Blackberries and bike rides

So last weekend was nice, so we finally got to go blackberrying and cycling - which I've been trying to do for 2 weekends now.

Above Feizor

Saturday Tom had football practice, we thought we would have lunch at The Game Cock, but there was a wedding happening in Austwick and the pub was full, so we headed over to Feizor and had lunch there instead.  We then walked down into Austwick along the lanes until we hit blackberry alley.  There weren't as many blackberries as there have been in the past - but that was probably because we were a couple of weeks later than usual.  However, we managed to pick up 2.5lbs, considering we still have some in the freezer from last year, I think we'll be ok.

We got home to realise we didn't have anything handy for dinner, so we all had showers and then headed to Kirkby Lonsdale and Avanti for pizza.  

Sunday was nice too, so we put the bike carrier on the car and headed to Malham Tarn.  We parked up and cycled round it - was quite a nice circuit - tracks, off road and empty country lanes.  The first part was nice and flat, but then it got quite hilly, so it ended up being quite a work out for us all - we got back to the car feeling very virtuous having had some decent exercise.

We then headed down to Stainforth to try out a pub we haven't been to before.  The food and pub it self were fine, but the landlord was super grumpy, it always surprises me when people like him are in the service industry - how do they make that choice in the first place, and HOW does he manage to end up managing a pub?  It doesn't make any sense!  Luckily we had been warned that he was grumpy or I may have been more offended than I was!

We came out of the pub feeling wanting more exercise so we headed back to Austwick and did a bike ride around the lanes -  pretty much retracing our steps from yesterday.  We rode the lanes much quicker than we were expecting so I guess our fitness is getting better.

We then headed home for baths and tea.