Calum and I had our by now traditional ride in to Glasgow Central where we met Andy. The journey started well, all the Virgin train staff were expecting three cyclists for Oxenholme. It's a very quick journey, so quick in fact that the station staff at Oxenholme weren't ready for us and the train was delayed while someone was sent for to release us from the confines of the cycle storage area. For a while I thought we were going to end up in Preston. Luckily we were released and were able to head out on the gently undulating road to Kirkby Lonsdale and to take tea in the delightful Crossing Point Cafe. It was important to stoke the boilers here as the afternoon session involved the infamous Catlow Fell.
The road rises up after passing High Bentham and before long the scenery is decidedly of a moorland nature. But the road continues to climb and climb. Eventually when you think you've reached the summit there's a fast ride down to a bridge and then a second climb which takes you to the actual summit. On laden touring bikes the crossing from High Bentham to Slaidburn takes around two hours, today was no different. The reward is the superb hostel in Slaidburn and a slap up meal in the Hark to Bounty just across the road. 40m covered today though almost 10m of that was in Glasgow.