Ride from Millennium Bridge to Casterton, Thursday 16th January 2020

Meeting at Millennium Bridge few, if any, of the participants wished to continue the ride after coffee, given the impending doom, or weather forecast as it is better known. Rain and extra strong wind gusts were forecast to arrive in the early afternoon, so the original plan of Arnside for coffee and Casterton for lunch now seemed not such a good idea after all. Perhaps a plan B was needed. Having previously spoken to our friends at Casterton, warning of our plan to lunch there, I thought it may be a good idea to go for a one stop ride to Casterton for coffee instead of lunch, enabling us to return home before the bad weather arrived. This suggestion was met with unanimous agreement, so plan B it was! I rang Casterton G.C. to inform them of our change of plan and was told the scones were just going in the oven! Wow!! All falling into place! We set off towards Halton, with the majority of us taking the Kellet Lane turning towards Nether Kellet, 2 participants choosing to go to Casterton via Halton and Arkholme. After half a mile or so, Ken collected a puncture in his rear tyre, and decided to head for home,in spite of the promise of a warm, fresh scone. Carrying on through Nether Kellet and Over Kellet and onto Burton, where John left us so he could keep a previously arranged appointment. We took the Hutton Roof turn from Burton and made the ascent/descent to Kirkby Lonsdale and onto Casterton, where we were greeted warmly. Coffee and cakes were consumed, the fresh scones excellent! It had been quite windy, but dry, on the outward journey, so we were hoping for the same on the journey home. We split into 2 groups for the homeward leg, one each side of the Lune. We arrived home before the forecast high winds and heavy rain, so Plan B was a success. 35 miles and nearly 3000ft of ascent. Neil Westwell 16 January 2020.