Underwheel it's wet and boggy, despite the cold. Where's the hard crunchy ground we want?

Looking out across the valley, you can see what we've escaped from.

We ride across the top

To the top of Robin Hoods Well

where our ride is curtailed.
The Sleeve takes a flyer on some ice, and face-plants in the gravel.
He's not feeling too good, so we head for home.

You know I love the Lakes, well this is a fine poor weather route because it doesn't climb too high. Instead it rides like a big roller coaster - a couple of hundred metres up then it's back down again!

Then down past Tarn Foot to Skelwith Bridge.
From here it's south along the main road for half a mile then up the steep track on the left to Iron Keld.

Bit of pushing to the top but the track down through the plantation is worth it. Not difficult, but fast with plenty of launch platforms to get your wheels off the ground!
The it's down to Hawkshead and the climb up onto Grizedale Forest where we join the NFT.

I have to be honest here. I'm a bit scared of the boards.
I don't mind the level ones, or the drops, but the sloping ones are a little intimidating.
However, it's the Sleeve who loses it first, falling off a log. It really is that easy!
And I follow shortly - not on the log obviously.
I give that a wide berth, but on a ridiculously slippery 45 degree piece of timber.
Then it's down to the visitor centre and back up again to do the Lawson Park descent - nice!

From here its due north, slate quarries, Little Langdale, Elterwater.

And finally Loughrigg Terrace.

And finally, the dip in Rydal Water.
If it weren't for the fact that it's only 5 minutes to the car I think I'd stay out of the lake!

It rained a bit last night.
The obvious never crossed my mind, as The Sleeve and I set out on Sunday morning.

And then we had a refusal at the first grade 3 rapids!

Elsewhere felt like autumn - a bit damp with overtones of fading watercolours

Even though the sun was shining the rain came down

It's a sad indictment of modern society that minority groups (like cyclists) are so badly treated?
At least I could lift my bike over he gate!

The red flag is flying on the hill, and Moorbottom Road is closed - there is an armed guard on the track!
We're forced to go over the top, which is unaffected by the wet weather

It's usually like this!

And look at the state of this pad!
One ride in the wet and it disintegrates!
You'll be telling me next I didn't "bed them in".
Well, I can tell you - I've had those pads in since June and they've been fine up until today!

Lee Quarry now boasts a Skillz Area.
Time for the Rooley Moor Rampage!

Brendan Semenuk was busy, but The Sleeve and Shaman came along.

Some light relief in the quarry as Nopies shows off on the Big Dipper.
He makes it look so easy! (Well, I suppose it is - just don't let go of the bars!)

It's a long way to go to burn a 'hot' vehicle.
I wonder what they used for a get-away vehicle from here?
Stole a mountain bike possibly?

and then it's a short hop over to Lee Quarry and an examination of the skillz area.
Some half-logs across pools of water of indeterminate depth (well, actually not very deep as I was to find out).

As well as the skinnies (and some easier ones to practise on) there's a teeter-totter.
That's a seesaw to you guys...get with the North Shore speak!

Even NoPies gives it a whirl, in his own unconvincing style

The verdict?
Worth half an hour on a balmy summer evening. It's a bit harder on an ordinary day of rain and wind.

And don't forget to call in at the bike wash on the way home - keeps the back of your car nice and clean!

Don't bother with a camera and the weather's great, take it with me and you can't see a thing!

Dropping down out of the cloud and it's obvious where we are.

And if that's not obvious enough, you should recognise this one

The jaunt finishes in unseasonal sunshine

Just another Sunday ride.

The industrial Fells are littered with relics from the past - from RooleyHenge to the Industrial Revolution.
I wonder who will inherit the windmills when they become relics of a bygone age?

Today we've got a posse - Shaman, The Sleeve and his mate Ste. No nickname yet for Ste - but I'm open to offers.
We're headed for Lee Quarry. The Sleeve on his new bike wants to find out if it's more fun than it was on a hardtail with a locked suspension fork.

It's rocky in the quarry

With a few stiff ascents

But the rewards are sweet

And some sections are rather good...

Sorry about my bike spoiling the picture - there's not much space at the side of the trail!

In this snap the trail looks positively flat!

But it's not , you know!

