Tickled Trout to Hawes & Back

The Ferrets who were able to make this very short notice event are, from L-R:  Kit (Mrs Clive), Davey (Freebird), Clive and Andy (XXAndy).

This ride-out came about at very short notice, on the back of an excellent, if somewhat atypical weather forecast, and Clive's shift's changing so that he was suddenly free on the Sunday.  As usual, notifications went out but it was obviously too short notice for most Ferrets ... oh, but not Paul, of which more soon.

At 07:00 on the Sunday morning the sun was already making a good attempt at cracking the flags in Manchester, the temperature being well up into the 70's.  The 'Bird shone with that strange yellowy tinge to it's paintwork that you only get with very early bright morning sun.  For the first time this year, we were able to go out for a ride in nothing more than a thin T-shirt under the leathers, and as the day wore on even this was far too warm!

So it was that, at about 08:45, we pulled in to fuel-up at the Tickled Trout with Davey already waiting for us.  It wasn't long before Andy also pulled in, having made good time coming across from Rotherham on the Woodhead Pass.  And it was really nice to be able to take a bit of time and catch up with Davey, and in particular Andy - given that it's been quite a while since we've been able to see him.  In fact, we waited the full advertised time for Mick Young to turn up, but to no avail.  Where he had got to, we just didn't know.  As Del had cancelled the previous night - silly bugger got himself struck down with sun-burn - then, come 09:30, those who had made it left for the first part of the ride, up the Fylde coast, across Pilling Sands and to Glasson Dock for the first break.

Now, this ride's route was put together quite a while ago, and formed part of the Ferret's Unscheduled Events store for use at short notice, so who thought it up has been lost in the mists of time ... although, I'm sure somebody'll own up, 'cos it was a superb mix of roads put together in a very thoughtful and well balanced order.  A real belter.  Easily good enough to warrant a re-run at sometime.  The back lanes chosen for the run from the Tickled Trout up to Singleton, near Poulton le Fylde, were a pure delight - a constant barrage of tight bends, with hardly any traffic.  Whoever put this route together knew this road well!

The run from Poulton le Fylde up to Glasson Dock was faster and familiar, with more swooping bends, but with a fair sprinkling of sharp ones thrown in to keep you awake!!!  So, before long we were coming up to the Dock for a well earned break, and a late breakfast.  And what was the first thing we saw?  Hmmmm, a bright blue Blackbird!  A Paul type machine!  And yes, sure enough, sitting quietly at a table there he was.  What a great surprise, as on the Friday he'd told us that he was booked to take his son to Birmingham.  However, as is his way, Paul wasn't able to join us for the run itself as he was committed to a meal somewhere in the Lakes with Karen, but it was a wonderful surprise and boon to be able to enjoy his company for the stop at Glasson Dock.

As time started marching on, we had to say farewell to Paul, and continued our way up past Lancaster and out through some little used lanes across to the Crook O' Lune.  Well, it has been some time since a Ferret's ride had encountered grass centred lanes, that it seemed quite fitting to have found a few on this run.  After plenty of devious bends and junctions we came to the Crook O' Lune where we found that Woodies food kiosk still wasn't in operation yet, so we passed on towards our next stop at Devil's Bridge.  And, before very long, and at some pace on the faster roads, we were pulling into Devil's Bridge to find that it was already heaving, with just about no bike parking room to speak of.  So we carried on through, and north towards Kirby Stephen and Kendal.

This section of the route, up from Devil's Bridge and then west, across and down into Kendal, has some belting roads. and was thoroughly enjoyed by each and every one of us.  Having missed the stop at the Bridge, we instead pulled in at the car park in Kendal on the banks of the River Kent, where we watched young Trout swimming in great shoals.  We also had an ice cream and drinks, and then had a passing biker take the group photograph of us seen at the top of this report.

From Kendal (with a short little U-turn thrown in getting out of the town) we took the superb Tebay road, with it's spectacular views and descent into the valley up which the M6 passes.  At Tebay, instead of taking the straightforward and less interesting A685 to Kirby Stephen we nipped onto the M6 for a short hop up to the Shap exit, from where we turned south again on the open moors road to Orton.  What a real shame that there were a lot of free roaming sheep about, as this would have been a belting run offering perfect forward observation!!!  As it was, Clive nearly took one sheep out, as it darted across the road infront of him and Kit.

From Orton we took the slower and very quiet back road across hill, dale and moor to Great Asby and via Soulby into Kirby Stephen, running more or less parallel to the A685.  This was an idyllic pleasure, a real taste of an out of the way part of Cumbria, unaffected by tourism - simple honest agricultural land and mainly working villages, pretty beyond belief with stream running down the main street, gardens teeming with flowers, and the whole bathed in hot golden sunshine.  By the time we pulled into the square in Kirby Stephen our souls had been filled, but our bodies were in need of re-hydration.

Under the shading roof of the portico adjacent to the square, we sat and drank our cold drinks and watched the world go slowly by for a short while.  We talked to the Geordie lass who had a fur covered Lambretta, we chatted to the sozzled local in the portico, all until we needed to re-fuel and make our way back south to our stop in Hawes.

The run down to Hawes took in yet more wonderful biking roads, and beautiful scenery, although the views were deteriorating given the increasing haziness that the afternoon was bringing.

Once parked up amidst the wealth of bikes in the village main street, we found a hostelry where cold soft drinks were bought, and a table found free at the front of the pub by the road.  From here we had perfect view of the various, varied and often darned right weird motorcycles that puttered on by all the time.  In fact, many were recognised for the umpteenth time, having been spotted at earlier break venues.

Although it was still very hot, we could detect a slight change, and a certain foreboding came upon us.  The air was certainly more charged, the clouds more steely, the view hazy and there was an expectation hanging in the air by the time we were getting ready to move on.

From Hawes we shot down to Ingleton in short time, as that road is extremely fast and furious, and just cannot be taken at sedate speed.   All the way, the sky was growing more leaden, and the threat of rain grew more tangible.  In fact, Kit spotted a few lightning strikes on the tops of the hills around.  Before we'd realised it, the blue skies had slipped away behind laden clouds, and the thought of another break in Settle was looking less enticing.  So, instead of stopping there, we carried on towards Skipton, where Andy was to leave us for his return to Rotherham, when we were to turn back southwest through Gisburn, past Clitheroe and back to the Tickled Trout junction on the M6.  This we did, as the rain steadily broke and the roads grew wetter.

However, as the rain clouds were the typical hot summer weather sort, they were sporadic, and it wasn't long before we were edging our way beneath a crack in the rain clouds, above which the blue sky returned for a while.  So, apart from the scattered heavy rain drops as we headed towards Skipton, we were lucky to escape any serious downpours as Davey, Clive & Kit turned south onto the M6 heading straight for their respective homes.

The mainly dry weather held until after Clive & kit had had a chance for a final break at the Bolton West Services on the M61.  Unfortunately, the ice cream freezer there couldn't cope with the heat and was unable to keep the ices frozen!!!  So, it was cold drinks again.  The skies were by now showing real threat, so Clive & Kit left for the final ten miles or so back home, and very swiftly ran into some pretty heavy rain as the M61 dropped down to it's union with the M60.  Traffic ground to a halt, and filtering was the order of the day.  Lanes of the motorway were flooded to a foot's depth or so at various points, so by the time home was reached they were beginning to feel a tad damp around the leathers.

Fortunately the rain actually wasn't quite as dense as it appeared, and a quick wipe of the leathers was all that was needed to keep them from spoiling.  And the day was finally at an end!

The roads and scenery aside, as we've already addressed them, the big thrill of this run was to see two old faces.  Andy, who's not been able to get away to join us for a ride for some time now, and Paul who openly admits that he's useless at, and doesn't do 'organisation' - like arranging to get himself on a ride!  It was also good to see Davey in the time left to him and Jo before their emigration to New Zealand, and we hope that we get more chances in the little time remaining.

There was also some sadness that a number of the Ferrets, who would have loved to have done this run, and who were definitely browned-off that they couldn't, were unable to make it at such short notice.  It is the holiday season, so it's hardly surprising really.  But, you did miss a wonderful day, and we missed your valued contributions.  But, don't take on and fret, keep an eye on t'Calendar, and tha never knows, it may just appear again ...... with a bit more notice.

Photographs courtesy of Clive

Page Updated

28/06/2008 23:54