Saturday Morning Bike Ride.

Again, reluctant, then the sun shone through the window. Off about 8:30am.

Tree silhouette perched above the fields.

Handpainted farm sign.

One of their cows.

Farm and gate.

More lovely old farm buildings, I especially like the little four paned windows (though in reality they probably make things a little dark inside)

A little patchwork of fields. I've just come down the road on the right.

On a whim I decide to head up to the country park. 3 miles to go...

Brambles. Not quite ready yet. Must remember to take my tub next week.

Zingy red bramble leaves.

Swallows. Still here, nice to see.

2 miles to go...

The glen is starting to narrow and we are reaching the higher hills. It's very pretty, I love this kind of landscape - a little wilder than my usual terrain.

Nice old forged gate.

I find it very impressive that someone has at some time taken the trouble to build stone walls up to the tops of some of the hills along the glen. Hard work I would think.

Pretty cottage, tiny window.

Twisty road.

1 mile to go...

I find a little patch of heather.

This week's umbellifer picture.

Wonky fence posts.

Onwards...

...pausing to take a close up of the post on the left first.

Passing place.

Fence detail.

Just before the entrance to the country park is a little collection of tumbledown buildings. I think there used to be a gate or something that always dissuaded me from taking a closer look, this time the little lane was open so up I went. I took loads of photos, here are just a select few...

I love poking about old ruins. I wish I knew more about these ones though. I wonder when it was abandoned. There is still the remains of an old door which was unexpected. Some of the rooms were full of nettles and so I didn't go into them. It was rather an odd layout overall. Most intriguing.

I almost don't bother going into the park, then I remember that there is a large horse chestnut next to the visitor centre which always looks most impressive in its Autumn colours...

...a little early yet, but it's starting to turn.

Since I've gone this far I decide to go a little further and venture up the tracks to the mines and moor. There is no more road.

Lots of large loose stones, not great for cycling.

This sign is new. I've cycled along the left hand track up to the mines before and there's not much left of them to see. I decide to head along the moor path a little. I'd heard of the railway track that used to be here - I find it quite amazing that one was built (it's pretty much the middle of nowhere!) just for shooting parties to be transported to the grouse moors.

I don't get very far. The track starts to look very much like the river and I don't really fancy off-roading. Time to turn back.

More lovely rowan berries this week.

Finally I get a photo of some sheep who don't run away (they're thinking about it though).

From here is back downhill for the three miles till the road junction. At the junction I can go straight on downhill for a couple more miles to join the cycle path for a few more easy flat miles home. Boring! I decide to turn left and stay on the back roads. The only thing is, it involves going past a farm with a scary dog. I haven't been past it for probably about two years as the last time the dog came far too close for comfort, I'm sure he'd have bitten me if he'd been a few inches closer. Well, I'm prepared, I'll make sure I'm ready to cycle past as quick as I can...

...but when I get there there is no dog.

Nothing. The farm is empty and looks like it's in the process of being renovated. I'm almost sad not to see the dog, it feels soulless now somehow. On the other hand I now know this road is safe to use again.

One last pretty view. I decide I've enough photos for this trip so am able to enjoy cycling the rest of the journey home without any photo stops. Though I am tempted once or twice...