Barnard Castle

Helen and I went out yesterday with NUKB on a rideout around the Dales and past Tan Hill. I planned and led the rideout employing the re-grouping at every junction system, with LilMike doing a great job at TEC all day.

We all met up at Clitheroe Service at around 9:30am, there was only 4 of us in the end. We left Clitheroe on the A59 heading towards Skipton, we took our normal route to Settle, via Sawley and Wigglesworth. We then went to Hawes for a brew via Ribblehead Viaduct and the great B6479 and B6255. We arrived at Hawes at around 11:00am and un-expectantly found that it wasn’t that busy.

We left Hawes on the A684 to Sedbergh and turned right at the Moorcock Inn onto the B6259 to Kirkby Stephen. We stopped at the Moorcock Inn to put on our waterproofs as the sky didn’t look to good. Sure enough on the way to Kirkby Stephen we encountered rain. We arrived in Kirkby Stephen to find dry weather and roads. We then went up to Brough on the A685 and then turned right onto the B6276, which is a fabulous often deserted road to Middleton-in-Teesdale. This road was also dry but we were riding in a fine mist of rain. Just before Middleon we turned right and cut across to the B6277 to Barnard Castle. We arrived in Barnard Castle for lunch at around 12:30pm.

We left Barnard Castle at around 1:30pm and headed over the A66 and through Stang Forest. We then turned right and went over Arkengarthdale Moor and up to Tan Hill. On the way up Tan Hill a sheep tried to take me out, did miss it by much at all. At Tan Hill we turned left and headed down over Stonesdale Moor to the hairpins near Keld. We then went over Buttertubs Pass in the fog and arrived back in Hawes at around 2:30pm. We decided to carry on to Settle for a brew as it was raining now and retraced our previous route back to Settle via Ribblehead Viaduct.

We left a dry Settle after a short brew stop and retraced our way back to Clitheroe via Wigglesworth and Sawley. On the way home we encountered some more heavy and persistent rain as we got nearer to Manchester. Raining in Manchester, never!!!

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Pendragon Castle Run

Helen and I went out yesterday on a short run to find Pendragon Castle near to Kirkby Stephen.

We left home just after 12:00pm and headed up the M66/A56 towards Clitheroe. In Simonstone we turned right and went through Sabden and over Pendleton Moor and then into Clitheroe. We took the B6478 out of Clitheroe through Waddington and on to Newton. We turned left in Newton and headed over to Dunsop Bridge, where we joined the road through the Trough of Bowland to Quernmore. We turned right at Quernmore and headed over to Caton. At Caton we joined the A683 and took that all the way to Devils Bridge, where we stopped for a spot of lunch.

We left Devils Bridge on the A683 towards Sedburgh. At Sedburgh we continued on the A683 heading towards Kirkby Stephen. Just before we got to Kirkby Stephen we turned off the A683 and joined Tommy Road which cut across Wharton Fell. At the point where Tommy Road meets the B6259 just North of Outhgill is Pendragon Castle.

After a brief visit of Pendragon Castle we joined the B6259 and headed South to the Moorcock Inn. We then joined the A684 to Hawes where we took the B6255 to Ribblehead Viaduct. We then turned left onto the B6479 and headed down to Settle. We stopped in Settle for a much needed brew and cake.

We left Settle and headed home via Rathmell, Wigglesworth and Sawley. We then joined the A59 back to Clitheroe and then retraced our previous route back home.

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