CTC Club Ride to Feizor: Sunday 15th August

Club rides are taking a long time to regain the numbers we enjoyed pre-Covid.  It was a small group that gathered at Halton Station for Patience’s ride to Ireby Green and on to lunch at Feizor’s popular remote café on the tops between Austwick and Settle.

The forecast had prepared us for some showers, but thankfully the only significant one fell whilst we were sheltering in the café at lunchtime. 

After a sociable amble along the cycle way from Halton towards Claughton, we endured the couple of miles along the A683, before turning off along the relative peace of lanes through Wray and Wennington.  It is a while since the club last rode up Raven’s Close and we were a bit puffed out at the top, but were rewarded with a thrilling swoop down to Burton in Lonsdale, thence along the quiet lane to Ireby Green Farm café.  Our break here lasted a bit longer than expected as we had to request the loan of a bolt cutter to free one rider’s  machine from its lock.

A brief re-trace to the edge of Burton postponed our crossing of the A65 until Westhouse, where we followed a winding lane through Marton to Ingleton.  From here we climbed via Newby Cote to Clapham, with pin-sharp visibility across to the Bowland Fells.  We used the stretch of deteriorating off-road cycle track to carry on to Austwick without having to go on the A65.  However, we gritted our teeth and rode the short stretch of the busy A65 from Cross Street to the turn-off to Feizor, with its ever-popular café sheltering at the base of the fells, where the road ends.  As we lunched and sheltered from the afore-mentioned shower, we were roused from our peace by a big group of very noisy motor bikes, whose riders were also seeking the café.  We were glad we hadn’t encountered them whilst cycling along the narrow access road.

Once more avoiding the A65 we took the elevated scenic back lane towards Settle, emerging at the top of Buck Haw Brow, before the exhilarating swoop down to Giggleswick school .  We crossed the A65 for the final time near to Giggleswick Station, and accessed our regular route home, along Mewith Lane to Wray, thence on our various routes back home.

New riders are welcome to join our rides, as are those who have yet to re-join our numbers post-Covid.  Please visit our website for further information:  www.ctclancaster.org.uk