As ever, if a photo looks fuzzy, right click and open link in a new tab will show it off properly.
Last Wednesday saw me booting Fatso up the road with the aim of visiting the Trendeal Bridleway once again. This Bridleway, near Ladock, is a favourite for a bit of a mooch as it passes through a sunken lane, along the edge of fields across a hilltop, down the edge of a wood and so on. It's great for getting into those places other folk don't often reach.
The point where I leave the main road through Ladock at Gunnamanning and briefly follow a farm track.
The bridge is over a stream that runs into the Tresillian River.
Unlike some, this Bridleway is well marked so easy to find.
Through a gate and immediately you find yourself in some scraggy woodland.
Just to the right and behind those trees in the background are the ruins of a pair of cob and stone cottages which were abandoned in the 1960s.
The ruins are completely covered in vegetation and I've frequently tried to get a decent photo of them but always failed as you just can't make anything out.
The Bridleway then travels uphill through a sunken lane which isn't steep but the ground is littered with large loose stones, bits of branch and so on so riding up it needs care at times.
Near the top is another gate - one of many on this particular track.
Through that gate and you're onto the hilltop field. The track passes along the very edge of the field, and whilst a tad lumpy isn't too bad at all.
The morning was overcast and muggy, with plain skies - a pain for taking photos as without any graduated filters I always blow the skies out.
See what I mean?
But I mustn't complain, standing in this field for a few moments was what riding these Bridleways is all about - peace and quiet and gawping at views few other folk get to see.
A gap in that Cornish Hedge revealed a solitary Sheep in an adjoining field. I think he may have been an escapee from another field that was full of the beasts.
Another gate to negotiate which leads to...
Another sunken lane that skirts the edge of Ladock Woods (off to the left in this photo).
Down the sunken lane off the top of the hill and you reach another gate and this is where the adrenaline kicks in. Signs warn of the presence in this field of a Bull.
Deep joy.
Deep joy.
The Bridleway heads straight across the field towards that tree that's sticking out dead ahead of Fatso here. As usual, I had a good look up and down to see if the Bull was home, but couldn't see anything. Although, as usual, there were large, smelly signs that something lurked here...
Quite a few Cow pats/Bull poops to avoid, but no sign of the beast that dropped them.
A quick swerve round some big stones and fallen branches and I reached the safety of the far gate. Wherever the resident of that field is, he must be good at hiding 'cos as I say, this field has always appeared empty other than for the many poops that litter the ground.
Through that last gate and the track becomes a tad lumpier. The first time I rode along here was on the old Rattletrap Carrera. This section was very overgrown then and unable to see where some of the bigger lumps were I ended up falling off into the bushes as the front wheel dived into a divot and snapped the bars hard to the right.
Fatso though handles these lumps and bumps with aplomb, rolling over them without trouble.
Another gateway, another view. Ladock Woods in the background. Just at the end of the Bridleway now, at the hamlet of Trendeal.
Back onto tarmac and erm... some decorations for my shed...
This sort of velocity on the road makes for a lovely rasping noise on the Fatbike, not unlike that of a Land Rover, or a swarm of Wasps perhaps.
Heading homeward I took the Boswiddle route, and as per usual, I had a stop at the ford for a look around, and was treated to the sight of this quite garish looking fungus growing on an old log.
I didn't want to touch it in case it bit me or something.
Map of the day's manoeuvres, fuller details are HERE
Whenever I've ridden that Bridleway in the past, I have always had to negotiate a mud bog the whole width of the track where the farmer accesses a couple of his fields, but with all this dry weather we've been enjoying, for once I made it home with a cleanish bike, boots and trousers. I haven't cleaned any of my bikes in weeks, they are all a bit dusty and oily in places, but it hardly seems worth the effort just for a little dust. Being someone who likes to have a clean bike, but hates washing them, this has been a great Summer so far, long may it continue.
Having thoroughly enjoyed the ride described above, and once again desperately in need of time out of the house and into the quiet of the countryside, I set off early on Saturday morning, once again aboard Fatso, for some more Bridleway bashing and some beach time too.
We had some light rain overnight but not enough to make much difference to anything. The roads were dry once more, even under tree cover, as once again it was very warm and humid, even just after sunrise. Quite a lot of mist lurking about too.
View through a hedge straight into the sun, and then...
Turning to the right.
The combination of the mist acting like a large light diffuser, and zooming in make the sun look huge in this shot of the A30.
One good reason for starting early is being able to get across the A30 relatively easily. At least heading out anyway. This was the first Saturday of the school Summer holidays, and the roads would be hellish all day - even busier than normal, and later I would have to cross the A30 again, and with great difficulty too.
Once over the main road I bozzed along the flat tarmac for a couple of miles to Goonhavern. I had thought I might head out via Zelah and then along the Bridleways and Byways around Carnkief to Goonhavern, but as I ride those quite often, this time I opted for getting some miles in and going straight along the road.
Once into Goonhavern it's a quick dodge over the mini roundabouts onto the Perranporth road for a short distance and then a left onto the Byways around Reen.
