Supermoon - super ride
Bonifacio, Corsica
CBR600RR embarking at Marseille
Heathrow - Marseille - Porto-Vecchio - Bonifacio - Sartène - Zonza - Col de Bavella - Porto-Vecchio - Marseille
Dawn flight from Heathrow then a sunset sailing to Corsica from Marseille with my CBR600RR for an unforgettable ride. An epic journey to the île de beauté and back to enjoy a November day of fine weather.
Col de Bavella (1218 m.) - Parc naturel régional de Corse
Crags and pines at the Col de Bavella (Foci di Bavedda), the pass is at 1218 m. so above the coastal cloud layer. The GR20 long-distance path crosses the paved road here.
The rock is described as an Ortho-gneiss, a classification of meta-igneous rock so a layered metamorphic rock but not a granite.
More photos: Col de Bavella (1218 m.) - Parc naturel régional de Corse
Bears United...will never be defeated
The revolution is coming: teddies are massing, waiting the call in their barracks disguised as toy shops. Don’t be misled by their cute faces and appealing eyes, these teddies are ruthless and will control the minds of humans. Their slogan: “Bears United...will never be defeated”.
Autumn pruning in Keswick - Lake District National Park
More autumn pruning of my garden hedges in Keswick to trim the spike growth and maintain the illusion that the garden is a seamless part of the Lake District countryside. Protection very necessary against the sharp needles on this Juniperus horizontalis, it smells like Juniper but grows and spreads as rapidly as a Leylandi, except that it stays low.
The ground-feeding birds - Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Thrush etc - appreciate my clearing the ground level where they can hide from the carnivore birds - Magpies, Rooks, Crows, Jackdaws etc - which threaten them. I distribute the cut branches for the insects but smaller cuttings don’t shred well so they end up bagged for a trip in the car to the council tip at Flusco Wood.
Glenderaterra Valley loop - Lake District National Park
Beck and waterfall below Blease Fell
Loop ride from Keswick to enjoy the sound of moorland running water - and ride through some of it. Ascent through Brunholme Woods, joining the dog walkers on the Cumbria Way at Latrigg Saddle. Technical path in to the Glenderaterra Valley through Lonscale Crags. Picnic at the head of the valley where the becks converge from Skiddaw, Lonscale Fell and Blencathra. There are bridges but fording is more fun and my cyclo-cross shoes drain readily. A long cruise down to Threlkeld. The railway path was busy so I chose the byway up to Wescoe, then the home run through the colours of Brundholme Woods. You see Glenderaterra Valley from the A66, it separates the Skiddaw and Blencathra massifs.
More photos: Glenderaterra Valley loop - Lake District National Park
Coffee by Ullswater - Lake District National Park
Riding a loop from Keswick to see the autumn colours, including the biker favourite road from Patterdale to Pooley Bridge in both directions. The lakeside road was dry and mostly clear of leaves, but not the day to wring the neck of my Ninja Z250SL. Pause for a lakeside coffee from my flask; then back via the old roads around Stainton, Newbiggin, Penruddock and the flanks of Blencathra.
The autumn colours were spectacular and the air warm enough in the sunny intervals. Happy to have seized the moment for a ride before the winter chill arrives.
More photos: Coffee by Ullswater - Lake District National Park
Marseille Beach ride
Sunday afternoon ride on my hardtail bike to the Marseille beaches. Busy in the October sunshine. Far too much competition to have a go on the Bowl du Prado BMX and skateboard facility.
Postcard and photoset from Menton
Postcard from Menton in the French style to introduce my set of photos of Menton, the “Pearl of the Rivera”. Menton is a Mediterranean town both French and Italian, a favourite of the British for many years. Fantastic light, fabulous gardens and free beaches.
Paradis des Praz - Chamonix-Mont Blanc
Wonderful woodland walk up the gorge of the River Arve, route known as Le Paradis des Praz. Calm and mysterious, away from the bustle of Chamonix and unaware of the Alpine granite giants in the clouds above. Fragrant and cool, always walking with the roar of the torrent alongside. We walked up the footpath from Chamonix-Mont Blanc (1038 m.) to Argentière (1250 m.) and returned on a narrow gauge (1.000 m.) train of the Mont-Blanc Express railway.
