Lancashire and Cumbria Group : A Ride in the Eden Valley from Crosby Ravensworth near Shap, August 2021 led by Paul and Jeannette

Seven riders turned up in the village, three tandems and one solo. This ride had been cancelled two weeks earlier due to a poor weather forecast.  This day the weather was bright and dry at the start with little wind.

Firstly, we visited the church yard of St Lawrence’s church where a young cyclist is buried, Thomas Henry Morris who died in 1929. I will enclose a link if readers are interested: https://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/1929_livrpl_trag.htm

Having paid our respects, we cycled on the pretty lanes to Larch View Nurseries at Melkinthorpe, a distance of around ten miles to our elevenses stop.  Here we enjoyed excellent cakes and tea and coffee.  This is a most interesting place to visit.  Link: La Casa Verde - Larch Cottage Nurseries

On the way to Melkinthorpe we saw a red squirrel dart across the road. Fortunately, it was fast enough to avoid us!

From here we skirted around Penrith, passing the impressive Brougham Castle on the River Eden.

The route took us north to Melmerby for lunch, passing through Edenhall and Langwathby.  We enjoyed lunch at the Old Village Bakery which is also recommended when cycling in this area.  We were fortunate when it started to rain we were undercover, at the bakery, as the showers were quite heavy at times.  The ride back to the start was more direct, through Temple Sowerby and Kings Meaburn.  We arrived back at 4.00pm after almost 40 enjoyable miles.

Paul and Jeannette Rodman