The last weekend in March saw my bike get its first proper run out of the year. After spending so much money getting it back up and running I was chomping at the bit to get a good run on it. My original plan was to head for Cornwall, but go down through Wales and take the scenic route, rather than sit on the M6/M5 for six or seven hours. However, as it turns out, events transpired against that course of action, and instead I found myself heading up north, across the border and into Scotland. My mate was going to be up there and had tickets to go and watch Rangers. And so it was I took the scenic route in that direction through the Lake District.
Over the last three years I have been lucky enough to spend a lot of time working in Cumbria and have come across some fantastic roads, but surprisingly I have only been up on the bike a hand full of times. Anyway that Friday the weather couldn’t have been better for a jaunt. Co-incidentally I was also giving my new helmet it’s first run out too. (I thought a helmet was just a helmet, obviously with some being slightly better built than others, that was until I got a new Arai. It’s as comfortable as having a duvet wrapped around your head!). I left home a lot later than I would have liked as I had to put my bike in for it’s MOT re-test (it had been in the day before and failed on a loose foot peg, a two minute job to fix!!!) but around half past eleven I was ready to go. By Half past twelve I had come off the M6 at Lancaster and was heading for Kirkby Lonsdale and Devils Bridge. This route along the A683 through Hornby and then along the A65 to Kirkby Lonsdale should be a pilgrimage for all bikers in the country. It has everything from long fast straights to tight bends, and generally the road surface is of a good quality. Early morning mid week when there aren’t as many rozzers around is probably the best time to do it.
I stopped off for the obligatory brew at The Bridge and as is so often the way got chatting. Sat there with my tea, I started talking to the guy next to me. He was an older bloke, probably close to sixty, dressed in black one piece leathers and looking for all the world like he had just got out of bed. He told me that he lived local and also that he worked nights. As the weather was so good he couldn’t go to bed straight after his shift and waste the day so took a ride out here to do the same as me; have a brew and a chat. With the rolling hills surrounding it, the stream meandering below its arches and general good atmosphere, Devils Bridge is the kind of place I could spend the whole day, just basking in the aura of the place. However the hours were passing by at a rate of knots and I had an appointment to keep.
I headed off another few miles along the A65 up to and across the M6, then along the A590 past Kendal and towards Windermere. The route took me along beautiful roads and scenery past Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Keswick and finally up to Carlisle. This route is amazing, taking the rider through the best of what Lakeland has to offer. At one point you could be engrossed in the scenery through deep valleys riding alongside mirror smooth lakes reflecting an icy blue sky, the next riding through a typically picturesque Cumbrian village. Traffic of the four wheeled variety aside, it is on days like these that you realise what the pleasure in biking is all about.
Sadly though my indulgence was affecting my timekeeping and by now I was falling behind schedule, having arranged to be in Glasgow for around half past six. Therefore, reluctantly I was forced to sit on the motorway for the remainder of the journey. Just a quick note about the traffic around Glasgow, if ever you are planning on being there up around tea time, either make the journey by train or get a bike. The only place I can compare it to would be the M5/M6 junction in Birmingham at the height of the roadwork’s a couple of years back.
After meeting up with my mate and sorting out secure parking for the bike we imbedded ourselves into his mums flat, where she had kindly allowed us to stay for the weekend.
In the evening we headed to the east end of town for a few beers before indulging in probably the best curry I have had in years at a fantastic restaurant. A great night was had by all, the only blot on the landscape being the bouncers in a couple of bars. It is remarkable that no matter where you go in the country you will always come across a bouncer with attitude, and no matter how hard you protest, if they say you are not coming in then you are not coming in; in our case I think our faces simple didn’t fit. It would be interesting to see how much money these idiots loose their employers over the course of an average weekend!
Saturday we went to the match. Rangers were playing Inverness in what turned out to be a pretty mediocre game. My mate was full of apologies for the lack of action, but I loved it anyway. Celtic had more or less won the title and Rangers had more or less sown up second slot so I suppose this could have had some bearing on the tepid one all draw, but as an afternoon out I thought it was great. Needless to say, both pre and post match we indulged in a few ales.
And so to Sunday and the trip home. I really wish that there was anything worth writing about this but there really isn’t. Short of the weather being decent the ride itself was pretty average. I had to stick to the motorway all the way home as yet again I had an appointment to keep, and with the amount of beer consumed the night before I had already left Glasgow as late as I could.