The track opens out a bit after that, and its speedy, swoopy, jumpy fun.

Two laps of the red are enough.
Saving the black for next time I'm out there on the big bike.
Watching someone dive over the bars on the qualifier is enough to put me right off!
Time for the Industrial Fells proper.
Up past Alf Kymes we make a beeline for the turbines.

I think I'm quite privileged to have this virtually in my back garden!

and up on top it's as much fun as the man-made trail

but not as dry

although we do get to ride off into the sunset!

Now all that's left is dreaming up a nickname for Ste. Hmm.......

I want to sit on a summit on a balmy summer evening and watch the sun go down.
And I want to wake up in the morning and drink coffee, watching the sunrise cast shadows over the hills.

Well, it was grey and damp in Llanberis, but we pinned our hopes on the forecast and set off with laden bags.

But even my naive optimism started to wane, as instead of clear skies, we simply climbed up into the cloud.

The summit was shrouded in cloud, the wind was Arctic and it was raining.

Too cold on top, but no reason we couldn't bivvy half way down?
Well, we just didn't find a nice spot and in the end decided to head back to the car.
It was a good decision - it was dark when we got back to the tarmac.

Snowdon is something that just has to be done.
It's a tough climb with a fair bit of pushing - especially with bivvy kit.
But the descent is a monster!
And it's all ridable, except for the bit where I went over the handlebars!

We ended up bivvying at Penmachno.
Nice views:

a spot of supper

and sweet dreams

It rained during the night - coming off Snowdon was a good decision.
Not only that, but we awoke ready to ride, after a coffee and a Pot Noodle - food of the Gods!

It was dry in the morning and slowly the cloud cleared and the day improved - 24 hours too late.
Good riding at Penmachno, fast, twisty, undulating and fun with capital F.
The Sleeve was grinning from ear to ear.
A big day out on the hill followed by some man-made shenanigans. Fantastic!
One loop or two Sir?

Well worth a visit - the Sleeve is already planning a return trip!

Anyhow, that's enough from me - I'm tired, in work tomorrow so I'm going to get my head down.

I feel cheated.
I was in the area - you know how it is with family commitments - "I'll go if I can take my bike".

I was with a relative - my wife's niece's husband, who had never ridden off-road before.

The grading of the route is red. I've no idea why. It's a simple trail which twists through the trees, snakes and undulates and that's about it. Oh yes, there's a few jumps too if you like to get your wheels off the ground - but it's not obligatory.
It's quite fun in a man-made way but I think to enjoy it you've got to put the hammer down, which wasn't possible under the circumstances.

Sorry about the pics, but it's a bit dark in those trees!

The wife's niece's husband enjoyed it though.

So much so that he wants me to bring my bike to the next family gathering.
Hmmmm.

It signifies the end of the summer.

So here are some autumnal photos instead.

The Industrial Fells are living up to their name

You can't even tell which season it is.
These photos could be from today, or sometime in February.

Even the cows are confused. You wouldn't want an argument with them!

There is one thing which is a bit of a give-away -

And that's the colour of the heather.
It's a beautiful purple at the end of the summer.

I only persuaded Shaman to ride up here to get a shot of the zigzags - they ride as good as they look!

But elsewhere bleakness prevails. It really does look like this all year round.

Even the other side of the valley doesn't want to come out and play.
There is a photogenic side to the fells - it's just not visible today.

And finally, to end on a cheery note - the next Bank Holiday is Christmas Day. Fantastic.

The snow was flying along parallel to the ground, driven by the bitter easterly wind when we set off.
We didn't know it then, but this ride was going to turn into a bit of an epic.

So we're here on a delightful summer morning for a re-match. In the black and white corner (new bike) Shaman, in the green and purple corner the Berwyns.

The route is taken from issue 1 of Singletrack magazine circa 2001:

The route is made up of four forays into sheep country. The first on old roads and tracks. The second takes up to a watershed - needless to say both my feet are soaked by the time we're past.

The track down from here heads to a vertiginous edge

And then zig-zags down switchbacks to the valley floor.

It's a top descent, the back wheel is scrabbling about for grip and the bike is squirreling about beneath me.
Fantastic!

