The following is guidance about cycling with our Lancaster and South Lakes CTC group.

Riders who are thinking of joining the Cycling UK (formerly CTC) rides are welcome to participate as guests on a couple of rides, but to be covered by Cycling UK insurance must join Cycling UK. This is easy and straightforward to do online.

Riding bicycles in a group has many advantages; sociability, not having to think about the route, going to new places. But there are risks and vulnerabilities that come with riding in a group, especially a group larger than three or four riders. Everyone who wants to join in Club rides should read and think about these notes. In the interests of safety and courtesy to all road users, Committee members may remind riders of these guidelines while we are on a ride. Click here to go to view the pdf file that has Mike's notes in it.

The club asks that everybody participating in club rides carries some basic information in case of emergencies. The information is an telephone number for emergency contacts, and any information about any relevant medical conditions. The emergency details can be stored on a smartphone such that they are accessible without unlocking the phone, or written on a card that is kept in a jersey pocket.

There are Club rides every Sunday that are between 45 and 70 miles in length that make a morning coffee stop and a further stop for lunch. The start point is decided by the leader of the day, and is nearly always at 9.15. The longer rides are usually during the summer months and sometimes include a stop for tea in the afternoons. Sometimes, riders choose to join the group at their coffee, lunch or tea stop. This is not discouraged, but these riders need to be aware that sometimes plans are changed by the leader, usually because of circumstances on the day. These have included road and bridge closures, “mechanical“ problems and very rarely, injury. Timing for arrival at or leaving from these destinations cannot be guaranteed. Club rides are usually at a gentle pace of between 10-12 mph and they regroup frequently with at least one person at each junction to make sure those behind know where to go. For the current programme see the Calendar.

The Thursday Riders began as a group of friends who over the last decade or so have come to include many of the Lancaster and South Lakes CTC members. Now the Thursday Riders have become an Informal Group within Cycling UK, linked to Lancaster & South Lakes CTC. The average pace of the Thursday Riders group will vary according to who is riding but will not usually be more than 13 mph. Like the Club rides, the Thursday Riders are a sociable group who like to stop for coffee and lunch and always make sure everyone is part of the group. For the Thursday Riders current programme see the Calendar.

Both the Club Rides and the Thursday Rides are organised by Neil Westwell. If you would like to join either ride for the first time, please get in contact with him. Neil is always looking for offers to lead rides for either group so let him know if you have a route you would like to lead. there is a specific email address for information about rides, for suggesting rides and volunteering to lead rides. this is ridelancasterctc@gmail.com.

Please note that the following rides are not part of the CyclingUK Member Group CTC Lancaster & South Lakes. As such they are not covered by the CUK organisers liability insurance and do not have designated leaders. Riders therefore take part entirely at their own risk

There are other informal groups of CTC Lancaster & South Lakes members that ride together from time to time. The most regular is a Tuesday morning ride that meets at the Millennium Bridge (north side) on the first and last Tuesday of the month and at the Boot and Shoe on the other Tuesdays. People gather at 9.15am and, without a leader, agree a route (or two!) to ride to a coffee venue about ten or fifteen miles away. We usually go to the Bridge House Farm Tearooms in Wray on the first Tuesday and Bay View Garden Centre in Bolton-Le-Sands on the last Tuesday - on other Tuesdays it is usually Daisy Clough at Scorton or it might be somewhere else!

There is also a fortnightly Sunday ride at a more leisurely pace organised by Simeon Orme. The rides are between 20 and 30 miles long and Simeon encourages people to bring cameras and enjoy the scenery. To find out more visit his website 'Where's the Brew Stop' - an important feature of these rides is finding the right sort of cafe that has cake!

Riding bicycles in a group has many advantages; sociability, not everyone needing to concern themselves with the route, being taken to countryside which is new. But there are risks and vulnerabilities that come with riding in a group, especially a group larger than three or four riders. Mike Codd, our former Rides Secretary, has put together some notes about how the Club expects riders to act when they are riding with the Club. Everyone riding with the Club should read and think about these notes and perhaps download them and print them out for future reference. In the interests of safety and courtesy to all road users, Committee members may remind riders of these guidelines while we are on a ride. Click here to view the pdf file that has Mike's notes in it.