Last updated 10:00, Thursday, 08 May 2008

Cycling with Gordon Brown

pretty Calderbridge: This leads on to Calder Abbey, formertly a Cistercian monastic house dating from the 12th Century

MAP: OS Landranger 89, West Cumbria.

ROUTE: Sellafield railway station-Calderbridge village-Calder Abbey-Cold Fell Road-Wath Brow-C2C Cycleway (Cleator Moor to Whitehaven section).

APPROXIMATE DISTANCE: 20 miles (30 kilometres).

REFRESHMENTS: Sellafield Centre, Calderbridge (pubs and post office shop), Cleator Moor (various), Whitehaven numerous).

THE RIDE: Ancient and modern are linked on the first couple of miles as we view the giant Sellafield nuclear fsite and pop into the Sellafield Centre to view the exhibition and have a bite to eat before cycling just short of a further couple of miles through Calderbridge village to Calder Abbey.

From Sellafield railway station head uphill via the cycleway to the roundabout, where a right turn takes you to the Sellafield Centre on the right. After your visit here, use the same entrance by which you entered and turn right.

At the junction go left along a one-way road to Calderbridge traffic lights, with the 12th century Pelham House, which passed by marriage in the 14th century from the Punzon or Ponson family (hence the local parish name of Ponsonby) to the Stanleys, who held the seat for cenuries. Pelham House in recent times was an approved school and is now offices.

Carefully go right into the village with the Golden Fleece and St Bridget’s Church on the left and the Stanley Arms a short distance on the same side. At present at the former 18th century Fleece, a former coaching house, it is drinks during the day and a restaurant at night, while the Stanley Arms, dating to the 1800s, offers food noon to 4.30pm and 6pm to 9pm.

Between the Fleece and the church, built in 1842 to the design of Edmund Sharpe in red sandstone with a west tower, take the lane towards Ennerdale (eight miles). After a right-hand bend the road bends left, but keep straight on along the cul-de-sac signed lane to a right-hand track leading to Calder Abbey, formerly a Cistercian Monastic House dating from the 12th century. Only a few years ago there was an attractive leaflet in circulation and a daily public opening at a charge of £2.50 and £1 concessions for children and English Heritage members. But when I contacted English Heritage they did not have the abbey on their current list, and informed me it was now under private ownership.

English Heritage and the Lake District National Park Authority have both taken an interest in the building. Andrew Davison, of English Heritage, told me: “An emergency phase of consolidation to the chapter house and adjacent areas was undertaken with the help of English Heritage and the Lake District National Park Authority.

“Further consolidation to the nave arcade and other areas is urgently required.”

The abbey is not a listed building, but is a scheduled monument. The building, which I think ought to be open for public inspection, is one of our local gems and would make an ideal setting for a Christmas carol service.

Retrace your steps to the road junction and follow the bend we left. After a few yards, go right and follow the road signed Ennerdale 6 to start one of the most wonderful rides in the borough. The undulating road has views of mountain, forestry and valleys. Time will depend on ability and type of bicycle. As a pensioner, I took two hours over the job, but I am sure a road club would be over there in around 20 minutes.

After passing the right-hand Swinside Stone Circle, about which little is celebrated and where a farmer once moved the stones but someone put them back in place, you eventually reach the road junction, where the way is right to Ennerdale.

We have been there before and I think we have had a good run even to here, so go left along the road to Wath Brow Bridge.

Stop at the lovely stone bridge, where there are seats to rest and watch the babbling River Ehen, part of which is followed on the road. Over the bridge climb to another junction at the side of the Little Arms. Right for a few yards to take the road on the left, opposite the mission church, into Cleator Moor. The town has been described in a previous article in the series, but if you want a look at some interesting sculptures relating to history have a walk around the vicinity of the Town Hall and Library.

This is the side of the main road where a turn is made into Jacktrees Road. At the far end of the general shop, go down the rough road and bend left with it alongside allotments to the right-hand start of part of the C2C cycleway. Through the barrier, reach the cycleway after a few yards and go left.

Follow the blue train-shaped signs to Whitehaven, a mostly downhill run of just over five miles and just over eight kilometres.

I have been greatly impressed by the recent addition of street lights on the cycleway stretch through Mirehouse. An official of an organisation dealing with cycleways before the present Sustrans told me that people should not cycle at night. How ridiculous can you get! If you cycle to a place in the light and it goes dark while you are there, you are left with no alternative!

If there was more lighting on the cycleways, particularly at barriers and gates, it would be a great boon. As I said in the last article, which also finished in Whitehaven, it is an interesting Georgian town to view with a lovely harbour and several attractions, but check the timetable if using the railway station to get home.