Beaumont to Casterton Golf Club on Sunday 27 August.

There were 7 of us at Beaumont for the ride to Sizergh Castle for coffee and onto Casterton Golf Club for lunch. Of the 7 bikes, 3 were electric, will electric’s soon outnumber manual bikes? Watch this space! We took the road through Beaumont towards the army camp, turning up Kellet Lane to Nether Kellet. Us manual riders just about managed to keep up with our electrically powered companions up the hill, then outpaced them on the slight descent. Our route took us through Over Kellet, Borwick and onto Burton where we took the left turn down Neddy Hill. These street names always humour me, I couldn’t wait to ride through Whasset after passing through Holme! Ackenthwaite next, then Harry Brow took us onto Hincaster and beyond. We crossed the river towards Pigwilly Wood, then followed Nannypie Lane towards Sizergh Castle. What fantastic names, you couldn’t make it up if you really tried! Sizergh was busy so we took a while to be served, the previous efficiency seems to be currently absent, perhaps they are suffering the general malaise of staff shortages! We united with 3 other cyclists who were joining us for the ride to Casterton. We lost 1 electric biker who decided to return home to fulfil a previously planned engagement but gained 2 for the ride to Casterton. So, 4 electric’s and 5 manually propelled! Closer! The ride took us through Sedgwick, crossing the main road and taking the Halfpenny ‘loop’ towards Gatebeck. Through Gatebeck and on towards the Holmescales area. We crossed the M6 bridge as the countryside opened up and the moorland views became dramatic and showed why it can be such a wonderful route in spite of the efforts needed to reach the higher moors. We followed the road over the moors heading South East, electing not to take the right turn South along Old Scotch Road which would have taken us to Old Town. Instead we carried East before starting the sharp descent, then the right turn towards Rigmaden. We couldn’t take the left turn to cross the old bridge and then join the main road to Casterton as the bridge was damaged again last Winter and remains closed, will it ever reopen? We all hope so! So we just continued along the undulations, encountering little traffic as we finally joined the B road at Kearstwick, taking us into Kirkby Lonsdale. We crossed the Lune at Devil’s Bridge and followed the A road back to Casterton Golf Club. We were made welcome as usual and lunch was served with the usual efficiency! We took our time at Casterton, we still had plenty of it as no afternoon tea stop was planned. We took the pretty straightforward route home through Whittington, playing the usual spot the resident game, we rarely do! Onto Newton and Arkholme where riders began to drop off as they made their different ways home. A wonderful day in the saddle with barely a shower to contend with in great company and visiting excellent hostelries! 53 miles and 3200 ft of ascent for me completed in the luxury of my new bike! Fantastic! We ride each Thursday and Sunday and new or old companions are always welcome! All you need is a bike! Neil Westwell