Thursday Ride, Car Assisted from Kirkby Lonsdale to Sedbergh on 21 August 2025

Thursday Ride from Kirkby Lonsdale to Sedbergh & Howgill on 21st August 2025

Lancaster and South Lakes Touring Club

The meeting point for today’s ride was the refreshment van at Devil’s Bridge in Kirkby Lonsdale, where an early tea/coffee was taken prior to the start of the ride. Departing for Sedbergh, our route took us via Chapel House Lane into Casterton, then onto Bents Lane to ascend Barbondale, with its steep sided valley, beck, and glorious limestone escarpment.

Our steady climb to the top of the valley was following by a hair-raising drop into Gawthrop, before a left turn onto Brackensgill Lane and its, at times, gravel like surface running alongside the River Dee. Rather than crossing the river at Mill Lane, we continued on, then took the bridleway over the river and passed Sedbergh Golf Club, dropping into Sedbergh via Loftus Hill.

It was a little disappointing to see a fair number of closed shops in the town, but Smatt’s Duo was open to customers, so the group split into those eating in, and those buying from the bakery and eating out.

We resumed our ride suitably refreshed and ready to face the Howgills. The route was now along Howgill Lane, National Cycle Route (NCR) 68, with more spectacular views as we skirted the west face of Brant Fell. A left turn at Howgill took us swiftly downhill to Beck Foot and under the imposing but magnificent Lowgill Viaduct. Now on NCR 70 we climbed up the Old Scotch Road keeping the M6 to our right, before crossing the A684, then continuing down past Killington Reservoir to the B6254 at Old Town. From here it was a gloriously fast descent through Kearswick to Kirkby Lonsdale.

Having been promised a scoop of The Milking Parlour’s finest ice-cream by our ride leader (one scoop only & no flakes!), we then headed swiftly into the market square to end an enjoyable, mostly traffic free, and very picturesque ride of around 52km (quite a few more for those who had ridden to the start from further afield).

Anyone who is interested in joining us can find information about our regular club rides on Thursdays and Sundays on our website:  www.ctclancaster.org.