Ride to Farleton View via Casterton GC - 29 October 2021

The CTC Bank Holiday Sunday ride visited three of our regular cafes which we normally use as morning coffee venues. It turned out to be a good way of avoiding the traffic on the busy main roads.

A small band of six met at Beaumont before taking the hilly back road to the Kellets and on to Capernwray. A rare Sunday train on the Bentham line was glimpsed, before climbing over to Newton and onwards to Kirkby Lonsdale and our first café stop at Casterton Golf Club. Coffee and cake were enjoyed in the autumnal sunshine gazing over the green sward.

Four of us continued sedately up the valley on the Roman Road to Barbon. The often puncture- inducing narrow lane north of the village at the foot of the fell was merciful to us today, and we only had to cope with a short section of main road before turning off to cross the Lune and climbing up to Rigmaden. Further climbs were in store as we enjoyed sun-bathed vistas of the Howgills and then headed west towards Old Hutton , the nearby wind turbines indicating a friendly following breeze.

The climbs were rewarded by views of the distant Lake District and a long gradual descent to Gatebeck and Preston Patrick, before settling down for lunch at picnic tables overlooking the fishing lake at Farleton View, warmed by the midday sun.

We were now reduced to a group of three, turning our wheels westwards to Heversham, Dallam Park and Storth. As it was still mid afternoon. A third café stop was called for. The RSPB café at Leighton Moss was  strangely quiet for a Bank Holiday, but fuelled us with yet more coffee and cake to help power the legs homewards.

A Sunday ride in unusually benign conditions for an August Bank Holiday, with the CTC reinforcing it’s reputation as the Café To Café Club.

New members are always welcome to join us.  Our rides programme can be found at www.ctclancaster.org.uk. Len Howard