Anyway as a first proper jaunt out of 2007 the weekend turned into a triumph. Hopefully there will be many more ahead in the coming months.
Over the last three years I have been lucky enough to spend a lot of time working in Cumbria and have come across some fantastic roads, but surprisingly I have only been up on the bike a hand full of times. Anyway that Friday the weather couldn’t have been better for a jaunt. Co-incidentally I was also giving my new helmet it’s first run out too. (I thought a helmet was just a helmet, obviously with some being slightly better built than others, that was until I got a new Arai. It’s as comfortable as having a duvet wrapped around your head!). I left home a lot later than I would have liked as I had to put my bike in for it’s MOT re-test (it had been in the day before and failed on a loose foot peg, a two minute job to fix!!!) but around half past eleven I was ready to go. By Half past twelve I had come off the M6 at Lancaster and was heading for Kirkby Lonsdale and Devils Bridge. This route along the A683 through Hornby and then along the A65 to Kirkby Lonsdale should be a pilgrimage for all bikers in the country. It has everything from long fast straights to tight bends, and generally the road surface is of a good quality. Early morning mid week when there aren’t as many rozzers around is probably the best time to do it.
I stopped off for the obligatory brew at The Bridge and as is so often the way got chatting. Sat there with my tea, I started talking to the guy next to me. He was an older bloke, probably close to sixty, dressed in black one piece leathers and looking for all the world like he had just got out of bed. He told me that he lived local and also that he worked nights. As the weather was so good he couldn’t go to bed straight after his shift and waste the day so took a ride out here to do the same as me; have a brew and a chat. With the rolling hills surrounding it, the stream meandering below its arches and general good atmosphere, Devils Bridge is the kind of place I could spend the whole day, just basking in the aura of the place. However the hours were passing by at a rate of knots and I had an appointment to keep.
I headed off another few miles along the A65 up to and across the M6, then along the A590 past Kendal and towards Windermere. The route took me along beautiful roads and scenery past Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Keswick and finally up to Carlisle. This route is amazing, taking the rider through the best of what Lakeland has to offer. At one point you could be engrossed in the scenery through deep valleys riding alongside mirror smooth lakes reflecting an icy blue sky, the next riding through a typically picturesque Cumbrian village. Traffic of the four wheeled variety aside, it is on days like these that you realise what the pleasure in biking is all about.
Sadly though my indulgence was affecting my timekeeping and by now I was falling behind schedule, having arranged to be in Glasgow for around half past six. Therefore, reluctantly I was forced to sit on the motorway for the remainder of the journey. Just a quick note about the traffic around Glasgow, if ever you are planning on being there up around tea time, either make the journey by train or get a bike. The only place I can compare it to would be the M5/M6 junction in Birmingham at the height of the roadwork’s a couple of years back.
After meeting up with my mate and sorting out secure parking for the bike we imbedded ourselves into his mums flat, where she had kindly allowed us to stay for the weekend.
In the evening we headed to the east end of town for a few beers before indulging in probably the best curry I have had in years at a fantastic restaurant. A great night was had by all, the only blot on the landscape being the bouncers in a couple of bars. It is remarkable that no matter where you go in the country you will always come across a bouncer with attitude, and no matter how hard you protest, if they say you are not coming in then you are not coming in; in our case I think our faces simple didn’t fit. It would be interesting to see how much money these idiots loose their employers over the course of an average weekend!
Saturday we went to the match. Rangers were playing Inverness in what turned out to be a pretty mediocre game. My mate was full of apologies for the lack of action, but I loved it anyway. Celtic had more or less won the title and Rangers had more or less sown up second slot so I suppose this could have had some bearing on the tepid one all draw, but as an afternoon out I thought it was great. Needless to say, both pre and post match we indulged in a few ales.
And so to Sunday and the trip home. I really wish that there was anything worth writing about this but there really isn’t. Short of the weather being decent the ride itself was pretty average. I had to stick to the motorway all the way home as yet again I had an appointment to keep, and with the amount of beer consumed the night before I had already left Glasgow as late as I could.
Anyway as a first proper jaunt out of 2007 the weekend turned into a triumph. Hopefully there will be many more ahead in the coming months.
