Ambleside

Out riding again yesterday, for some reason Si didn't fancy another hikeabike, so nan bield was scrapped and we did the ambleside STW route I did earlier this year but we parked at clappersgate and left the killer loughrigg fell climb for the end of the day - joy :-) A long road section then climb upto iron keld, my knee's were moaning again, think I need to rest them. Downhill was good but again in my opinion seems to lack something to make it a great downhill. Tongue intake plantation was fun and surprisingly legal, news to me, slight navigational breakdown at Hodge close but eventually found the correct pile of slate to ride down. Si was not impressed with the silly steep climb up the old quarry. Missed a turning in moss rigg wood but found a section with a pretty serious penalty for error. Back on track Si showed me up infront of walkers by successfully crossing the ford at little langdale while I minced across the bridge. Sawreys wood then a brief detour up lingmoor fell, got chatting to some walkers, when they heard we were headed for loughrigg terrace they questioned whether it was a bridleway, of course it is, I was just waiting for them to comment on the non-ROW we were stood on but they didn't :-) Sawreys wood again then the looong climb upto high close, which Si wrongly assumed was the killer climb I had talked about. The terrace was quiet and most walkers were cool we only recieved a couple of scowls.
Si was overjoyed when he saw the lungbusting tarmac climb from Rothay bridge, I've done this climb lots now but always at the start of a ride with cold legs, it was a little easier being warmed up...but not much. More navigation problems on the top of the fell but eventually I found the route down. Lovely twisty wooded singletrack back to the car where pork pie and various cake awaited, mmm. 22 miles and just a little short of another 5000ft ride.
Map for julbags, from the original ride, we didn't do the bit through skelwith fold wood