Have only ever ridden it at night and didn’t have any issues.

As mentioned above, there is some really nice riding, you just need to know where to look for it.

It does tend to get very wet though which can turn a lot of rides into a bit of a slog.

There’s a fair few of us from around there on here so at least can give you a bit of guidance on routes.

On another note, at the moment and for the coming years Morecambe is a right pain traffic wise. Lancaster regularly completely grid locks. There’s two big jobs goin on around there for the coming 2.5 years so will be bad. Hopefully the traffic should get a lot better once it’s done though!

My local ride is from the door (well my parents in laws house where my bike lives, that’s 5mins away). We tend to ride there most of the time but there’s only really one place to ride (even though it is pretty good)!

Tend to maybe have a once a month ride to somewhere like gisburn, south lakes or
Rivvy which takes about 30-45mins in the works van. Can get 6 plus bikes in it plus the fuel is free!

Once or twice a year I’ll drive somewhere a bit further, Scotland, Wales, North Lakes for a lads biking weekend away.

Bastille – Bad Blood

Have had it on constant repeat since I got it!

+1 for the river walk, I remember that being really cool.

I also remember the Mexican food being amazing. We went to what seemed like the biggest Mexican restaurant in the world, really good bustling atmosphere, good food, and things like Mexican bands continuously walking round!

This was 13 years ago so I was only 12 at the time! Haha

Anyone from the daytime lot know?

I didn’t ask her dad but I did tell him before hand. It’s not like your asking him if you can marry her it’s telling him you intend to ask her! Don’t think there’s anything wrong about showing him a bit that respect. But then I do get on very well with him anyway and it was whilst we were on a night ride anyway!

I did it on our 4 yeah anniversary of going out. We were on a long weekend away in Boston (USA not Lincolnshire) and had a lovely morning with champagne brunch (after we went to church at the cathedral – which I never usually do!) and then popped the question in the Boston Common on a lovely cold and clear winters day.

I risked it and had picked the ring before hand and it went down an absolute storm. Guess I’m a bit of a traditionalist really!

It’s doesn’t appy if you have a company car does it?

I never thought it did but some people have said it does!

Well not overly bothered about wether it’s the perfect family car, I’m only 25 so dont really need anything like that quite yet!

As long as I can fit my bike in the boot, jobs a good one!

Cheers for all the comments so far. Was hoping a few more might have driven them.

Looks cracking Andy. I was up Garburn last Monday and was still a bit of snow…..

Lee Quarry on its own? About 30 mins…..to be fair you can have a good ride sessioning different bits.

Add in the loop over to Cragg and you’ve got a good 2 hour ride and it’s a great ride!!

I honestly cannot remember the last time or any time for that matter anybody overtaking me! I just will not let anyone overtake me on the descents, not even a pro on a full on downhill bike!

WOW!!

Weather yesterday was cracking here in the Ribble Valley.

Was out for a 10k jog first thing (was fairly happy with 45mins), then went for a wedding suit fitting with my farther in law to be and brother in law to be, washed down with a good couple of pints!

This morning was a ride up Longridge Fell. The best conditions up there’s in about a year so had a fantastic ride. More wedding jobs and a little walk this afternoon, then some champagne sampling this evening. A pint and watching Argo should round the weekend off nicely!

My main thinking of the Leon was the cruise control. Daily commute will be 25 motorway miles each way, plus the odd longer trip. Also has alloys as standard.

Tax wise they are basically identical.

I’ve heard that both the new Golf and Leon are nicer than previous (Leon a lot better)

No

Looks cracking, I’ve driven past it many a time but never ridden it!

Start working in Lancaster from July so hopefully can get up there for a post work spin a few times!

Just check there’s no conditions on what you have to have.

Some companies insist on a car less than however many years old etc.

Yep £40/month at 20% tax.

P111d is something like 16% on 18k car value, so then you pay 20% of that in tax. Ok so I think it’s actually £48/month.

All our company we have a spreadsheet with all car grades worked out. Even an Audi a6 is only £200ish/ month at 40%

£700/month in BIK on a company car!? Blimey what were you driving!?

I’ve got a ford focus and that’s only £40/month!

AFAIK when you get rid of your car your tax free allowance will be upped as you now longer pay BIK on it. A car allowance is just a bit of extra cash added to your salary so will be taxed at whatever rate you pay, or will pay of it bumps it into the next band.

Speak to HR though as they should be able to explain it all to you.

I’m currently on a Civil Engineering Grad Scheme with one of the big contractors. Graduated a few years ago and to be honest have had some great opportunities through being on the scheme.

As others are said it might be tricky to do any contracting work as you’ll tend to need more experience than straight out of uni. The other thing is that is costs a company A LOT in training with someone straight out of uni so they’ll not be that inclined just to take you on for a few months. I’ve heard someone say our scheme costs the company £150k + for our three year scheme.

