An afternoon in the Dales....

[C-J]

Ok technically I started in Lancashire, but you'll just have to excuse that....

Our lass has gone away for the weekend, and I'd managed to get my chores done by lunchtime.. .. So I decided to go and hunt out some twisty roads that the GS loves so much.. I knew it was going to be a nightmare traffic day with the bank holiday, but with only myself to worry about it wasn't a problem.

Hit the back roads out of Clitheroe, and headed up the fell road. Sun was shining and the ride was starting out nicely..

Plenty of these fella's around this afternoon... thankfully these one's were pretty content with noming on some grass

Anyway on with the ride and headed down to Slaidburn, then north out past Stocks Reservoir up towards the Benthams, and then a brew at Devils Bridge.. So far no new adventures.. Ridden these roads loads of times.

Then it was off onto the Dales proper... Never tried these roads before, but the sun was shining (just) and I headed north from Devils then took a right up to Gawthorp, Dent, Cowgill, Garsdale, then dropped into Hawes..

Here's a little church near Cowgill... unfortunately I didn't see any steam trains running through the hills... Still Yorkshire's a pretty stunning place..

The weather was blowing around pretty rapid, and a few spots of rain were falling as I headed south out of Hawes, through Gayle and down towards Deepdale...

The rain was catching me up as I took this photo, and the wind was blowing a hoolie !!

Five minutes later it had all cleared and was a stunning summers afternoon again.. I think I got lucky...

Dropped through Kettlewell and then back over towards Settle via Cowside Beck... rain was upon me again here so didn't hang around long to get a photo..

This little fella wasn't bothered by the weather... I was bothered by his horns and the fact there was no fence between him and myself... I've heard they only attack 1150's though

Dropping back into Settle and the weather couldn't make its mind up...

All in all a lovely afternoon.. Saw some stunning scenery, and great roads... I even did the classic Tosser thing and tried a river crossing !!

This is in Gayle, just below Hawes...

To be honest I can't see the appeal of having your wheels slipping all over the place on polished slimy conrcrete !! I won't be doing that again

Anyways get yourself to Yorkshire... Its great !!

 

[Udders]

Wow! Looks like a cracking ride round! Nice one.

 

[Ash]

Wow! Looks like a cracking ride round! Nice one.

+1
lucky bugger having such a playground so near

 

[Billythebiker]

Lovely

 

[John Armstrong]

Nice report, recognised a lot of the photos as places I like to go

That ford though is well known as being the nearest thing to ice you can ride on. I found out after I'd tried, and failed to get across it upright about 4 years ago

 

[C-J]

Nice report, recognised a lot of the photos as places I like to go

That ford though is well known as being the nearest thing to ice you can ride on. I found out after I'd tried, and failed to get across it upright about 4 years ago

... Thankgod I kept it upright then !! I didnt have a support crew to come and take my plugs out and get the water out !.. More importantly I didn't have a bunch of Tossers around to take photos and take the mick ! I'll let someone else go first next time..

 

[Stretchamus]

Excellent, thanks for posting the pics C-J

Best regards Stretch

 

[mikewan48]

C-J, just to echo the others.......I enjoyed your report immensely......

You're a braver man than me though....wet grass, water crossing and the rest..... all on road tyres...!

 

[C-J]

You're a braver man than me though....wet grass, water crossing and the rest..... all on road tyres...!

Yeh to be honest i did feel quite vulnerable without a proper Twat Suit, peaked helmet, full set of metal luggage and some TKC full on Nobbly things...





Next time I go out for an afternoon I'll be better prepared...

 

[Tricky]

Nice pics.