A Beautiful Day for an Autumn Ride

Finally! I went out for a ride today. I didn't do anything new or noteworthy but it felt like such a treat, which it was.

It's been a long time since I've ridden for sheer pleasure. It was mid August in fact. Since then I've been to work then come home. Once or twice I've gone a different way home but nothing substantial. Despite having been in almost daily use, my bike had been decidedly underused.

This morning, I made my way up the A59 as I do most Sundays but for once I missed my turning, quite on purpose, and carried on up Cote de Blubberhouses (formerly Blubberhouse pass). I'm pretty sure I had to stop my bike turning all by its self. We were free for the day and heading for the hills, all thanks to my parents doing my parenting for me. Thanks mum! Thanks dad!

Actually, the first 40 miles were foggy and hard work but after meeting my buddy Kev for breakfast in Settle we headed off on the well trodden 'Hawes loop.' Thankfully, as we climbed to higher ground we left the fog, leaf mulch and Sunday drivers behind. From there on the day just got better, a real treat in October.

Kev, a self confessed fair weather sports bike rider, doesn't usually ride outside the summer months and likes his tarmac wide, smooth and fast. Today however, he was on the look out for places to take his newest toy, some sort of fancy digital SLR camera. That meant he was willing to let me lead him up a few of the narrower roads he wouldn't usually thank me for. There was a lot of stopping but I didn't mind. It was a beautiful day to be up in the hills.

Ride Report - Forest of Bowland North Of Newton in Bowland

Because of the summer break and a recent foreign holiday, my bike had remained idle for much longer that I really like. Yesterday however, I received a last minute and much needed leave pass thanks to my mum taking the kids and Ang snoozing after a night shift. I had nothing planned but some of the best rides start that way. Chucking my map and tea making kit into the box, I headed off to @BeanandBud to look things over and enjoy one of their fine flat whites.

I was looking to explore somewhere new and there isn’t much I haven’t seen round here so I had to look further afield and accept there would be some unavoidable A road (highway) riding. Before my coffee was out I’d settled on an area called the Forest of Bowland, just across the border in Lancashire (spits on floor). I drained the dregs and hit the road.

I wasn’t disappointed. I suffered the A59 all the way to Clitheroe (actually not that bad) then I followed the B6478 to Newton-in-Bowland where I planned to head north towards a marked viewpoint. I was totally blown away by that stunning views on the section of road over Waddington Moor. In fact I was thinking it would be nice to ride it back again and get some pics. Time however was not on my side. Apparently, luck wasn’t on my side either as my route was soon blocked by bridge works. forcing me to retrace my steps. Still, I got those pictures.

The diversion (pretty obvious on the map) wasn’t anything worth writing about so I didn’t take my time. Once I was on the northbound road from Slaidburn, I was once again being blown away by the scenery. The heather was in bloom and being so close to the clouds gave the impression I was on top of the world. It made me think of a recent post on the FUZZYGALORE.COM blog, reflecting on the difficulties/impossibilities of sharing what you see from the saddle with others. So true but I still stopped every few meters to take yet another pic.

However, if you can, you really should go out and ride this. Maybe not if you’re only interested in knee down antics. In fact if I was going to do this again, I’d probably use the YBR125 and make a whole day of it. This is one to savour.