Monday morning, another, (not) day in the office, we pushed, then raced our bikes downhill out of the Lakes and joined local OAPs in Shap Village Hall for their weekly coffee/lunch morning, under Union Jacks remaining from the recent 70th Jubilee gathering.

Crossing the six lanes of roaring M6 truckers, we entered the quiet moorland pastures of the upper Eden Valley and stopped to enter and admire the magnificent gothic-revival church of St Lawrence, gracing the tiny village of Crosby Ravensworth, in the deanery of Appleby. This treasure was designed by Royal Gold Medallist architect Sir Robert Smirke, RA, (also architect to The British Museum).

While I was in architecture-heaven The CW took the opportunity to wring-out his wet and filthy ‘King of the Mountains’ socks. We took on pies and cakes ‘fuel’ in Kirkby Stephen before tough, frustrating, trackless moors and bogs crossing the main watershed of Britain near Tan Hill Inn, (the highest in the country).

A fast, exhilarating single-track descent followed into Swaledale. At Gunnerside a friendly local offered us his ruined barn/cottage as a refuge high up the steep ‘Corpse Road’ (coffin) track out of the village. We inspected and thankfully declined, choosing to wild camp next to the River Swale amidst swarms of midges. We had cycled 45 miles with 4,100 feet of ascent over 11 hours and were both completely exhausted.

Ella Brewes

Al Horsfield

February 27th, 2023

February 6th, 2023

Words and Pictures by Danny Carden

By Cameron E. Smith

February 27^th, 2023

February 6^th, 2023