Lothersdale

Cycled back home tonight by my long route, which goes from Shipley to Howarth and Laneshawbridge before turning for home via Lothersdale and Cononley. The boys are amused that I ride back from work via Lancashire!

Summer arrived today and the evening light was crystalline. It took me an hour longer than usual to ride this route because I stopped so many times for a picture! It's been very hard to choose the blip. This might not be the best picture I took, but I think it captures almost perfectly the feel of the landscape around here. Lothersdale is very quiet, almost forgotten in a way. It's a little gem, a hidden dale, only really frequented by locals - and walkers on the Pennine Way.

If you care to view in large you will notice the narrow lane snaking its way down the fell from the top of the hill on the left. This is my normal route. It's steep and hair-raising, Tonight I took the alternative so as to get this particular view.

Made a bit of a schoolboy error in not eating enough this last 36 hours. A light breakfast at 7am and a sandwich at lunchtime was not enough to sustain me for 35 hilly miles. Bonked quite badly on the last couple of climbs.

No pretty sunrise pictures for me tomorrow morning!