Ride to Austwick / Clapham via Wray, Thursday 16th August 2018

The 14 riders met at Kellet Crossroad and were split into 2 groups. One group was led by Brian and the 2nd by Patience. The route was via Halton and the cycle path to Caton. Here the riders continued through Brookhouse, where those who had studied the weather forecast realised they were over dressed. The road led towards Hornby but the 2 groups turned towards Wray before the village was reached. Although cloudy the rain held off and at 10 o’clock they reached the Wray cafe. Here another 6 members joined the riders before most of them returned to Lancaster.

The 2 groups made their way up the steep climb and onto Mewith Lane. This road is often followed by our members but usually in the opposite direction. However on this particular day the party was rewarded with fine views towards Ingleborough and peeping round the corner of the high moorland Pen-y-ghent.  The ride continued via Keasden to the railway bridge at Laneside. A sudden sharp shower led the riders to don their waterproofs as they rode on to cross the A65 into Austwick. Following the cycle path alongside main road the party reached Clapham and the cafe for lunch.

There’s nothing like a gentle climb after lunch and the road towards Ingleton is nothing like a gentle climb. But the reward for the two and a half mile climb to Cold Cotes is the very fast descent to Ingleton.  The road was followed through Thornton in Lonsdale to cross the A65 at Lower Westhouse. One of our popular lanes was taken, into the strengthening wind, to Burton in Lonsdale. At the bottom of the steep hill a sharp turn to the right led onto the twisting climb up onto the road leading to Ravens Close. It was downhill for a change. Some of our party went to Wray cafe for tea, others headed for the Gressingham climb whilst a third group turned down the Lune Valley.

Brian Greenwood