Today was a day orf from work… so called me mate up last night and what do you know…? He was free to ride😁
So we set off this morning after a hard overnight frost… temperature about -1 when I set off, but was warming up!
I had purchased some bike gear specifically larger than I would normally need some time back, so that I could layer up better underneath… best of all, it worked! My only cold bit was a couple of draughty portions hitting my face (disappointing helmet really 
)
So we tootled off in a Yorkshire direction from the south lakes. The road through Kirkby Lonsdale was damp and greasy in places, I think someone in this forum mentioned how the salt/molasses cocktail seems to leave the roads this way these days… it might explain why my visor clags up horribly.
On the way to Ingleton, we peeled off left after Westhouse and through Thornton in Lonsdale and up the lovely road in Kingsdale (is that a clue? 
) This is not greasy or wet and quite fun… apart from the 2 or 3 ice patches across it, which sharpens the concentration.
Under the slopes of Whernside, we hod right for Cowgill, through Dent Station and over the side of Widdale fell to Garsdale head… under the viaduct and left to follow the course of the Eden through the broad valley of Mallerstang Common. 3/4 of the way up this lovely road is Pendragon Castle, legendary seat of Uther Pendragon (King Arthur’s old fella)… I’ll not say owt about it, but I’ve linked a nice video to it.
From here, we carried on to Nateby and turned right again, down Birkdale to Keld where we stopped at the great little Keld Green Cafe (recommended) where we had 2 good sized all-day breakfasts and big coffee mugs for £20.
Sated, we head on to Appletree Thwaite and over the famous Buttertubbs pass on greasy roads again 
Being pushed for time now, we loop round through Hardraw towards Garsdale head and on to Sedbergh. A quick flick about to the motorway and sprint back to Ulverston…
(Yeah, I did wash it)
I might try and do a map route at some date if you fancy.
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