Probably the best short ride…in the world!
If Carlsberg did “Short Rides” then this would’ve been a contender, world class back-marker, stunning scenery, sunny weather, challenging hill climbs, great company & the best scones ever!
It all started, as usual, at the Showground, I’d selected Route 35 from the website which, I found out yesterday, is quite hilly. Undeterred by the gradients, a perfect half dozen (including myself) presented for duty. Between myself & Gordon, a wonderful back-marker, Sarah, Monica, Kevin & Dennis made up the engine room. We made the steady, yet deceptive, climb away from the Showground, past M&S and out to Yew Tree Lane. Pausing only briefly for a quick register (all present & correct) we turned left and had soon left Burn Bridge in our wake before regrouping at Harrogate Road. It’s always a relief (to me at least) to make it over the roundabout and then onto Walton Head Lane in one piece. Continuing on to Kirby Overblow we took a left at the Star & Garter and meandered serenely along Swindon Lane. Spring has clearly “Sprung” and the verges & hedgerows were blanketed in primroses, bluebells & cowslips, overhead the joyous sound of birdsong filled the air. Our second incursion onto the A61 was relatively incident free, Monica suggested splitting into two groups, which we did and this worked really well, thanks Monica! We were now safely onto Weeton Lane and continued on through the lovely village of Weeton, turning right to head towards the railway bridge and the A658. Although the climb up to Almscliffe Crag is a challenge, “King of the Mountains” (Dennis) ate up the change in elevation and in no time he had led us up to a wonderful vista over magnificent Wharfedale. After pausing for photos, snacks & well earned drinks (another Carlsberg moment!) we ventured on, taking a right at Gindhill Lane then following Greenmires past the model airplane club onto Otley Road. With the scent of Horticap coffee & cheese scones in our nostrils, Kevin offered to lead us off the main road via Briscoe Ridge Lane, a lovely diversion much enjoyed by all, thanks Kevin! A speedy descent of Shaw Lane led us to Beckwithshaw. Dennis left us at Whinney Lane so it was five hungry & thirsty riders who parked up at Horticap to enjoy coffee, scones & teacakes. The cream cheese & chutney, served with the “Scone of the day” (cheese & tomato) was declared a triumph and three of us awarded it 10 (out of 10) Sarah’s scores have yet to be received as she ordered take away instead! Great company and a wide range of conversation topics (road surfaces, food waste, new builds & steroids to name but a few!) filled a lovely final half hour. Monica & Sarah headed back via Otley Road while myself, Kevin & Gordon turned down Whinney Lane then back towards the Showground.
Thank you to all of you for your support, positivity & banter! Probably the best short ride…in the world!
By the time I got home it was 25 miles of riding with 1624ft of climbing, great fun!
Wednesday Wanderers
10 merry wanderers a wandering they did go! A wonderful sunny morning to enjoy our beautiful countryside with a couple of “on purpose” changes…. just to make sure everyone was following and wide awake – well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it!
Being mindful of traffic flow 2 groups ambled along, keeping a good distance between them, admiring cherry blossom and bluebells. Ladies first and the gentleman following with the kind offer of not rushing off ahead in case there were any punctures or other such matters needing their care. We had a table for all 10 of us at Tankreds and had a leisurely lunch hour with the usual banter and laughter before heading back home. This time the leader behaved and took us back the planned route.
A great ride and lovely company, thank you all. 44 miles door to door for me and 1700ft climbing. Diane W
Medium Steady Ride
Happy St Georges Day. Fine weather, a great route and a cheerful band of 8 riders – the report writes itself. Apart from a small detour along Westbourne Avenue instead of St Georges Road ( no offence to the Saint), the leader most unusually stuck rigidly to the prescribed route. A great route indeed once we reached the A59 crossing to Hampsthwaite with view after view of lovely Nidderdale in Springtime. From Hampsthwaite the route is mostly steady climbing up to Menwith Hill and then a delightful descent form Menwith Hill Road along Moorcock Lane almost to Darley and then Dairy Lane up to Dacre. This was, for me, the loveliest stretch of all – quiet, pretty rolling lanes with wonderful views. After the short pull up to Summerbridge we eschewed climbing Hartwith Bank, but turned right for a mile or so to Birchfield Farm Cafe. I have had ice creams here many times not realising it was also a very diverse and reasonably priced cafe – I recommend the BLT. Immediately afterwards, we all sort of regretted calorie loading as we climbed up through Hartwith to Brimham Rocks Road but then it was a descent to Burnt Yates and Clint and through Ripley Woods, the Greenway and home. The bluebells in Ripley woods are probably at their peak – so don’t miss them
35 miles. Route 239 is a cracker and right on our doorstep.
