South Lakes Spring Break, 25-26th March 2023

[boxelder]

I'm thinking tent and closer to Coniston Bob. I'm easy though, assuming I get that far.

[Morne]

Rad. Thanks for organising. See ya all Sat in the tropical spring weather

[benp1]

I’m aiming to be up in Staveley tomorrow night for a few pints

[boxelder]

’m aiming to be up in Staveley tomorrow night for a few pints

I'm not going to make it until Saturday morning now I don't think - got to drive to Newcastle to collect son and his mate from Uni. I don't know of anyone else arriving Friday evening.

[thenorthwind]

We're (me and More) coming across Saturday morning too I'm afraid. I'm sure we'll be able to locate some hostelries en route, which is good because I owe you a pint at the very least Ben. Aiming to be there 9.30 for pre ride caffeination.

Weather doesn't look like matching last year, but a little drier and less windy than of late, if a bit chilly.

[Lazarus]

Met office weather forecast looks considerably better than the BBC one - but that is just how dry it is and it wont be very spring like [ last year was a scorcher iirc - though I missed it due to family reasons.

[whitestone]

The ground yesterday morning was very wet - my brother said it had chucked it down most of Wednesday night until early Thursday. Thing were drying up by tea time though. The route mostly is on roads/tracks/hardpack so might be wet but not boggy.

[thenorthwind]

Hmmm, yeah BBC forecast is considerably less optimistic I'll stick with the Met Office then yr.no is similar to the MO.

As you suggest Bob, the ground's going to be wet whatever. It's certainly muddy around here.

[boxelder]

Yeah, last few nights have been wet. Most of the route is pretty solid ground though. I've not started packing yet, due to lots of extra stuff going on.... It was dry in Newcastle this evening.

[Lazarus]

All packed now just trying to work out what I have forgotten, there is always something !

[whitestone]

Not bad weather today but the ground has been hard going.

Currently in The Wilson’s Arms in Torver having lost the others

[boxelder]

Wilson Arms we looked in there and Church House. Didn't see any bikes. We're sat outside Black Bull in Coniston. Jason has arrived.

[whitestone]

Church House shut down at the start of the pandemic

Found a barn to bivy in

[boxelder]

Great. We're up at Tarn How's. Probably Coniston again for breakfast. Plan is Hodge Close, towards Tilberthwaite, then Little Langdale. Langdale, Chapel Stile for breakfast foraging, then see what's fancied.

[whitestone]

We grabbed some food at the filling station in Coniston at about 0830 then short cut the route to Tarn Hows then rode back to Staveley. Lunch in Wilf’s

[RIP]

So did anybody actually get to meet anybody else on this jape in the end then? It all sounded very jolly anyway.

[RIP]

I've avoided the Lakes for years but maybe there's still hope. Will be up in Lancaster in August again to see Mrs Perrin's mate, so maybe I could book my area guide Mr R Whitestoneman to chaperone me around South Lakes instead of Yorks Dales this time. Can we visit the Laurel and Hardy Museum please? Oh, and (the very dangerous) Coniston copper mines.

[whitestone]

So did anybody actually get to meet anybody else on this jape in the end then? It all sounded very jolly anyway.

We all rode together until just before Torver when Cath and I took a shortcut, then we didn't see anyone again.

[Wotsits]

I’m in Milf’s atm having a pot of tea hoping to catch the others returning.
Left the van in Coniston yest eve, food in the Black Bull, then a good, but windy, & sometimes noisy bivi at Tarn How’s. Beltin bacon & egg bap @Sticklebarn, then said our goodbye’s at Elterwater & I heading back via Tilberthwaite to pick my van up at Coniston.
Great to put some faces to familiar names & thanks to Andy for organising

[Bearlegged]

[boxelder]

Milf's you say? We met Wilf himself on the ferry this morning (out on his e-bike).

Cheers folks for a great weekend. Comparisons were made to the hot dusty riding in southern Spain, but I'm not sure......

Sorry we lost you Bob and Cath. We didn't see bikes at Wilson's and as you'd mentioned Church House, we checked there. It was, as you know, closed, so we pedalled on to Coniston. After food and bevs, we dithered while Ben tried to gatecrash a Golden Wedding Do (or something) at the Sports Club, on the hunt for camping with a bar. Ended up sleeping with some especially noisy geese at Tarn Hows.
Headed out the back around 8am to Hodge Close etc and on to Langdale. Back via ferry to Staveley for about 3pm

Well, who'd have thought that late March in the Lakes would provide another sunny scorcher, with muddy puddle free trails........

This morning's breakfast brew stop


Dusty trails and sun


Dave getting dusty and sunned


Dusty trails, and sun


Lazarus in 'pin it' mode. Shade, but dry and dusty

[thenorthwind]

Very jolly and not at all muddy. Nice to see faces old and new. Thanks again Andy. Will post a few pics when I've had more sleep... Bloody geese!

[whitestone]

Ha ha! You had noisy geese, we had a tin roof with a loose section Made a fair din in the wind.

Nice to match some faces to names. I don't think I've seen Ben since he beat me in the tussock race at Bearstock - I've never forgiven him

[Lazarus]

Yes the geese were incredibly vocal - on the plus side it got us all up early before the tourists arrived - but it was sub optimal
Good to meet people, dont think I had met any of you before, and to travel a part of the Lakes that I did not know really well and to enjoy the quiet lesser travelled trails on the East side of Windemere. Will certainly do some more exploring that side with friends who ride bikes but not really technical MTB riding.
Thanks for organising Boxelder and creating such a dry route clearly took some serious local knowledge and we all appreciated it.

[benp1]

Thanks for organising, Andy

Nice to meet some new folks and put some names and faces to forum names

Weather was a lot better than forecast and it was a lovely route in a fantastic part of the country.

Great way to spend the weekend. And no major calamities or mechanicals apart from a brake bolt disappearing