Ride to Salter Fell via Dunsop Bridge, Sunday 17th June 2018

Ride leaders Patience and Len met four others at Boot & Shoe for  an off-road  experience, the traverse of the ‘Salt Road’ from Slaidburn to Wray.

An uneventful ride to Dolphinholme, Abbeystead and The Trough brought us to Dunsop Bridge Village Hall for a very good value morning coffee. Continuing towards Slaidburn, three off-roaders peeled off just before Newton, whilst the rest chose the tarmac alternative.

Patience, Nigel and Len headed into the Bowland foothills, Len on his narrow wheeled Mercian and the others on larger tyred steeds. A picnic lunch was enjoyed at the shooting hut  with its fine view south towards Pendle Hill. Once over the watershed the track improved, and for the first time in many years we survived the trip without punctures. The bright orange blobs on the horizon turned out to be a large group of D of E youngsters, as they courteously moved aside to let us pass.

Afternoon tea was savoured at Wray, before riding home down the valley. Off road rides such as this offer an added dimension to cycle touring but regrettably are not very popular these days,

Len.