AT the bottom we hit some classic British woodland, but only for a hundred yards

The exit from the wood takes us into the remains of a slate quarry.

I remember being introduced to alliteration at school:
Shpeeding Shaman on shlaty shingletrack - that just about sums it up!

Next stop is the village of Llangynog where we ignore the entreaties of the local pub, and head off up the track running parallel to the main road out of the valley.

Too steep to ride in places, we eventually reach the top.
Best open this in a new tab so you can scroll from left to right

Now it's time for a double track descent to Llandrillo village. Last time we were here we stopped in the bus shelter to eat our butties with hyperthermic fingers. Today is a little more pleasant.

It's time now for the final pootle over the hill.
As pootles go it's not that bad. This is the Wayfarer pass, a BOAT used by 4X4 drivers (Let's offroad!) and MXers.
It takes us almost an hour and a quarter to cover the 6km, 415m climb to the top.
There's a plaque here

There's also a log book, in a watertight tin, to which we add our names.
If you want to know what we put I'm not going to tell you - you'll have to get your arse up there and find out for yourself.

The descent isn't bad, it's quite fast with a few opportunities to get some air - and a few opportunities to fall off, one of which I snatch. Needless to say, there are no photos of that!

It's a nice descent, but not the best one of the day.
As far as the rematch goes, I think we came off best today.

And as a special treat for Google Earth users, the link here should open the route for you!
Google Earth link

It's a grey morning at Grindelwald. Wreathes of cloud weave around the top of the north face - which doesn't look too big from the valley bottom.

And here's a picture of some of the poor sods who've had to put up with me all week!

It's quite an exciting ride down from here

In the middle of nowhere we pass an old mountain hut, it's like something out of Hansel and Gretel. There's a date on the front 1739 - but it doesn't look that old.

The door is open, and inside an old man with the butt of a half-smoked cigar glued to his lower lip is attending to the needs of a large flock of cheeses.
Anywhere else this might be mistaken (rightly or wrongly) as a local tourist attraction. But up here at 1500m there can't be more than half a dozen people walking past a day - this guy is for real!

With hindsight I wish I'd bought one.....

Before we know it we're back at Grindelwald. The plan is to ride the railway up past Alpiglen to Kleine Scheidegg (both names to stir the hearts of mountaineers everywhere). But bikes are banned from the train until after four - the Swiss guard won't even let us board the 3-55!

Kleine Scheidegg is awash with tourists, including ourselves.

We don't loiter for long, we're quickly off down the other side of the col.

Where the views of the Jungfrau are sublime.

And to wrap up what can I say?
Fantastic trip, great bunch of clients, memories I hope I remember for a few years to come.
And our hosts, Jamie and Mary from Ride The Alps were great.

This trip certainly gets the IFB seal of approval!

Oh yeah - if you ask me nicely I'll show you my Ride The Alps hoodie - a wonderful example of sartorial elegance!

We're headed for the warmth of the valley below, but it's still a fair way down and first we must leave Wildstrubel and get back to the Gemmi Pass.

There's even a sheet of snow to negotiate before we meet the main track down.

and even though we're dropping down the views are still stunning.

It's here we notice a difference in attitude between the French-speaking Swiss in the the south, and their Northern, German-speaking, counterparts. The French Swiss are full of enthusiasm and cheer you on as you pass them on a bike, the German Swiss are dour - they don't say a word and either ignore you or deliberately obstruct you. Heading down I had one guy poke a walking pole at me! To be honest though, I was having so much fun I wasn't really bothered.

We're headed for Kandesteg, home of the International Scout camp, but there's a short drop to be tamed first.

Did I mention it was a little exposed?

With Kandesteg being overrun with scouts there are a couple of shops selling a magnificent array of Swiss Army knives. Obviously knife crime is not considered worth worrying about as there are some on display with four inch blades! Not something I'd want a boy scout son returning home with!

The next day is lower level riding. Narrow tracks through green fields with countryside more rolling than rocking.

But before long we reach sight of our final destination - the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau:

I'll be back tomorrow with some more photos.

I'm glad you're keen for more - I've got one or two good ones up my sleeve!
It's like being back at school in September and being asked by the English teacher to write an essay on 'What I did in my holidays'!

And then zig-zags down to the base of the cliff.
You don't know what it's like until you can see it.

