Bike ride from Portpatrick to the Mull of Galloway

Glorious weather on Tuesday 14 May, and we decided the bikes should not be confined to a garage. We knew it would be a stiff climb out of Portpatrick, but there was no rush and daylight lasts at this time of year.
So at about 10.30 we went up the A77 and turned right along Portree Terrace, past the caravan sites and the pub, and on towards Cairngarroch.

At the top of one of the (several) climbs we stopped for a quick coffee. There were wild flowers all the way along the roadsides.

 After about 9 miles we came to a crossroads.

We didn't visit Ardwell Bay to the west, but headed to Ardwell, on the East side of the peninsula. This was a lovely ride down through woodland with bluebells and wild garlic.

and we soon arrived in the village. A caravan site, an angling shop, but nowhere to buy coffee or lunch.
The nearest cafe is in Drummore, "about 4 miles south".

We cycle along this main road - not very busy. About a mile outisde we see a signpost. "Drummore - 5" . Obviously a motorist's four miles, not a cyclist's! We're committed now, so...onward and not too much upward.
In Drummore, there's the "Mariner's Rest" coffee shop. It looks open, but isn't. we ride down to the shore and back up to the Southernmost food store in Scotland! 

With supplies for lunch we head uphill out of the village, and find a spot by the roadside for a picnic. Signs tell us that the Mull of Galloway, with its lighthouse is a mere 5 miles away. Of course we're going to ride there.

 The lighthouse is visible from quite a distance. The road is rolling, with some lovely downhill stretches, and of course some uphill too.

It was nearly four o'clock when we arrived, so we didn't go inside, or visit the RSPB reserve. 

And, even better an excellent cafe which is open until 5pm.

Almost 45 miles, with ascent and descent of just over 2 000 feet. 

It simply remained to make our way back - and I confess to walking up one of the last hills before our triumphal descent into Portpatrick at almost 8 o'clock. We rounded the day off with a meal in the Harbour House Hotel.

Killhope to Allenheads

Friday 10  May 2019
A fairly strenuous walk by our current standards, with wonderful wide views. We were accompanied by the sound of curlews and lapwings, and we  saw a group of oyster catchers on a field.

Walked from Hill Top cottage, at a height of close to 1800 feet, down to the road (a mere 1500) and turned left towards Killhope Mine.

Looking at the cottage from the road below.

Just opposite the lead mining museum, which we visited yesterday, is a gate and a public footpath.

The plastic tags were quite useful in showing us the path.

The path leads steeply uphill, fairly sharply to the left then swinging round to the right. On the OS map the path climbs Carriers' Hill, High Linn and Great HillUnderfoot there were some boggy patches, and the odd pool which we had to avoid. the path was clear and well marked and led up to close to 2000 feet high, and the border between County Durham and Northumberland. We  could see Cross Fell in  the distance to the west and Killhope Law fairly close to our left.  Shortly after the  highest point the path joined  a wide grassy bridleway, where we turned right and  began a fairly gentle descent. The area is marked as Allendale Common. Great views into Northumberland.

We could see the small Dodd Reservoir below us. We walked to the right of this, but it disappeared from view behind a small ridge.

At this point there are two choices - follow the bridleway to the minor road, then turn right for Allenheads, or, as we did, take a footpath to the right and follow this to join the road closer to the village.

A muddy path and a stream to cross

Allenheads (about 1400 ft high) is the site of a lead mine, a major local industry until the nineteenth century.

But we were even more delighted to find the Heritage Centre with an excellent cafe for lunch.

We had a look round the small museum before retracing our route. Almost ten miles in all.  We climbed around 1600 feet altogether.

Route from Hill Top Cottage via Killhope to Allenheads

Elevation profile looks impressive...

Hambleton Peninsula, Rutland Water

Monday 06 May 2019 , with Maureen and Norma. A very straightforward walk of just over 5 miles. Not warm, and cloudy. Lots of people around on this Bank Holiday Monday.

We took the usual clockwise route. Today this was windier on the northern leg, as well as hillier, so a good decision.

Windsurfers galore!

Wrapped up warm

Hey, look this way!

The undergrowth has been cleared - more bluebells this year.

More windsurfers.

Lunch at Wellies again!

East Norton, Loddington, Skeffington, Tugby and Café Ventoux.

Thursday 02 May, with Maureen. Somewhere around 8 miles. The app went mad between mile 6 and 7!  Rain was forecast for later and started to fall just as we reached the car.