The first section of Byway is very pleasant indeed, especially early in the morning. This is entirely flat and the surface good, and with just the occasional fleeing Rabbit for company.
The route of the Byway emerges from under the tree cover at a crossroads with a country lane. Follow the track straight ahead and it immediately changes character. Gone is the smooth fine gravel and overhanging trees and instead you have a rough track used by farm tractors over more open countryside, bordered on each side by high hedges. The tractor tyres make their usual scars on the ground when it's wet, and the horses tend to travel up the middle strip, all of which makes for lumpy bumpy bimbling, but still most enjoyable in the silent mist that still lingered here.
Another crossing of a country lane, some dodging here and there round cottages and seemingly through driveways and you're onto the final section of Bridleway and the first glimpse of my goal for the day - Perranporth.
I love it when Bridleways or Byways offer a very viable, practical alternative to using the roads to get somewhere, and at this time of year when the tracks aren't muddy, using this route to Perranporth is a real delight. They also offer a mild shortcut compared to going by road, not lopping much off, maybe a mile, but still.
Hello I thought, they've hung the bunting out for me. It turned out though it wasn't to welcome me to their town, but was actually Carnival Day, and later the main street here would be closed for the big procession.
I was here only a few weeks ago, back in May I think, and at about 8 am on a Saturday it was no busier now than it was then.
Random retail and food shot.
The poorly composed photo half excludes the banner on the left that proudly highlights the delights of this 'shopping centre' or row of slightly tatty shops as it might otherwise be known, but if you can read the banner, you can see the shops anyway.
Right then, once more onto the beach we go.
Looking North...
Then 'Down West.'
Fatso wuz 'ere.
Grumpy looking sky there...
Coming back off the beach again. Dogs are allowed on the beach all year round, but must be on a lead between 9 am and 5 pm in July and August, so the beach was busy with dog owners letting their pooches run free before the watershed arrived. Is there a more pleasing sight than that of dogs haring about chasing balls and each other and just having damned good fun?
As the Crow flies is a well known saying to describe a straight line twixt a couple of places, but Rooks it appears might still need help with directions.
At least I think Ugly Mug there is a Rook, but whatever he is he doesn't want to be going to Newquay - go to St Agnes mate, much nicer.
I left Perranporth on the route I always use - past the Co-Op and the Fire Station on Station Road as it's the only way out of the place that doesn't involve going up a socking great hill.
Usually though I go straight on when I reach Bolingey, but having decided on having some more off road fun I turned right into Mill Road which passes beneath the disused Chacewater and Newquay branch line. The line, opened in 1905, was closed in 1963 but several remnants of it can still be found in the area. Up until about the early 1980s there was still a magnificent old tin Pagoda waiting room at the site of the old Goonbell halt, but the cutting it sat in was filled in and a house built on top. Somewhere I have a colour print of that Pagoda and other shots taken in the late 70s along the remains of the line, so I must look them out and do some before and after shots.
Mill Road from Bolingey changes name to Penwartha Road and follows the course of a stream for a while. Before long though I found the sign for the Byway that leads past Lambriggan.
Being a Byway this track is open to motor traffic, and indeed, while setting up for the above riding shot, I had to get the tripod and bike out of the way sharpish as an off road motorcyclist on a Honda Enduro bike came along, obviously with the same intentions as me, exploring the little used public rights of way on two wheels. My tyres were almost as fat as his too!
The track crosses a small stream by way of a ford and footbridge. Unusually for me I took the bridge, I normally like a good splash but t'was but a puddle really and not worth dipping the tyres into.
Over my right shoulder as I took this photo is an area marked on the council mapping as being the site of a Medieval Settlement called Nancelone. This settlement was first recorded way back in 1302 apparently, when it was known as Nanslowen, a Cornish name with Nans meaning Valley and Lowen meaning Happy, so Happy Valley then. There's nothing to see now apparently, but it makes me wonder if this track existed back then and was used by the people settled there.
Looking back the way I'd come and then...
Up the hill ahead. The track here gets a bit stony and rough, but is still perfectly navigable on a bicycle. Just around the bend in the distance though it steepens slightly and a trough is formed down the middle of the track by running water, making for a bit of a 'V' shape to the track, and a central channel that collects broken branches and loose rocks. That is a little harder going and rather than risk knackering my back with a sudden lurch or input of body language, I got off and pushed over the worst of it.
Broken off Fungus lying on the floor of the track. I'll snap anything me...
Eventually the track passes through the farm yard at Lambriggan where a settlement was first recorded in 1339 , and where I caught a tantalising glimpse of a very old tractor lurking in an open fronted shed. It was a bit close to a farm house for comfort though, so not wanting to attract attention I rode on, but now regret it as I reckon it would make for a great photo.
The Byway emerges onto a country lane just after the farm and from there it was down to the village of Callestick.
Callestick is home to Healey's Cider Farm, and in the overspill car park there is this big spinamathing.
