Should have learnt to pack in advance by now really, but still, everytime I go anywhere I always find myself packing at the last minute and having a blind flap about forgetting stuff. So with 15 minutes to go before getting picked up for a mountain biking weekend I was still shovelling stuff into my bag at lightspeed and with no organisation. I subscribe to the Sellars school of packing - at least when I am camping anyway - you need only one pair of trousers etc. Travel light, travel fast, alpine style. Felt a bit funny volunteering to go a whole weekend without climbing, but as the weather was hot I guess it worked out well.
Friday night then: zipped up to Gordale Scar campsite and pitched up. Man who runs campsite could charitably be described as 'eccentric'. Biked to pub, felt a bit car sick, fairly early to bed. Saturday morning started off early 0730 (other people up and about making noise) and was a beautiful day. We cycled up out of Gordale and into Malham village, then up an Alpe d'huez esque (I imagine anyway) hill towards the Tarn. Quick loop off road swooping back to street gate, across Mastilles lane to Kilnsey - brilliant almost out of control downhill into Kilnsey - awesome - highly recommended, and certainly the right way round to do it. Stopped in the pub for a pint of orange cordial and enjoy the sun, then beneath a deserted but largely dry kilnsey to Arncliffe cote where we turned left onto a bridleway which is accurately described 'a bit of a slog'. Gazed across at Yew Cogar on the way up up and up again. Finally, a grassy descent back to street gate before another grin stretching descent by road into Malham itself. 35.5km. Awesome. Had a walk to the scar and then ate and went to the pub.
You never sleep as well as you should when camping. Even with ear plugs its not completely comfortable so getting drunk to self-medicate yourself to the land of nod is a valid strategy. Slept from 1130 ish to 0900 which sounds like loads but woke many times in between. Another beautiful day. Slow start with plenty of tea before taking the car up to the top of the hill out of Malham (stiff legs, no juice left). Parked up and rode 4miles off road on good path down to Langcliffe Cote, then across top of settle before climbing steeply out on the road back towards Kirkby Malham. Theres a bridlepath there over the top of the fell which we slogged up - hard work in the sun, finally a short sweet downhill back to the cove road. Packed up and headed home, deeply tired, slightly sunned and happy. A lovely weekend.
So, the plan for this week is to climb Tuesday aft/evening. Am touting for partners... Andy Hutch has hurt his elbow, Eds Brown and Robinson will be at work, James Foley has no car, Jon Fulwood is off work and might be going to beeston tor, or might be trad new routing, Dylan depends on his work (which probably means not!). Then again on Thursday - probably just a short board session in the day. Then hopefully back on Saturday morning club.
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