I'd planned to go for this Saturday, when the sun was out a bit, but a last minute announcement of family and social engagements scuppered it, so Sunday was my last chance for February. I couldn't fit in an overnighter, so was travelling light. Shaf (Redefined_cycles) had sent me 7 locations, all fords, spread from Penrith across to Whitehaven way - planned route ~170Km, mainly back roads. I knew I'd never manage this in the time, so figured I'd miss the last (Whitehaven) ford.
Over the hill to Ford 1 - Hall's Beck and I was feeling strong. Rode through it = wet feet and a waddling of ducks laughing at me.
More climbing warmed the feet up and progress was promising. Some nice off road around the 'Back o Skidda' brought Ford 2 - Charleton Wath ('wath' being a old Norse term for ford). Ridden without feet getting wetter
Hitting the road again and climbing up onto Ellerbeck Common, I turned to head south east, and realised why progress had been so good. The increasingly strong SW'ly had benn flattering me, but now threatened to flatten me. Picking myself out of the hedge/dyke for the second time in 5 minutes I concluded that the extra 40+Km to reach the ford of the R Petteril north of Penrith was unwise - especially as the return half would be into the wind. A change of plan had me turning west, but the long straight road over the common to Uldale was heading directly into the breeze, which was now blowing me to a standstill every couple of minutes. Think again - NW to Ireby, and Ford 3 - the infant River Ellen and a wath to nowhere, which thankfully saved me from having to ride through it.
From Ireby (once home of a great folk festival) it was out to the Solway Plain and an area I never really ride and only know from passing road signs. Less hilly now, but still hard work, as there's precious little shelter. A couple of short sections on main roads were moderately terrifying, as steering was erratic.
Ford 4 - Langrigg Beck, accessing the rather grand (at one time) Gill Farm. Ignored bridge = wet feet
Time to head for home now, so tried to follow hedge-lined lanes, for shelter, through villages with very Cumbrian names - Baggrow, Blennerhasset and Threapland, to Bothel. I'd not spotted it when planning, but the route took me right past daughter #1's boyfriend's house. His Dad's van was there and I briefly considered scuttling the bike and begging a lift home, but I could see Ford 5 - Bothel Beck. Ridden out and back = no increase to foot wetness
With the afternoon well advanced it was time to find a sensible route home, through Sunderland (not Mack'em one) and Isel and the shorter off road and hopefully tree-sheltered climb through the forestry of Setmurthy Common. Why the 'This site is closed' signs were at the top of the 100m ascent and not the bottom was up for discussion, but I wasn't turning back now.
It was soon too dark for photos of the carnage, but the pic above gives a diluted flavour. I cheered myself up remembering that time after Storm Arwen, riding through Dalbeattie and fighting through windblown trees for a couple of hours with a mate who only had a bar mounted dynamo light - not great for carrying a bike through and over a scratchy obstacle course
Then the rain started. At least it made the hot shower and generous slosh of Laphroaig even more welcoming once I reached home.
80Km, 1400m, 5 hrs. 5 out of 7 points visited. I'll get to the last 2 fords this week, seeing as Shaf put the effort in to research them. By chance, the lass I'm working with this week tried to ford the River Petteril north of Penrith on Saturday, but had to turn back - "30 feet wide and 3 feet deep"
(which only confirms my suspicions that Shaf is trying to facilitate my 'accidental' death by drowning.......)
Cheers for setting the challenge Shaf and sorry I couldn't find a suitable time/weather for an overnighter to complete the job.
Wikipedia has at least one suggestion:
