I needed to use up the last of the rubber on my tyres before fittings the new ones tomorrow, so as it was a beautiful sunny day here in Lakeland, Nigel & I decided to get out for the afternoon and catch the evening light on the fells...
Plenty of northern classic lanes went up our tyres as we headed out towards Penrith, loving the clear skies and the dry trails. We stopped lots, just to gossip and take pictures, Nigel has just come back from two weeks in Belgium on his road bike with his wife, so plenty of stories of roads, war memorials and epic rain!
There were loads of folk out enjoying a sunny day, the paragliders were flying from Skiddaw & Blencathra, families were out, some with kids on little push bikes, some just dancing in the puddles, various folk were walking, a couple with really big packs on multi day journeys, some were really pleasant, exchanging cheery 'hello's as we went past, some were less so unfortunately, (I do hope they are less miserable and critical in their own back yard!). We met a couple of ladies on horseback in Lorton and had a lovely little chat before each of us went on our way.
There are plans to replace a gate on the Coach Road with some funds from the Cumbria TRF group, so we took some pics of it to aid both of our failing memories. I'd already got the measurements ages ago, but have not found the time to get the gate or sort out how to transport it to half way along the Coach Road, so Nigel has decided to take it on as a project for this summer.
Along with this too the trail user groups are trying to organise a day of clearing the drainage gullys and fill in a few of the softer bits with some of the rubble that is still floating around from Storm Desmond last year. Some of the 4x4 groups locally have already made some progress with this, organising a couple of days just using shovels and manpower to fill in the storm water created gulleys and to try to clear up some of the mess made by the more irresponsible folk who use the lanes.
Anyway, I digress again... Once we got to the end of the Coach Road, we had a good chat, then decided to just turn around and go back to Keswick, where we'd split off and head home, me to a hungry dog and Nigel to his wife in her garden enjoying the sun in her way!
I love sunny days anywhere but the UK positively 'glows' at this time of year, it's really green with beautiful light and totally lives up to William Blake's poem;
Plenty of northern classic lanes went up our tyres as we headed out towards Penrith, loving the clear skies and the dry trails. We stopped lots, just to gossip and take pictures, Nigel has just come back from two weeks in Belgium on his road bike with his wife, so plenty of stories of roads, war memorials and epic rain!
There were loads of folk out enjoying a sunny day, the paragliders were flying from Skiddaw & Blencathra, families were out, some with kids on little push bikes, some just dancing in the puddles, various folk were walking, a couple with really big packs on multi day journeys, some were really pleasant, exchanging cheery 'hello's as we went past, some were less so unfortunately, (I do hope they are less miserable and critical in their own back yard!). We met a couple of ladies on horseback in Lorton and had a lovely little chat before each of us went on our way.
There are plans to replace a gate on the Coach Road with some funds from the Cumbria TRF group, so we took some pics of it to aid both of our failing memories. I'd already got the measurements ages ago, but have not found the time to get the gate or sort out how to transport it to half way along the Coach Road, so Nigel has decided to take it on as a project for this summer.
Along with this too the trail user groups are trying to organise a day of clearing the drainage gullys and fill in a few of the softer bits with some of the rubble that is still floating around from Storm Desmond last year. Some of the 4x4 groups locally have already made some progress with this, organising a couple of days just using shovels and manpower to fill in the storm water created gulleys and to try to clear up some of the mess made by the more irresponsible folk who use the lanes.
Anyway, I digress again... Once we got to the end of the Coach Road, we had a good chat, then decided to just turn around and go back to Keswick, where we'd split off and head home, me to a hungry dog and Nigel to his wife in her garden enjoying the sun in her way!
I love sunny days anywhere but the UK positively 'glows' at this time of year, it's really green with beautiful light and totally lives up to William Blake's poem;
And did those feet in ancient time,
Walk upon Englands mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On Englands pleasant pastures seen!
And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In Englands green & pleasant Land.
Walk upon Englands mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On Englands pleasant pastures seen!
And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In Englands green & pleasant Land.
Happy trails!