We started from East Norton, taking the road towards Loddington until we found a bridleway sign. We turned left along the bridleway and walked for roughly the same distance west until we met a junction of paths. We walked round the edge of a field
rather than follow the strict path line, as it was rather muddy. We crossed the second field, which wasn't too bad.
Then we had to cross a footbridge and walk slightly uphill with trees on our left.  we soon joined a cart track, which curve round to the right. After a while we crossed a dismantled railway line. There is a permissive path here, but we ignored that and went through a gate to our left, just after it. The path leads up to Loddington Church, which is some way outside the village.

The path goes through the churchyard, turns right and joins the minor road after crossing another footbridge. At the road we turned left and left again at the junction. The road was pretty quiet - we saw maybe three cars and four bicycles.  

The weather looked a bit dramatic, but we stayed dry!

After a mile or so we turned left at a crossroads, and then walked for almost another mile on Wood Lane, an undulating road, turning along a footpath by the Eye Brook, at the bottom of a hill. By now we needed a break, and improvised seating.

We walked on parallel to the brook, a little higher up, then crossed it via a footbridge, 

before turning to our left and climbing gently towards Skeffington Lodge Farm with its buildings and impressive mini solar array. We continued past a few houses until we met the Midshires Way. We turned right and followed it south, across another slightly sticky field.  We should have aimed directly for the point of the triangular woodland, but misjudged it slightly - even Leicestershire's yellow marker posts are not always instantly visible! 

Looking back to Skeffington Lodge's solar panels and possibly Robin-a-tiptoe.

Back on track we walked up to the A47 before turning sharply left and following a clearly (with weedkiller?) marked path over a field and then along field edges to meet Wood Lane again.
At this point we turned right and walked for a few hundred yards along the road as far as the Café Ventoux. The countryside round here is a little gentler than the place it's been named after, but it is a welcoming place and does a decent coffee.

After this it was a matter of retracing our steps along the road, and picking up a footpath east, to our right, at the wooded area called Little Gunsel. At a junction of paths we continued ahead through more woodland (Hardy's Gunsel this time), with a hedge on our right. At the next junction we took the right hand path, heading southeast, crossing a small stream. Right again at the next junction heading south with East Norton Hall on our left. 

When we came to the village road, we turned left and made our way back to the car.

A short drive back to the Café Ventoux for lunch completed the walk.

Rutland Water - Sykes Lane to Barnsdale and back

Monday 29 April 2019, with Maureen, Norma and Eddie. Bluebell time, glorious though the weather was a little dull. About 7 miles.

Gretton to Kirby Hall

Monday 08 April, with Marion, Eddie and Freddie (aged 8). Just over 5 miles. Weather didn't look promising, grey with a nip in the wind, but we soon warmed up, and then the sun emerged. Lots of flowers in the fields, daisies, dandelions and celandines. 

Our route took us from the village hall, along the dusty track to Kirby Hall. The rooks were noisily going about their lives.

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed...

When we reached the road, we took the path directly opposite the drive to the Hall, through the heavy spring-loaded deerproof gate, and downhill, where we turned right and made towards Fort Knox, or the high security data centre.  More bird song, a little more tuneful than the rooks.
The path skirts the fortified building, close to the road.  We had a very short break when we met the road, then turned right, along the verge for about a hundred yards before turning right again, through a gate warning of bulls in nearby fields.

We were a little distracted by this tipped rubbish

The track led onward and upward 

and look who reached the top first:

By now we know our way back across the fields quite well, and the route was easy.

Back to the village and a stop at Lydia's cafe completed the walk. I had a chance to practise my rudimentary (rude?) Welsh, and we made the acquaintance of two women from Holland. 

Gretton, Harringworth Lodge, Bulwick (almost)

Just me and Kate today, Monday 1st April 2019, another gloriously sunny day, chilly at the start, but we soon warmed up. Just over 8 miles.
We missed out Bulwick village this time, as we're not sure what's happened since the shop/cafe had a fire a couple of months ago.

We followed the same route as this walk, but didn't cross the bridge over the A43. Pace was a pretty steady 3 miles an hour.

Not the luxury coffee stop we have grown accustomed to recently, but we can still sit on the ground - and get up afterwards!

Blackthorn bushes decorating the field edges.

The lake near Harringworth Lodge, its surface ruffled by the gentle though chill breeze

We ended up in Lydia's Cafe in Gretton for a sandwich and a coffee.

All paths were clear and dry today - ideal conditions for walking. We hope lost lamb 77 found its mother...