Nice route through the lanes to Staindrop today then took the private estate road through to Ingleton. Saw my first swallow of the year while riding through there. Lots of water and mud still on the roads and some flooding in the fields but at last there's blossom about and the trees are coming into leaf. From Summerhouse went up to the top of Brussleton Bank on the Roman road which, true to type, crosses the contours at right angles. Would have been all downhill from there except I had to climb up to Kirk Merrington from Leasingthorne with the speedo refusing to show much above walking pace. 48 miles with 3,660 feet of climbing - felt like I'd done twice that.
Great being partially retired and getting out on a Monday when the roads and caffs are quieter.