Sunday, 4 July 2010

Ulverston Walney Island Ulverston, June 23, 2010

Distance = 36.1 miles
Time =2 hrs 49 mins
Elevation Gain = 1529 feet
Weather = Sunny, warm - nasty coastal headwind along the coast
Bike = Pinnacle Hybrid

Route :
Down through Plumpton and Next Ness to the Leven Viaduct then along the coast path to Ulverston canal Head. Along the coast road via Bardsea, Baycliff, Adlingham and Rampside to Roa Island.
Then a really good find - I had intended cycling back to Rampside and along the A5087 but I found a great cycle path from Rampside along the coast past the Gas terminal and right into Barrow.
A quick ride along Walney and back into Barrow and up abbey Road for a rendezvous in the Strawberry pub with a pint of Becks Vier and England Slovenia !
Good result in the footie put me in fine spirits to cycle back up the hills through Dalton & Linda
Photographs :
The Leven Viaduct near Ulverston




















The view from the Viaduct across Morecambe Bay to Burgh Island



















Watch Tower on the Bay at Rampside with Roa Island  Piel Island in the background.



















The lifeboat station on Roa Island with Piel Island in view.














A closer look at Piel Island

Richmond - Ulverston, June 22, 2010

Distance = 84.7 miles
Time = 6 hrs 46 mins
Elevation Gain = 5800 feet
Weather = Sunny, Very Hot - beautiful riding weather
Bike = Pinnacle Hybrid

Route :
Across to Holly Hill and up and over Hipswell Moor, then straight on through Wenslaydale to Hawes via Redmire, Carperby & Askrigg. Stopped for a fuel break in Hawes (Wenleydale cheese sandwich and a fantastic pear which was cold out of the fridge !)
Then it was onward and upward along the Ingleton road reaching a maximum elevation of 1464 feet just before the turn off for Dent and a fast descent through the Garsdale Head viaduct down into Dent and a quick half of Summer Lightning in the Sun Inn.
From Dent there's no easy route to Ulverston - I chose to go up the Barbon Road which turned into a 550 feet climb in just over a mile but the views along the valley were well worth it !!
From Barbon it was past the Kirby Lonsdale Golf club and through a private road over the Lune and then along numerous tiny roads and another nasty climb up to the M6.
From the M6 its down through Gatebeck to Sedgewick and along the A590 to Grange over Sands at which point my Garmin died !!
From Grange straight along the coast through Flookburgh & Cark to Haverthwaite turning left before crossing the Leven which takes you along a minor road to a footbridge which crosses the Leven at Greenodd - then its along the A590 again into town.



Photographs :

Richmond castle from Holly Hill















The road back down the long climb up Hipswell Moor




















The view to Pen Hill from the top of Hipswell Moor














A big tree in a big sky near Bellerby




















Bolton Castle















Old cross at Carperby




















Ancient Cross at Carperby circa 1674




















Typical traditional Swaledale Barn




















Hawes Marketplace















Highest point on the Ride 1464 feet up on the Hawes to Ingleton Road.



















The Road down to Dent















Garsdale Head Viaduct




















Dent















The view to the fells north of Dent




















The Sun Inn, Dent















The view back down the Barbon Road - 550 feet climb in 1 mile.














The view of Barbondale Road from the top of the climb.














More views of Barbondale - not seen by many people




















 Crossing the M6 just south of Kendal




















The Lancaster Canal




















Morecambe Bay at Grange over Sands















Morecambe bay near Ulverston

Jarrow - Richmond, June 21, 2010

Distance = 53.1 miles
Time = 4 hrs 03 mins
Elevation Gain = 2600 feet
Weather = Sunny, Very Hot - tar melting on road near Middleton Tyas !
Bike = Pinnacle Hybrid

Route Out :
Through Boldon and past Nissan in Washington and scross the Wear at Cox Green, up the hill and along to Penshaw then on through County Durham via Fencehouses, Leamside, Sherburn, Quarrington, Coxhoe, Sedgefield, Sadberge and into Darlington. From Darlington its along Neasham Road & past the Football Stadium, then through Hurworth & Croft and along 5 Hills Road to Sctoch Corner where the tar was melting on the road.
From Scotch Corner straight down the A6104 through Skeeby and into Richmond.

Route :

Photographs :

Vulcan bomber near Nissan Car Plant, Washington

River Wear at Cox Green















Penshaw Monument

Durham Cathedral

Sedgefield Racecourse

Darlington Football Stadium on Neasham Road

Bridge over the Tees at Croft

House at Hurworth

Sundial on the House above



































Scotch Corner hotel

The lovely village of Skeeby

Barley fields near Skeeby (very Van Gochesque)




















Classic view of The Swale with Frenchgate on the hill