Yes I know. Only a tool measures height gain in feet, and it wasn’t actually a week, but leaving that aside…
I felt a bit ropey a week ago yesterday – getting headaches and blurred vision every evening and exhausted after about 4pm each day. So arranged to take 3 days off work and try to get some biking in to chill out a bit. Some kind souls from t’internet indulged me,

Took Friday afternoon off and nipped off to the Peak with Steve:
Excellent dusty, rocky, sometimes steep loop the length of Stanage with a couple of trips down Plantation,

followed by some lovely stuff near Derwent Edge.

Saturday was Cheedale wit’ missus

Work Monday

on Tuesday I drove up to Staveley to ride with Phil and Stu. Made the most of the drought to thoroughly criscross the east side of Kentmere Valley

work Wednesday
then back up to the Lakes on Thursday to look at houses. Cheeky loop round Finnsthwaite, Newby Bridge & Staveley In Cartmel Woods in the evening. Actually pretty good in the baked dry condition.

After 3 previous failures, I finally got round to completing The Bash with Duncan & Alison on Friday. As per the first 3 failures it was boiling hot, but luckily they were made of sterner stuff than the kids so this time we didn’t sack it off at Langstrath Beck and go swimming instead 🙂 As for the Walla/Falcon crag start… OMFG. Why has it taken me so long to ride this trail. It is absolutely amazing.

The weirdest thing about the whole week, apart from the glorious weather…. everyone was so damn happy. The ramblers were out in force and were pleasant, chatty and couldn’t wait to step smartly to the side of the path as we pootled toward them. So many smiles and encouragements. (apart from the crabbit Fix the Fells woman today, but never mind that)

Then today, following the successful Bash, me and Alison did the 4 passes. Been wanting to do this for years, and it didn’t disappoint. Apart from anything else, I finally managed to take a photo of a mountain biker where it looks somewhat tricky :-). Which is ironic really as the bloke didn’t actually ride this bit. And his son, who did, didn’t get his photo taken. There’s a moral there somewhere…

Gnom

More Wharnscale

Oop number 2

Descent from Black Sail was brilliant. Soooo good that we didn’t want to be messing with photos 🙂

Styhead:

The final descent down to Stockley Bridge was utterly amazing. The section where it crosses the stream then through the wall and down was sublime.

Another really good day.

According to Strava, it looks like about 180km, with about 6,500m of ascent over the 6 days cycling. But more importantly it was just brilliant fun. Got really lucky with the weather and the company. Met loads of new people. Learned lots about riding with different groups and being pushed technically. Absolutely smashing.

Many thanks for a top week 🙂

I feel better just reading that thread mate!

Great pics too.👍

Absolutely belting last two days, great to have someone to ride these big days with where you don’t have to worry about the other person, no ones racing, just out to ride bikes and love life!

Top chap and overall nice guy, definitely not some internet weirdo and worth meeting up with if you get a chance.

I bloody love that descent to stockley bridge, it’s damn near perfection.

I recall sitting at sty head tarn (or just below) and 2 guys on bikes stopped to chat, one on a HT, other FS, I was on my old Yeti. One on FS went on about how amazing his 29er rolled, and that I should try one, before going 50 yards, and going straight over the bars at the first techy section.

I near pished my shorts. 🤣

Good effort.

Good effort.. making the most of it there but let me correct you on something..

“Only a roadie measures height gain in meters” 😂

Belting day out Friday, I was needing a kick up the arse to get out. The heat just proved my fitness has buggered off over lockdown.* maybe that or it’s my unfeasibly heavyweight bike that’s set up for uplift holidays in the Alps that aren’t happening.

Spot on riding company with @golfchick as well.

Final point how good was that ice cream?

Geeeeeeez so good!! Actual bits of sticky toffee cake in an ice cream! Not just flavoured that way!!