Hartside Run

Helen and I went on a run out today to Hartside. We left home at around 10:45am and headed up towards Clitheroe on our usual roads. As usual we got off the A59 at Sawley and then headed via Wigglesworth and Rathmell towards Settle. We didn’t go into Settle and instead joined the A65 and headed over to Devil’s Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale. It was fairly busy at Devil’s Bridge so we continued on passed and took the A683 to Sedbergh. We stopped briefly in Sedbergh to use the toilets before heading off towards Kirkby Stephen. 

We followed the A683 to Kirkby Stephen which was really quiet considering how busy Devil’s Bridge and the A65 were. We passed through Kirkby Stephen and then turned left onto the B6259 and headed for the A66 via Warcop. We joined the A66 and headed towards Penrith and soon came across a BP petrol station. We stopped here for fuel as I knew it would definitely have super unleaded fuel and we would be able to make it back home from here.

We left and soon turned off the A66 and headed for Temple Sowerbey. We then headed for Melmerby and the A686 via Culgairth and Ousby. We then joined the A686 at Melmerby and headed up the twisty road to Hartside Cafe at the top. We stopped here for a late lunch but they mucked up our order and in the end with left without having anything to eat. 

We then headed for Alston on the A686 and then turned right onto the B6277 and headed for Middleton-in-Teesdale. I was able to really test the K1300s on this section of road. As usual it was very quiet and we hardly passed any traffic until we passed by High Force. We soon arrived in Middleton-in-Teesdale and stopped at Cafe 1618 for a very late lunch, it was about 3:00pm. Unlike Hartside Cafe the service was excellent as always and we were made to feel very welcome as usual. We left Middleton-in-Teesdale on the B6276 and headed passed Grassholme Reservoir and Selset Reservoir towards Brough. We turned left in Brough and headed back towards Devil’s Bridge on the A685 and A683 via Kirkby Stephen and Sedbergh. We stopped very briefly at Devil’s Bridge to use the toilets, Helen’s Radar Key came in handy again.

We left Devil’s Bridge and headed for home. We took the A65 heading towards Skipton and soon arrived in Ingleton. Just after Ingleton we turned right onto minor roads and headed through Gisburn Forest and past Stocks Reservoir. We then joined the B6478 and headed for Slaidburn. We continued on this road and headed over Waddington Fell and down into Clitheroe. We passed through Clitheroe and then went over Pendle Hill and through Sabden. We then followed the A56/M66 back home as usual.    

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New Bike and Dales Test Ride

Yesterday morning I picked up my new bike from Williams BMW in Manchester. As the VFR had reached 28K miles after our tour around the Alps it was time to look for another bike. When I bought the VFR back in 2008 it was a bike that needed to do everything, weekend scratching and touring abroad. This time around because I also now have the ZX-9R I was able to look at a bigger bike just for mainly touring on. I had narrowed it down to a few different bikes but the BMW K1300s was the one that seem to tick all the boxes.

Williams BMW offered me a great price on my bike in part exchange and  they also had the bike I was after, so the deal was done. So I am now the proud owner of a Black/Grey/White & Red 2010 BMW K1300s. It also has all the toys fitted to it as well, ESAII, ASC, RPC, ABS, Quick Shifter, Heated Grips, On Board Computer, centre stand and it also came with a set of BMW panniers as well. It also only had 6400 miles on it, so a great bike at a much lower price than if it was new. It is also very clean as well, so it does actually look as if it is a new bike as well.

We left Williams BMW very happy and stopped briefly at home on the way to the Dales to drop off the panniers. We then headed over to Clitheroe by our usual roads. From Clitheroe we followed our usual route to Settle via the minor backs roads of Sawley and Wigglesworth. We passed by Settle and joined the B6479 and passed through Horton in Ribblesdale, we decided to call in at the tearoom just outside Horton in Ribblesdale for a late lunch. But unfortunately it was closed so we continued on and headed for Ribblehead Viaduct, where we turned right on the stunning B6255 to Hawes. We arrived in Hawes and it was fairly quiet so we stopped here and had lunch at Penny Garth Café.

We left Hawes and retraced our route back home, stopping briefly at Clitheroe Services to take on fuel. I will now have to try and find fuel stations that sell super unleaded fuel as the Beemer doesn’t really like 95 Ron unleaded. We arrived back home in no time and I am very pleased with my purchase. The Beemer does sound a little bit more mechanical and clunky than the Honda did. It does also have a bit of vibration at around 7000 revs and the standard screen is not high enough for me. It doesn’t turn as sharp as the Honda but with a bit more muscle on the bars I am getting the hang of cornering on it. It is surprisingly economical and I will certainly get a higher MPG on it over the Honda, but that will be offset against the higher cost of the 97 Ron unleaded fuel. But in ever other facet the Beemer completely blows the Honda out of the water and yes it is bloody fast.

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