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Short Rides

Day 03 – Walney to St Bees

I started out from Walney and had a little bimble through Barrow-in-Furness to look around town.Outdoor maritime display at the Dock Museum in Barrow-in-Furness, featuring large red and green navigational buoys marked 'PRE' and 'EAST', along with a grey naval missile launcher on a gravel area under a blue sky. Raised beds and an information sign are visible in the foreground, with houses and lamp posts in the background.

First stop was Furness Abbey, which was absolutely delightful in the morning sunshine.

Ruins of Furness Abbey in the morning sunshine, with warm light casting shadows across the well-kept lawn. The large Gothic arches and stone walls of the historic structure stand partially intact, with some sections supported by scaffolding. Surrounded by trees and a bright blue sky with scattered clouds, the abbey exudes a serene, timeless atmosphere.

I climbed up to Dutton and stopped to look at Dutton Castle, which is small and believed to be a former court house. There was a cycleway to Askam-in-Furness: they’ve painted green the bit of tarmac that sits outside the white line on the very fast main road. When I arrived, I headed out to the point and had a look across the water to Millom.

The climb out of Askam was challenging. Barely outpacing pedestrians on the pavement. Certainly going slow enough to have a conversation while I passed. Traffic was light on the A595 and it was enjoyable riding. I was still glad when I reached Kirkby-in-Furness, got off the main road and saw Pam’s Cafe, which is open on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. So I just managed to catch it open.

Pam’s Café in Kirkby-in-Furness, a small stone building with a slate roof and a cosy outdoor seating area. Two customers sit at a table beside a low stone wall, while a bright sign in front reads ‘Pam’s Café – OPEN – Muddy Boots & Dogs Welcome’. The café has rustic charm, with logs stacked neatly by the wall and a mix of sunshine and shade under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Over coffee & a warm-from-the-oven cheese scone,, I got talking to some locals told them where I was headed for the day and asked them about a potential shortcut across a bridal way. They confirmed it would work, so I got a lovely ride out across Dutton Mosses marshlands which was was just stunning. I popped back out on the A595 and turned up into Broughton-In-Furness for lunch at the Square Cafe.Street view of The Square Café in Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. The café occupies a pale cream corner building with green-trimmed windows and outdoor seating under colourful parasols. People sit at picnic tables enjoying food and drinks. Bunting decorates the front, and parked cars line the quiet street under a partly cloudy sky.

It was another tough climb out of Broughton. It had a chevron on he map. I was rewarded by a great view and a thunderous ride down the the A595 to a traffic light controlled bridge.

The road climbed ahead and I was so focussed on preparing myself for that that I didn’t notice I should have turned off, so I had a massive climb to do. I just kept plugging away. Plugging away.

At Hill Top, I stopped to look at a beautiful 12th century Church, which was open for VE day. There was nobody around but it was open. And then into Millom I didn’t stop for long. An oncoming driver turned right across me and hit the brakes hard when she noticed 18 stones of cyclist in her way.Bronze-coloured statue of a miner pushing an iron ore wagon, mounted on a brick plinth in a town square in Millom, Cumbria. Behind the statue is a building with a green-domed clock tower and scaffolding, with shops, cars, and overcast skies completing the scene. The statue commemorates the Hodbarrow Miner and the town’s heritage of mining and ironworks, as noted on a plaque below.

I don’t think I would have ridden the A595 on any other day. On a bank holiday Monday afternoon, there was very little traffic about and it was a nice ride. At Bootle, my OS map route encouraged me off the main road and took me up.

A couple of steep climbs in the heat were sweatingly uncomfortable. The views of the mountains and the sea were amazing. It would have been rude not to stop and admire them. I could see four miles and miles. And miles.Quiet country road above Broad Oak in Cumbria, heading north through green fields and rolling hills under a blue sky with scattered clouds. A blue touring bicycle is propped against a stone wall beside a road sign warning of a 20% gradient. Trees line the roadside ahead, and the landscape stretches into wooded hills in the distance.

View of the Lake District mountains taken from the south, with a foreground of green fields, hedgerows, and a narrow country lane. The peaks rise in the distance under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds, with the distinctive shape of Scafell Pike and neighbouring fells visible. Electricity pylons dot the landscape, blending modern infrastructure with natural beauty.

Another massive descent later took me down to Muncaster Bridge. My progress was slowed by another climb up over the top at Muncaster Castle.

After a drink and a little snack at the Ravenglass Inn, I picked up Hadrian’s Cycleway up the coast to Seascale. The coast cycleway at Sellafield has been closed for four years. It’s been washed away at the northern end. Typically, I persevered and found that out only when I reached the northern end. I carried the bike over the tricky bit.

Hadrian’s Cycleway took me nearly to Egremont where I turned off to St Bees. I arrived at The Queen’s more than 10 hours after I left Walney. My longest day so far.

Day totals: 64 miles,  3,253 ft climbing

Tour total: 188 miles,  7,821 ft climbing

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