Ashness Bridge - Watendlath - Lodore Falls: Lake District National Park
Watendlath Bridge
Ashness Bridge
Riding routes I avoid in the tourist season. It’s a leg-warmer to pedal up to the ever-popular Watendlath Bridge, passing over the lower Ashness Bridge. Plenty of flow in the beck making Lodore Falls roar, and a treat to visit almost alone. Even the road round the far side of Derwent Water under Catbells was quiet.
More photos: Ashness Bridge - Watendlath - Lodore Falls: Lake District National Park
Newlands - Buttermere - Whinlatter: Lake District National Park
Ride up Newlands Valley from Keswick, the narrow road beautifully clear of traffic. A bitter wind at the col but plenty of flow in the waterfall.
Sunny intervals round Buttermere and Crummock Water then Lorton and back over Whinlatter Pass. Snow lingering in the gullies on distant Helvellyn.
The window in the weather didn’t last so although that was my first ride of 2026 on my Ninja Z250SL, it wasn’t a long one.
More photos: Newlands - Buttermere - Whinlatter: Lake District National Park
Fresh snow on Skiddaw - Lake District National Park
A light dusting overnight of fresh snow on Skiddaw (931 m.)
HMS Pinafore - ENO at the London Coliseum
Mel Giedroyc, John Savournin, Neal Davies, Matthew Kofi Waldren, Thomas Atkins, Henna Mun
H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor,
Comic opera in two acts, music by Arthur Sullivan, libretto by W. S. Gilbert.
The Mikado was the first opera I ever saw performed live, this was a school production where the thrill was as much seeing our teachers let their hair down as the music or the script. Possibly that’s as much the authentic tradition of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Savoy operas as a polished London production. Whether that first experience encouraged or quelled my interest in opera is impossible to say but tonight’s English National Opera revival of HMS Pinafore at the London Coliseum was top-notch in terms of music, staging and costumes. The ENO chorus were exceptional with their ensemble and choreography, including an acrobatics specialist.
Château Langoa Barton 2004, Saint-Julien (Médoc)
Bottle of the 2005 vintage from a château favoured for his cellar by my Father in recognition of the name Barton, the same as our neighbours’ in Trumpington, Cambridge.
ATR 72
Boarding ATR72 at Roland-Garros airport, La Réunion. Cargo at the front, self-loading freight (passengers) to rear.
Tropical fair weather clouds
And so back to the UK, my first leg was on an ATR 72 turbo-prop plane, pressurised cabin and flying up to about 4250 m. to Mauritius. Cramped and noisy compared to a jet. Amazing to think that before jet travel to La Réunion it was planes more basic than this which forged the routes.
Cilaos crater hike, Forêt du Grand Matarum GR R1 - Parc national de La Réunion
Piton des Neiges (3070 m.), view from Cilaos (1150 m.)
View of Cilaos village from GR R1. Indian Ocean horizon beyond the crater.
Hiking up the inside of the volcanic crater from the town of Cilaos on the GR R1 long-distance hiking route. This, the Forêt du Grand Matarum, is primal tropical forest, never harvested. But all the species have arrived from somewhere since the volcano went quiet so there’s a hotchpotch of trees and plants we know from Europe plus many from elsewhere.
More photos: Cilaos crater hike, Forêt du Grand Matarum GR R1 - Parc national de La Réunion
Tropical bikers - Road of 400 bends - Île de la Réunion
No, not bikers on Mars. This is one group I talked with at Plaine des Sables (2347 m.) on the recently-active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise. These riders like four cylinders, think 600cc is enough for la Réunion and were wearing safety kit. Up in the clouds but really bright: UV Index 10 and +22°C.
Restricted as a tourist to four wheels plus pedalling a mountain bike when I can hire one, I’m deeply envious seeing Sunday bikers riding out on the fantastically engineered roads across the centre of Réunion Island and up in to the cirques and volcanic craters. The landscape of the Piton de la Fournaise looks like Mars, except it has cars and daisies. There was volcanic activity here just last weekend,
More photos: Tropical bikers - Road of 400 bends - Île de la Réunion
Route forestière de la Roche Merveilleuse, Cilaos - Parc national de La Réunion
I hired the only hardtail bike available in Cilaos, a Scott Aspect 50. There’s a forest bike park just outside the town with a selection of graded trails. Unfortunately the road tyres and brakes really won’t do that - I turned back after 10 m. down one of the red trails. So just the loop up to 1500 m. altitude on the forest road, but good enough to ride through cloud forest of Cryptomeria trees with the track lined with Ginger plants.
Cilaos (1150 m.) also has a mini BMX pump track, hidden and away from tourists. The locals made space for my efforts, then showed me much more. Anyhow great to feel the Gs of a different track to Keswick and Marseille and the bike was fine for that.
More photos: Route forestière de la Roche Merveilleuse, Cilaos - Parc national de La Réunion
Mafate volcano crater rim hike - Parc national de La Réunion
Piton des Neiges (3070 m.) on left, view from Le Maïdo
Hiking the Grand Bord, part of the rim of the Mafate volcano crater on the Indian Ocean island of La Réunion. Hike from the Le Maïdo parking (2205 m.) on the Route de la Glacière to an overlook at 2414 m.on the Grand Bord. A specific climate zone, plentiful sunshine (UV Index 15 today) plus moisture and temperatures result in small leaves and flowers on vegetation that is hardened to the conditions.
More photos: Mafate volcano crater rim hike - Parc national de La Réunion
Lagoon - Savannah - Black Rock. Île de la Réunion.
Finding and following an old track across the savane (savannah) marked with black rocks either side was the highlight of this ride on the west side of Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean.
More photos: Lagoon - Savannah - Black Rock. Île de la Réunion.
Tropical trees - Île de la Réunion
Nothing visual says “tropical” more directly than flowering trees. These are a few from St. Gilles les Bains, on the east of the Indian Ocean island of La Réunion. And of course some tropical palm trees.
Go RR in the Var
Last ride of 2025 on my CBR600RR in Provence. Blue sky and temperatures 15°C or so. Out to the Var département, passing the Circuit du Castellet. I found a route around the vineyards of Côtes de Provence and then back over Ste. Baume.
