I had never imagined that I would be able to combine a club ride with collecting a cycle quest checkpoint, but the suggestion by a fellow club member of a ride in the Eden Valley starting and finishing in Brampton was a perfect opportunity, especially as the ride was planned to start and finish at the checkpoint itself!

The drive to Brampton took less than an hour and I met my fellow club members at the Moot Hall in the market place. We set off in overcast conditions, crossing the A69 and heading into the lanes. We managed to miss an early turn, but a quick backtrack returned us to Keith's planned route. After another brief pause when I pulled my back wheel over exiting a junction we were soon at Wetherall where we took the footpath over the railway viaduct offering views northwards down the Eden valley.

Several hills and another navigational error later and we were in Langwathby, our furthest point south, at the station café for lunch - a nice enough café even if a little slow on service.

The return trip was not without incident - a tumble into the verge in the face of an oncoming tractor for one rider, and a slip on a 20% gradient bend for another! Margie turned off to meet family part way back to Brampton leaving four of us to complete the ride. Altogether a great day out on generally very quiet roads.