Hill climbs by bike

The last three weeks have seen me hill climbing by bike on three days. The first occasion was crossing the two mountain passes over the centre of Arran; a Scottish island in the Firth of Clyde. The next was going up Long Mynd in Shropshire. Yesterday I went with a friend on an old-fashioned train, with loads of room for bikes, along the Settle-Carlisle line to Kirby Stephen. The train journey was quite good enough, the cycling was stunning. Our circular route was greatly aided by a wind that stayed behind or beside us for much of the day. Climbing up to the Tan Hill Inn, which at 1732 feet is England's highest hostelry, had its rewards! As we arrived at the pub there was squalling drizzle and light showers: on depature, after soup and chips, the sky had cleared and the head-wind only hit us for the downward drop towards Keld, serving as a gentle brake. Then it felt like we were swept up Swaledale by the stiff breeze. The five minute, three mile plummet back to Kirby was too steep and swift for the weather to aid or inhibit.

After the Festival

I had a happy and contented time at Greenbelt, the Christian Arts Festival at Cheltenham; music, friends, comedy, art, worship, seminars and the setting itself all contributed to it being a wonderful six days. I helped out a bit with some of the things the Visions worship group from York were doing -- one task involved me presiding at a Eucharist dressed in an orange boiler suit, Guantanemo Bay style. I think some of the symbolism got lost since the outfit looked more red than orange, and the handcuffs came off early on in the service, once I had prayed a prayer of absolution from inside a cardboard box!

So now the final third of the year has arrived. This month is going to be a gentle balancing act between; completing my upgrade chapter to convert the MPhil to a PhD, going on a chaplains conference, 'intro week' for new students, and taking some annual leave.