WHARFEDALE TR GROUP IN THE LAKES WEEKEND JULY 2018
The second pilgrimage of the Wharfedale TR Group to The Lake District, staying in The Crooklands Hotel. 6th to the 8th July. 15 cars and 29 people came on the adventure, including Phil & Rachael Gunn from the Leicester Group.
We all met Friday teatime at the hotel; some of the group had taken a circuitous route via the Dales to get there, meeting in Skipton in the early part of the afternoon.
As you'll see from the pictures there was a good turn out of TR's, but also the usual ringers, myself & Linda in our Mk2 Ford Escort, Keith & Jane in their recently acquired E Type Jag, very nice, and a couple of Euro boxes for good measure. The group consisted of – Barrie & Pat, Keith & Jane, Stan & Jean, Mike & Kate, Ian & Linda, Gerry, Roger & Fiona, Phil & Rachael, Ken & Jan, Keith & Julie, Terry & Jan, John & Helene, John & Jean, John & Janet, Graham & Lita.
We spent a very pleasant Friday evening having a great meal, wih a few drinks of course.
Following breakfast on Saturday morning we started gathering in the hotel car park ready for the days run. The first leg was to Brantwood House, on the East side of Coniston Water, about 2 thirds of the way up. Brantwood being the former home of John Ruskin. The route from Crooklands was across country through Brigsteer and Crosthwaite, a short spell on the A592 & A590 before striking out across country again, before eventually turning up the very narrow road on the East side of Coniston Water before arriving at Brantwood. They have an excellent Terrace Café with views over the Water for which access is free, but there is a small charge to visit the House itself.
Views over Coniston Water from the Terrace Cafe
The Terrace Cafe
From Brantwood we continued up the side of Coniston Water before bearing right to run around the top of Windermere skirting Ambleside and dropping down the East side of Windermere, and then cutting across to Troutbeck and over the Kirkstone Pass, then running around Ullswater, to eventually arrive at Lowther Castle, our final stop of the day.
Heading over the Kirkstone Pass
The Courtyard Cafe at Lowther Castle
What a fantastic day it was, the weather was absolutely glorious, and the scenery, well, amazing.
Returning to the hotel we had time for a thirst quenching beer or two, followed by a wash & brush up ready for another great evening meal. Ken Bailey provided the usual post meal quiz entertainment, and kept up his previous standards of devilish questions, with the usual inter table rivalry going on.
Some head scratching going on over Ken's quiz. John Dennison takes a relaxed pose thinking he already has it in the bag
Mike presents Barrie with the Barbara Warcup Plate for support and services to TRing
Sunday was another glorious day, following breakfast and a line up in the Hotel car park we set off for the High Cross Inn near Broughton in Furness, we had visited there last year and said we would go back there for a late morning coffee. The route was similar to Saturday but this time travelling up the West side of Coniston Water to Torver, before dropping down towards Broughton in Furness, another good run, and great scenery.
The optional final run from the High Cross Inn was a roughly circular route over Corney Fell, then turning right just before Muncaster Castle and returning to High Cross Inn via Burker Fell. What a run that was, the views form Corney Fell over the Cumbrian coast are stupendous, with the Isle of Man being visible.
Ian, linda, Stan, Jean, Gerry, Graham, Lita, John & Janet stop to take in the stupendous views over Corney Fell.
All in all another cracking weekend, good place to stay, good driving, and good company.