RSF - The Off Road Cycling Club

The Adventure Starts Here

1973

“You are one ride away from a good mood.” -  Sarah Bentley, British cyclist

 

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“Ower-t-Stake”, as it is known locally, is a “short cut” to Great Langdale, but it is not a very quick route, for though the pass itself is short and steep, the approaches to it from either north or south cannot be ridden owing to the roughness of the tracks. It is best to do it from the north, that is, from the Borrowdale end, as then the best views are in front and also, if done in the reverse direction, the long walk along the level but terribly stony track down Langstrath can be a dreary anti-climax.. 
In a few minutes we had lost the path, the temperature had plumetted, ice was forming, we were losing body temperature and it became dangerous to move forward, having lost our sense of direction. What would an ill-equipped person do? Risk walking blindly on, or sit down and slowly freeze? What in fact could we do? In a very few minutes we erected our tent, placing large stones on the edges. Then into our downbags, with the tent door zipped up and the petrol stove roaring away.
“This path isn’t a right-of-way, you know.” But Frank managed to turn this somewhat gruff approach into a friendly chat. Frank had been to the summit of Meugher, an obscure top on the moors above Grassington. The keeper had worked in that area some time ago. So all was smiles as we said our farewells to this man and his dog, and left him to his lonely job on the moors. How I envy him, up there, away from the “rat-race”!
I remember the day when my pal and I rode (and walked) from an overnight stop near Crathie on Deeside by Gairnshiel and Cockbridge to Tomintoul and on by the then notorious Bridge of Brown to the Spey valley to find a site between Grantown and Dulnain Bridge. The road throughout was little more than a gravel track, much cut up by storm water, which found it made a convenient river bed! 
If there is going to be a world fuel shortage, then we cyclists are sure to be “all right, Jack’’. But few motorists will fall for the argument that sooner or later everyone will have to ride a bicycle. Man’s inventiveness being what it is, some alternative source of energy for transport purposes is sure to turn up. Vested interests will take care of that!
We were sat around the fire at the clubroom last week, talking about tours we have done and want to do, when Jeff’s eyes lit up and he gave that characteristic shuffle in his seat that told us he was about to tell of an epic cycling memory, as only he can. “It was in March, I remember. There was a good crowd in the Close, old Charlie was there and the usual maintenance was going on whilst waiting for the latecomers

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