Ride to Bowland Knotts via Goat Gap, Sunday 8th July 2018
/Leaving Halton Station on yet another glorious summers day we headed out through Wray, Wennington, and the Benthams to get up on to Newby Moor and enjoy the panorama of fells all around us. Coffee Stop was at the Goat Gap Café and set us up for stage two to Tosside. Straight back over the A65 we followed the usual southerly route to Giggleswick via Clapham Station and Eldroth but turned sharp right before reaching the A65 to take the small lanes to Wham and around Giggleswick Common through gates and farms up and down across moors and through forested valleys we finally made it to Tosside for Lunch.
The clouds were building and the bouts of shade together with a cooling Westerly breeze were a welcome help on the climbs! After sandwiches at the bedecked Village Hall and refreshments in the excellent Old Vicarage Café we set off once again for the serious climb up over Bowland Knotts.
Taking the right turn into the Gisburn Forest park we had a pleasant descent and cruise along the shore of the somewhat depleted Stocks Reservoir before the long climb out. The views from the top and the exhilarating downhill back to Keasden and Mewith Lane made it all worthwhile.
Rolling home along the familiar Mewith lane there was time for a final refreshment stop at Bridge Farm Wray before returning home, having ridden around 65miles climbed 4,800ft and got as high as 1,390ft at the summit.
Nigel
