LAKES RUN
Ride Organiser: Gordon Campbell
Ride leader: John (& Val) Wood
Leaving The Plough and Harrow, Shevington at 08:45 our group of seven bikes took the M6 to Junction 33 followed the A6 north through Lancaster and Carnforth picking up the A691 to Windermere. A short ferry crossing took us to Hawkshead for a coffee and light refreshment before moving on to Coniston then through Langdale to our main objective, the famous Wrynose pass and Hardknott Pass.
Lunch time saw us in the Screes pub at Nether Wasdale having a well-earned meal before a 'photo-opportunity' on the banks of Wastwater. Our return journey took us over Ulpha Fell before dropping back along the A590 eastward. Passing so close to Kirby Lonsdale we called at Devils Bridge for a coffee, returning by way of the A682, Long Preston, and the A59 past Clitheroe to Preston, arriving home at approximately 18:00 Total distance 230 Miles
Personal Reflection: The day went well and was enjoyed by all. While threatening the weather held off (and brightened up in the afternoon), this most likely contributed to the fact that traffic in the Lakes was light.
I don't know about the others but I found the hair-pin bends on the two passes quite scary - not just the steep incline and sharp cambers and the fact that on a bike, once committed, you can not stop or you would simply fall over ! - not even the diesel liberally washed across the road - more the fact that the car drivers using the same road have no idea of the problem !
There was one section on Hardknott pass where we had all stopped on the left-hand side of the road because we could clearly see, 500 yards below us, several cars blocked in both directions by some fool in an orange camper-van who having failed to negotiate the hairpin was trying to reverse ! While waiting for the road to clear two cars sped past us - I am sure we were all thinking "where the ***k do you think you're going". I must admit that the second car, a BMW driver, did realise his mistake and when the road cleared pulled to the right and let us pass !
Thanks must go to Gordon for organising the day and acting as 'back-marker' and John and Val who led the way.
Mike