I reckon this is 50-60 feet to the hub of the big fan bit, so a mediumish sized jobbie, but it's unusual to be able to get right up to such a device. Normally they're on private land or fenced off, so I took the opportunity to nip in and have a close up look.
Up in Devon a couple of years ago, two wind turbines near each other were felled by acts of apparent anti turbine vandalism - someone undid those nuts around the base and when the wind got up, over they went. Sod that for a laugh, I wouldn't want to be tampering with those nuts, I wouldn't even like being this close to the thing if it were turning.
It being a still day, the turbine was motionless and contrary to popular belief among the anti brigade, the ground around it wasn't littered with the bodies of dead birds. I often wonder how many of the anti turbine brigade who trot that poor excuse out own cats...
Entering Callestick.
A quick stop in Callestick to decide which way I wanted to head home, so a look at the map was in order. I opted to head towards Truro and that meant crossing the A30 again on a crossroads without any central refuge/hatched areas, so it is best crossed in one go.
Oh what fun that turned out to be - not. I must've waited patiently at the junction for a good ten minutes with not a glimmer of a gap in the traffic from either direction let along both at once. In the end though, a car coming from the West indicated right and slowed up, allowing me to get into the road in front of him and wait safely for a gap in oncoming traffic. There was no natural gap and we both sat there for a while before an oncoming driver slowed and flashed us across. Crossing that road on a bicycle really is becoming a joke on busy days.
Back in the day a truck would create a handy gap due to the single lane roller coaster nature of the road, grinding down the gears and up the hills and letting faster traffic get ahead. Now though, with the traffic heavy and moving at a steady 40ish mph, and the trucks being ever more powerful, they keep up with the flow and the result is just continuous lines of traffic with little in the way of breaks.
Soon though, all that will change, as this last single carriageway section of the A30 is set to be re-routed and dualled. I'm not one for building and concreting/tarmacing over everything, but I must admit, that new road can't come fast enough. Good provisions are in the plans for local traffic, pedestrians and cyclists to cross the main road easily and safely, so bring it on I say.
A ride along roads to Allet and then Shortlanesend followed, and it was at the latter that I took to the shared path that runs towards Truro.
I can remember when this was all fields... It was about two years ago. The path hasn't changed, it still follows its old route, but on the left here the Cornish Hedge has gone and the field that lay beyond is now rammed with new builds. There are more new houses on the other side of the main road too.
Unlike some cycle lanes or shared paths, I can't see why cyclists wouldn't use this one, but this pair didn't want to, and of course, they don't have to use it if they don't want to. A lot of such paths are littered with debris thrown up by nearby traffic and are a puncture just waiting to happen. This path though is just a pleasant pedal away from the fast moving main road.
Instead of following that path all the way to Truro, I hung a left, followed the lane down into Idless then through the woods there towards home.
View through a gate at Treworgan Vean. There were some ominous looking clouds roaming about and sure enough, we had a brief shower just as I arrived home, but it was all over in a few seconds. It's been a good few years since we had such dry and hot weather, I can't even remember the last time we had a wet day.
This was another beltingly good ride, with everything I look for and need - peace, quiet, and solitude to work things out in my head and rid myself of all the pent up frustrations and angers. Good riding through decent countryside and an interesting destination. Some new to me Byway action too, and all in ideal weather.
The day started off warm and humid, and stayed that way pretty much, just getting hotter towards the end of my ride, so I didn't drink all the squash I'd put in the two bottles I carried. Fatso only has one bottle mount, but the twin top tube Mixte frame makes for a convenient place to stash a second bottle secured with a Velcro strap.
For about twenty miles of riding, it didn't feel like it had much uphill work either, a rare thing in this county indeed!
Fatso is now starting to look a little too mucky for my liking though, having a thick coating of dust in various places, and a back wheel spotted with chain lube and so on. Sooner or later I'm going to break out the pressure washer and give in to my clean bike urges, but for the moment, it's had a quick wipe of the chain and is ready for the next ride again. We've just had the lead story on the BBC lunchtime news that the Met office has issued a yellow weather warning for a heatwave, whatever that entails, so there's no sign of the hot weather ending just yet.
Meanwhile, in other news, I'm about to change the tube in the back wheel of the Marin. I'm betting it has got a Schwalbe tube in it, as it did the front when I changed that. Likewise when I changed the tubes on Fatso - they were Schwalbes too, and all suffered the same fate, going completely flat just after I'd pumped up the tyres because they were a tad soft.
I don't know if it's me, my pump fitting (I use two different pumps though) or just crap tubes, but I'm not the only one who has had this issue with Schwalbe tubes after pumping them up. It seems they develop a pinhole leak around the base of the valve somehow, flexing of the valve stem presumably during the pumping operation (despite me using the locknut), but whatever it is, it's flipping annoying!
The full details of the ride are HERE which will allow zooming in to see the route properly.
Right, time to battle with the Marin's back wheel, so no proofreading just yet, I'm going to live on the wild side and recklessly just hit publish - proper risk taker me see.
Right, Happy Bimbling!
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