to the summit and it fairly easy ride down into the Kentmere Valley, only stop to take photos of the ponies and to chat some walkers. Once back on the tarmac it was fairly easy ride back down the Kentmere Valley and in Staveley I decide not revisit Wilf’s Cafe. Headed back to the car via the Crook Road and Ashes Lane. You can click here to see photos of 1st October 2019 ride to the Claife Viewing Station and around Blelham Tarncan 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.