Saying that I have now ended up with a mortgage and getting married this summer. But I am happy with my job, it’s enjoyable and the career prospects and the company seem great!

Up on Longridge Fell on Friday and then Garburn Pass yesterday.

A couple of great days of riding to sandwich in too much eating and drinking on Saturday and Sunday!

+1 for go to a ground works contractor.

Wouldn’t have thought that many would have ready access to an excavator with a reach like that in the picture above. Most should get 14m infront reach and maybe 9m down but you obviously have a big bit in the middle out of reach.

I’d think your bet bet would be to dig down through the cliff with the excavator working in the trench made, obviously with proper temporary works in place (properly designed) then as you tech down to the beach side dig that with an excavator in top. Once again temp works is key due to the probable nature of the ground.

As mentioned that’s a lot of earth to shift. A rough guess would say 7500 cube meters, if you cannot leave that on site then that’s 800 odd wagon loads!

I’m heading up Longridge Fell tomorrow night. Can see it from my house and there doesn’t seem to be much snow, plus it’s still so cold out I’m hoping it could be nice and frozen still.

We will have to see what tomorrow night brings though!

FWIW we did our mortgage through HSBC.

Sounds like a couple of people up there might just not have judged the value of the property very well too. We did ours, they came back with a value that was what it was on the market for (which we had agreed a price under) so everyone was happy.

Plus the rate they were doing at the time was insanely good for us as first time buyers!

Back to OP, as mentioned the estate agent is always going to try and get the most they can as theyll make more money out of it! I would agree with going back to them with the valuation and be straight with them!

Stay in the lakes!!

There is an so much more than just grizedale and whinlatter up there!! Some classic routes right on the doorstep. If your doing whinlatter stay in Keswick and do Borrowdale Bash or Skidaw. Down near grizedale the natural stuff (parkamoor and Claife heights) are fantastic too.

Another good option in the lakes, as it’s a stag, go to staveley, ride around Kentmere then finish at the Hawkshead Brewery!

In road works sometimes they work, sometimes they dont. They are very expensive so sometimes on a job where they want to slow down the speed but not pay for them they’ll install dummy ones.

Wouldn’t risk it though unless I knew they were dummies though!

How old are you as well? You mention putting the rest of the money aside for savings, pension etc.

If you are 20’s then this probably isn’t as big deal as if you are 40/50’s!

Yeah sanitised.

Maybe it’s not new, but when I rode it 4 weeks ago I’m sure it was very different. Could have just been the snow that made me not realise before. There was a jcb at the bottom by the resevoir though!

We were up in Kentmere today, not too bad actually. Got parked up in Staveley no bother and once we were out we barely saw anyone.

Quite wet out but not too bad. If you do Garburn make sure you do it clockwise, quite frankly it was shit the other way today! The downhill going west has been totally ruined.

No bother with snow at all.

I did smell some smokeyness on the way from the the tower over to Cartridge hill!

Good ride though, started at Abbey Village, up to the tower, over to cartridge hill (which they’ve done some work on the track down and made it a bit sanitised) then a bit of stuff along the witton weavers way and round the reservoirs. Lots of riders out, lights all over the moors!

Excellent, role on the end of the day and a nice bike ride! Hoping to be quick enough to get up there whilst the sun is just setting.

Keva -cracking beer you’ve chosen there! I’ve had a few good pints of that in my time!

Piedi – I am going to Singapore on my honeymoon in June, that place looks a definite to go for a drink!

Is it open all the time or just that weekend?

Parents live over near Brigg so might bring my bike over with me and give it a crack next time I am visiting them!

Where at?

It was my album of the year last year – fantastic!! Will give it a listen again this evening I think!

Will be later. I’m cooking Pad Thai do have a few bottles of Tiger to wash it down with!

Plus a bottle of Coniston Bluebird XB for immediate post gym refreshment!

Summer version of this winter sport! Me in my uni racing days!

Now for a couple of my favourites! But who is who!?

Glentress
Llandegla
Whinlatter
Gisburn (it’s my local)
Inners

And Lee and Cragg cos they’re local too!

Others I’ve ridden and don’t rate as much: Hammsterly, Grizedale (excluding natural stuff), Stainburn, Marin Trail! Kielder

How do you make your living?
Graduate Civil Engineer for a large engineering/construction company.

Are you happy doing it?
Yep! Only been with this new company for a few months but we are getting ready for a big project (£100million+) starting in the summer and then I get to get back out on site!

Would you consider a change of career?
No – i’m a bit new to it still so still keen on it.

Does it pay enough for you to MTB comfortably?
Well I cant just go out and buy a new bike whenever I want, especially as we are getting married and have a honeymoon still to pay for this summer. But I manage to keep my bike ticking over nicely and manage a few lads trips away a year. Hopefully next year ill be adding a new bike to the garage!

Tampopo at print works is usually pretty good for us. Asian rather than just Thai so a bit of choice but very good Thai!