Trip to Yorkshire Dales and Lake District

[BrownMouse]

I feel I’m getting greedy but I couldn’t resist the lure of sunny hills again, so only two weeks after my Wales trip I set off today for two nights in the Yorkshire Dales.

I waited until 10am for the temperature to crawl up to 10°C before setting off but even with my thermals on I soon got very chilled. The first couple of hours were all on dual-carriageway and motorway before I turned off the A1 at Wetherby to head to the hills.

My route took me to a Road Closed sign and I decided I’d continue and chance it. But when I came to another sign with a row of cones across the road I realised they did mean it, so stopped. As it was lunchtime this traffic free spot seemed like a good place to eat my sandwiches and soak up some warming sun whilst gazing across the fields to the hills.

After a short detour I got to Grassington to fuel up then a mile or so before Kettlewell decided to head west allong a side valley to Litton.

5 miles later at Halton gill I paused to change into my summer gloves and take off my scarf, and take a photo looking back.

After going south over the fells I closed my scenic loop by heading east through Malham Moor to rejoin the road to Kettlewell, where I thought it was time for ice-cream.

A minute after setting off from there I looked down at satnav and noticed it had lost it’s internet connection, tapping my pocket produced a sinking feeling when I released I didn’t have my phone. After stopping to check my other pockets I did a U-turn and was relieved when I arrived at ice-cream place to see my phone on the floor under a bench, phew!

Back on track I was soon turning off west again to go allong another valley.

Which lead to the hills at the south of Hawes which I headed up then down.

Through Hawes it was back up over Buttertubs pass to Swaledale then up and over again to Kirkby Stephen. There’s a lot of dales in the Yorkshire Dales!

Got to my digs around 6 where I could unpack and relax, pity the patio is shaded in the evening.

This year’s budget is getting rather stretched so I thought I’d raid the larder and freezer at home and make use of the self catering facilities.

That’s two breakfasts and evening meals taken care of.

[DCS222]

@BrownMouse

There’s a lot of dales in the Yorkshire Dales!

Darn tootin there is… don’t expect similar quantities of lakes in The Lakes though!

Great photos btw

[Wessa]

You lucky man, some great riding in them dales. As usual great pictures and storyline. Thanks for sharing.

[BrownMouse]

Evening shade turns into morning sun.

I set off at 9:30 up the single track road on the other side of the valley, across the fells and onto the A road leading to Sedburgh and then Kendall. This was mostly traffic-free apart from a few minutes following an HGV crawling up twisty roads until they became untwisty and I could squirt past. From there it was on to Windermere and then joining the 2-mile queue of traffic trying to get through the lights at Ambleside. Once through I was on open road and headed up to Elterwater where there was a handy bench for a rest.

This was my first time coming this way and I was glad I did.

The road loops around back south to join Wrynose pass.

And down the other side with Hardnott pass in the distance.

This was my first time doing Hardnott pass but I found it simple going up, going down was a little more difficult, as I always find with hairpins. Wouldn’t want to do this with wet roads though.

In the valley beyond I stopped at the Woolpack Inn for lunch and a pint of something cold and refreshing, it was very warn now.

From here I continued west to the edge of the Lake District and followed it north across the fells with sight of the sea in the distance. It was around here I came upon a blockage of about ten vehicles which I thought were having difficulty passing each other on the narrow roads. But as I picked my way through them I passed a vehicle with scaped sides and further down a hot hatch with well dented sides and smashed windows, looked like some people weren’t been cautious enough on these narrow roads. As I had to ride over broken glass I pulled over shortly after to check nothing was stuck in tyres.

I lost track of exactly where my route took me, think it was Ennerdale, Loweswater, Whinlatter pass, Newlands pass, Buttermere, Honister pass and up by Derwentwater.

As car park at Honister pass cafe seemed to want you to pay I didn’t stop and instead found some woods by Derwentwater to eat the emergency choc chip brownie my host had left for me in the cottage.

When I fueled up at Keswick I also got a bottle on Pendle Witches Brew so I had something to drink when I got back to base after a stint on the A66.

[Octoberon]

I think you should start Brown Mouse Tours.

[Dave49]

What a lovely ride, brilliant weather and super photos. Thanks for sharing. I would go there more often, but put off by the traffic. You seem to have dodged the worst of it most of the time!

[Dawsy]

Fantastic @BrownMouse

Newlands and that area are stunning and usually very quiet. But don’t tell anyone

[DCS222]

So glad you got the mix of good weather and not too much traffic. Great pics

[BrownMouse]

The ride home today is going to be mostly the reverse of the first, without scenic detours. So I won’t bore you with more pictures of blue skies and green hills.

[Vulpes]

Fantastic photos!