Anyone recommend me a route for a mid-week ride next week? Calling in on the grandparents in Kirby-Lonsdale so preferably starting within a 30min drive of there.
Don't mind some climbing, but not too much that'll be at risk if the weather changes, and I've not been out on the bike for a while and don't fancy cold&wet + climbing + unfit (2 out of 3 is fine). So no Skidaw/Hellvelyn.
20-30 miles, although contemplating a bivi with similar criteria, but twice as long and with a nice sheltered spot halfway round (and a pub/B&B option for bailing out).
If you were on a road bike I would advise you to check the wind direction then use the Settle-Carlisle railway for the upwind bit and enjoy some wind-assisted cycling. For example we have parked at Settle, cycled to Appleby mostly with the SW wind then taken the train back.
We've also done the same using the Carnforth to Barrow line, taking advantage of the wind to do bits of the Sustrans Bay Way route. Barrow to Glasson Dock and back to Lancaster was great, 86 miles and a big adventure for Gti Junior.
Tunnels and bridges is a good bad weather / winter option from Clapham, there's a cafe in Feizor(sp?) about half way round, most of it is on good ground, it's reasonably good route, a lot of it is protected behind walls etc. it's not very long tho maybe 10 miles. You could join it up with the Settle loop to make a longer ride, the Settle loop is mostly on pretty decent tracks as well
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Hi,
Straight up the A683 park in Sedbergh then a nice loop out and over Howgills, probably does not fit the "Low level" but its lovely round there!! Oh I got the knock first and only time was licking Kendal mint cake out of the bottom of a mates camelbak so might not fit the "unfit" bit either!!
I was thinking off road, but will keep the sustrans+train option in mind in case the weather's foul.
Anyone familiar with the track from White Shaw Moss -> High Pike ->Gawthrop (723823 to 679862)? Worth the long road climb from Ingleton, and are the bridges still standing in Barbondale?
One of the best low-level all-weather loops I know is the Oxen Fell / Iron Keld / Little Langdale / Loughrigg Terrace loop from Ambleside although I'm not sure what access is like to that area at the moment.
Brilliant little loop though, never too high, has some cracking trails and is almost all on rock so although it can get VERY wet, it's never muddy wet. Most of it is fairly sheltered too although Oxen Fell can be a bit bleak in really foul weather.
Also has the options to cut it short at several points and just head for home.
Anyone familiar with the track from White Shaw Moss -> High Pike ->Gawthrop (723823 to 679862)? Worth the long road climb from Ingleton, and are the bridges still standing in Barbondale?
Err, yes! It's known as the Occupation Road or Foul Moss, the latter is well named! The section between Foul Moss and Dent will be awful at this time of year - I did it in October after a "dry spell" and it wasn't pleasant then.
The loop over the Howgills is Bowderdale which will be a bit damp now, also one to do when you are fit.
Many of the BWs in that area get muddy/boggy at this time of year, better to go a bit further east or west. That said the tour of Ingleborough is reasonably low level and only with one stiff climb: head to Twistleon Scar End and up this (the main climb); across the top of the scar keeping to the west to Ribblehead; pass under the viaduct; a bit of road to get to the track up Cam End; Down to Ling Gill then Calf Holes; Pennine Bridleway across the Ribble and up on to Sulber Nick; down to Clapham (this is on the tunnels route above) then road back to Ingleton.
....back roads though, avoid the A65. Grim.
what crazy-legs said ^
Settle over to Littondale and back? There are a few ways of doing that (mastiles, hawkswick cote, dawson close, foxup), they seem to hold up pretty well in the wet and the Queens Arms is a good spot for lunch. There's some climbing but nothing properly high and it's (near) 100% rideable. One of our favourite shortish day rides.
MTB or CX?
I know a good low [ish] level one of the later that can start and end in Staveley and wont be affected by weather roughly 50/50 road v off road with the roads being both quiet and one bust stretch
MTB or CX
Fat bike, but not overly fussed by the gnarr level, just an opportunity to get out and spin the legs for the first time in ages, with some scenery, and preferably a pub.
this woukd be ok IMO from the captains suggestion, you'd do it in a fig of 8, the settle side anti clockwise IMO and the kilnsey side clockwise. the descent down to arncliffe cote from malham tarn is all on grass and would be too draggy to climb in winter. climbing up mastiles is all on good walled track. I prefer the settle side anti clockwise, but others have suggested clockwise in the past. [IMG] 
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^Loughrigg loop^ in the lakes is also very good and the topo / scenery probably more interesting than the Dales.