Ride to Casterton via Bay View, Thursday 24th May 2018

In wonderful May sunshine, 8 riders left Millenium bridge for Neil’s more ambitious ride to Casterton Golf Club with a coffee stop at Bay View Garden Centre in Bolton-Le-Sands. Heading through Halton and the Kellets, we made our way to Borwick and Priest Hutton. Crossing carefully the two major A roads we rode through the Yealands and Warton and took the wooden bridge crossing towards Crag Bank and onto Bolton-Le-Sands. Arriving at Bay View, after 19.5 miles of stunning Spring scenery we settled down to take our much deserved refreshments. We met up with the riders who had taken the ‘gentle ride’ and also others who had arrived independently.

After a pleasant, relaxing half hour or so, and supplementing our numbers by an extra rider we rode through Bolton-Le-Sands village and back through the Kellets, through Capernwray and took the Docker turn. We took the minor road along Keer Holme and then the turn to Keer Side past Wash Dub Wood and onto the main Burton to Kirkby Lonsdale road. As the spring sunshine was now unrelenting the party were in need of more refreshment, so it was decided to take the quickest route to Casterton Golf Club through Kirkby Lonsdale and over Devil’s Bridge.

We sat outside under blue skies overlooking the last green and enjoyed our second stop of the day whilst absorbing even more sunshine.

Eight riders set off on the next leg of the ride along the old Roman Road through Overtown, Leck and Ireby, as the ninth rider set off for home via the ‘quickest route’ for a previous appointment.

Through Burton in Lonsdale, Low Bentham, and onto Wray over the hills the ‘back way’ where we made our third refreshment stop of the day, and the leader consumed his second scone of the day! Well, I was convinced I’d earned it!

Again we met up with the gentle ride group, and after taking our fill we all left in smaller groups for home.

A fantastic ride in unbroken, hot sunshine and a light breeze was enjoyed by all, 60 miles and 4300ft of ascent. How lucky are we to live in such wonderful cycling countryside?

Neil Westwell 24 May 2018