Towpath Travelling

I'd been loosely planning this ride for a while, the first proper expedition on the gravel bike, a roll out to Addingham, over the top bridleway all the way to Skipton, and then along the canal, destination left open but probably as far as Burnley. Today was the day. Warm without much wind, it was perfect for the occasion. Without any meaningful rain in over two months, the paths were baked hard and the grass yellowing. It had the feel of August day after a long hot summer, yet it was only the middle of May with blossoms on the trees and little flotillas of newborn goslings on the water. If that was unfamiliar. so was the route. I've run every yard of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal between Leeds and Skipton this year, some sections often and in both directions. I'd never been beyond Skipton, though, neither walking, running or cycling. I've no idea why. It was so incredibly beautiful. And on the gravel bike the riding was so much fun. I've crossed the canal at almost every available point on the road bike yet joining up those dots was a whole new experience. It's hard to describe. It is perhaps a feeling of a constant sense of place while rarely ever knowing where you are. The canal steers a sinuous route through the Yorkshire and Lancashire countryside, almost invisibly, the towns it passes barely recognisable or recognised. It provided a completely new perspective on a familiar landscape and well known places.

Ironically, I took a fall while navigating a short section of road over the Foulridge Tunnel, caught off guard ploughing into a load of loose gravel by a ford, coming to a stop and not unclipping in time. It was an awkward one and my ribs hurt afterwards. I was in a bit of discomfort but nothing so bad that I couldn't continue to enjoy the ride. The canal becomes urban towards Burnley but it still remains a green ribbon. I would have stopped there (not least because I had a meeting to get to in Leeds early evening) but the train from Burnley was cancelled. They were only every hour so it made sense to ride on and catch the next one from Accrington. On reaching the station there the same thing happened, service cancelled again, making it sensible to retreat back to the canal and carry on to Blackburn. It did occur to me that if this carried on I'd be on the last train back from Liverpool! Finally, a train turned up and I was able to return to Leeds, although I missed my meeting. But it was all good. It wasn't a bad trade. Those miles between Burnley and Blackburn were surprisingly beautiful. 

It turned out to be a 67 mile ride in total. And I'm totally hooked on the gravel bike, despite coming off ... in grave! The only downside was that injury, which I initially feared was another cracked rib, like I sustained last year, but writing this up two weeks later, only turned out to be bruised, although I couldn't run for a week and can still feel it.