Morrisons via Bendrigg, Killington Reservoir and Docker

An almost 18-mile bike ride late on a spring day, to buy grapefruit juice at Morrisons (L only)

Route: Leaving home and heading up past the station to carry on past the Station Inn (for the first time this year) and cycle the three or four hills through Middleshaw, past Old Hutton school and on to Old Hutton. Cycling up out of Old Hutton to take the left-hand turn signed to Bendrigg Lodge. Following this up, over the M6 past Brunthwaite Garage and turning left uphill to the buildings of the Bendrigg Trust. Carrying on north, past a junction down towards the motorway and then bending right to join Reservoir Road bending east and then turning sharply uphill to the left to reach the sailing club and the shore of Killington Reservoir. Taking photos and then turning back to follow the rough surface of Reservoir Road down southwest and up over the M6 again. 

Following the road on west to Ewebank and bearing right (past longstanding water-related engineering works) to avoid the settlement itself and carry on to bend north to another T-junction and there turn left (west) towards a junction with Mill Lane and here fork right and carry on up to New Hutton, passing the St Stephen’s church on the right and the village hall on the left. From here continuing north on Kiln Road to cross the A684 and carry on, bearing left eventually on Docker Lane (after almost 3 miles) to Docker and the A685.

Here turning left to follow the Appleby Road all the way into Kendal and to Morrisons. Picking up groceries and returning home along the Shap Road and along the one-way system through town to Burton Road, Oxenholme Road and home.

Conditions: Almost warm in the sun heading uphill but increasingly chill downhill once the sun went in.

Pub?: C19 so draft Bad Seed Brewery Full Throttle (from the Factory Tap) (and honey roast cashew nuts) back at base with Tim. 

Brigsteer Road via Natland, Underwood and Natland Mill Beck Lane

An 8-mile road run (walking back from Asda with the Sunday paper) on the first day of spring, and last of Tim’s personal lockdown (L only)

Setting off from Howe Bank Close to Natland, taking the high road, up round the station, along through Oxenholme and down Burton Road to Oxenholme Lane and the village centre. There turning right along the village green to get to run down Hawes Lane to Hawes Bridge, up to Prizet, over the bypass and up Whetstone Lane to Brigsteer Road. Turning right along Brigsteer Road and running along past the racecourse (lots of parked cars in all the off-road parking spots) to run back over the bypass and down to a little muddy path up to the right just before the Underwood road turning. Following this along behind the first couple of blocks of houses and then heading down towards Underwood, taking a cut-through right and then turning left to join the main road. Running along to the top of Vicarage Drive, turning left down this briefly and then taking the cut-through right to Westwood Avenue, and then the subsequent cut down to Vicarage Park school, rejoining Vicarage Drive after the hairpin. From there, running down to the river, along round the outside of the West Street complex, over Romney Bridge and along to Natland Mill Beck Lane and Asda for the Sunday paper. Walking home, chatting to runners and dog walkers in warm sunshine.

Conditions: Warm sunshine, blue skies and no breeze. Amazing!

Pub? C19, Windermere Pale in the Summerhouse with T (on the cider)