Beyond here is a gondola ride up to the pass - up a rock face dangling in mid-air.
But at the top the views are superb:

And in the morning we head up to the Wildstrubel Glacier.
HIgh. Did that enter my list of adjectives?
You feel on top of the world here, even though there are peaks soaring up above you.

And this is looking back at the hotel from up towards the glacier:

It's simply stunning!

That's it for now, but I'll keep them coming, I've got a few more days to go!

I missed HTN the other week - but I did have a good excuse, and I did get some proper riding in on some proper hills.

Lifts are invaluable for gaining height. (I used to think they were for wusses but I'm a born-again lift-rider now)

And this is what it's like at the top. Note the sturdy fence to save you from almost-certain death if you should ride the berm a little high.

and more exposed shenanigans just to concentrate the mind:

and even some jumpy stuff in the woods - another adjective!

The one constant amongst the different adjectives is the stunning Alpine backdrop.

Well, that's it for now.
I've got a couple more snaps which I might post later on in the week if you're interested?

It's hard to find a wilderness in England - it's a small country.
But there's one place I know of that approaches it.

It's moderately ambitious - about 40 miles and over 1500m of climbing.
The weather's not bad, I'm optimistically hoping the sun will shine, but we're not going to be that lucky.
Nice easy climb out of Dufton:

Even a bit of downhill to raise a smile:

And before long we see our first objective - HIgh Cup Nick.
Came out here on a school Geography field day once (circa 1946) - it's glacial you know.

And this is what it looks like from the head of the valley:

From here we continue east, along the Maize Beck, a tributary of the Tees. It's good riding, and we don't even have to get our feet wet when we cross the river. We're just below the cloud level here so there is visibillty.

It's remote up here. I know it's Friday and there aren't going to be many folk out, but so ar we have only seen one father and (young) son combo. Reminds me of mad walks with my Dad when I was younger. That son is a lucky lad!

We're headed for Cauldron Snout, the waterfall below Cow Green Reservoir. Worth a stop for photos

The weather is closing in a little as we follow the track round the reservoir. There's evidence of mining here, spoil heaps and warnings of hidden shafts and even one or two buildings. I don't know where the workers lived - it's a major commute from any habitation!

We're headed for a place called Tynehead on the map and drop out of the cloud.

It's quality riding all the way down to the cottage at Tynehead. There's a couple of men working on the building, and even though we're a long way from Newcastle, greet us in a string Geordie lilt, as befits the banks of the Tyne.

Time for a spot of lunch then it's the search for the source of the Tyne. Unexpectedly a statue marks the spot - complete with a plaque in case there's any confusion over where you are.. Public money well spent, that's what I like to see!

The track continues upwards for a short while, then levels off and we head down towards another river. We've just crossed the watershed that separates the Tyne flowing north from this point with the Tees heading off to the south.

We've just crossed the river Tees, and we're following a tributary upstream, ultimately headed for the Air Traffic Control station on the summit of Great Dun Fell. High enough to be in the cloud now, we follow a tricky, barely discernible bridleway upwards.

Before we know it, the bridleway spits us out on the tarmac providing access to the station. I had thought this would be easy, but it's a steep hard slog. We're not the only ones out as we pass a couple of walkers below the summit. From here it's a cheeky ride along the Pennine Way - mostly laid slabs here, to reduce erosion from the passage of countless walkers. Allegedly. We don't see a soul.

We reach the summit plateau of Cross Fell and take a snap by the summit cairn. It's barely rideable here so we don't press on for the summit trig point. The cairn will have to do.

We don't hang around. It's damp, we're a bit tired and we're both ready for the final descent.
So we re-trace our steps back to the bridleway. This is the source of the Tees, no fancy monument, but there is a slab on the ground showing the directions of the Pennine Way and the bridleway.

It's some descent. Stretches of wet boggy ground interspersed with sections of rock garden. It leads off into the distance.

We're quickly out of the mist. The ground gets drier as we lose height. The views are spectacular and the descent just goes on forever.

Before we know it we're back in civilisation. We've been out for over six hours and we've seen hardly anyone.
There's no mobile phone coverage up there so if anything goes wrong, you're on your own.
It's a wilderness!