The Double Visit

It was only a vague notion when I left home but as I found my legs it started to take shape as a possible objective. The weather was perfect for a long day in the saddle: warm without being hot and only the lightest of wind. I've had a mind to do this route for quite a few years but the right conditions, namely fitness, weather and opportunity, had never previously aligned.

There are four wild and beautiful passes between Wensleydale and Swaledale, each one topping out at around 500m, and the idea was to take in them all. From home I went up Wharfedale to Hawes via Fleet Moss, then over Buttertubs, the first of the four linking cols, followed by a return to Wensleydale over my favourite one of all, between Muker and Askrigg. I dropped into the village and immediately climbed straight back out, over the high moor again to Reeth, back in Swaledale. I stopped on the village green for a few minutes to savour the view and the atmosphere before the final traverse to Redmire and then a route back home via Coverdale. Something over a hundred miles and, in total, six of the very best climbs in the Dales. The legs fell off a bit going up Coverdale but a bit of emergency food sorted that out and the final run back from Kettlewell felt good. I've proved to myself that there's nothing wrong with my physical fitness at least.

PS Met two young lads at Kettlewell and rode with them over Fleet Moss before they headed out to the Lakes on a charity ride. They had another two big days of riding ahead of them. It was a real privilege to meet them both. I think they might have inspired me a bit today. No fear of the terrain or tiredness. Just go out and do it! They are raising money for the Leeds Homeless Partnership.