Alternative Medium Brisk Ride
An alternative ride was suggested that partly followed the well-known “Jill’s Hills” route. Up to Norwood with the temperature rising & then along to Otley. The weather was smashing & favoured those in bib shorts & mitts rather than leggings & overshoes (madness). Tim R & Mike O pulled off the route quite soon leaving 7 to view Wharfedale looking fabulous from the top of Langbar. Down to Outside The Box where the service was as friendly & quirky as usual. On the way home dark clouds formed in the distance but we remained dry as we climbed Askwith Lane/Moor Lane, past Timble & before the usual pain of Penny Pot at the end. 49 miles. April can be hit & miss. Today it was a “hit”. Tall Tim
Away Day Ride
Postponing last week was a good call. Today we were rewarded by sunshine, clear skies and wonderful distant views. With 18 riders we divided into two 9’s on a first ready, first off basis. The spring flowers were out by the roadside : going up to Tosside I saw marsh marigolds, greater stitchwort, cuckoo flowers, and of course lesser celandines and dandelions by the million. Traffic was almost absent. It worked out around one car/van/tractor every 5 miles ! Sadly, we didn’t spot a single hobbit – I think they heard us coming. But we had lambs in abundance.
Thankfully, the gravel I warned of from an earlier recce had gone – whether swept by the council or natural erosion, we were grateful – and we arrived at Elaine’s without incident, just a bit tired and hungry. The coffee machine had broken down – I’m sure between us we had the tools and expertise to fix it – but everyone seemed to find something to their liking. Although the service was quick, we were still there an hour, just talking and resting !
We stopped briefly in Giggleswick to see the parish church of St. Alkelda. One of only two churches in Yorkshire, indeed the world, dedicated to her, her death by strangulation is depicted in a stained glass window. She was a Saxon princess and Abbess of religious houses in Giggleswick and Middleham, and she was set upon and killed by two very ugly Viking women, who had lots of excellent and very durable gods of their own. Think Tue’sday, Woden’s day, Thor’s day and Freya’s day. They’re still around !
We also contemplated the Royal arms of George ll , notably the depiction of the lion’s face. Yorkshire being fresh out of lions in 1716, the painter had to be creative, and seems to have grafted his mother in law’s face on to a ginger tom.
Thence up to the main road very briefly before taking the cycle path along Settle Riviera and past Settle Docks, where for once the Ribble was too low even for Pooh – sticks. Out and across the A65 through Rathmell, Wigglesworth and up to Dunhazels, then a lovely descent of about 5 miles back to Bolton – by – Bowland.
All home safely ! About 8, from the two groups, drove to Holden Clough nurseries for hot drinks and cakes, and I managed to find a good specimen of Anthemis tinctoria ‘sauce hollandaise’. Result ! Mike (the vet)
Away Day – Group 2
The weather that greeted us on arrival at Bolton-by-Bowland exceeded today’s forecast, never mind that of 7 days earlier, so luckily postponing for a week proved to be a good call. The ride had been billed as a tour of Middle Earth, somewhere between Yorkshire and Lancashire apparently, and more ’The Shire’ than Mordor thankfully, but wonderful views nonetheless. Not wishing to push things too far, but we even had our own wizard; in this case of the route-planning sort. Anyway, 18 riders had assembled and shortly after the first lot had left the second group set off in a northerly direction. The first section was somewhat undulating with occasional short, sharp gradients, with views continually unfolding as we maintained our northerly heading with at least two of the Three Peaks in the distance most of the time. And virtually no traffic at all until we crossed the A65 into Austwick at about 20 miles. From there it was a short ride to lunch at Feizor (albeit including a short ride along the A65 and one last climb) where we finally caught up with the first group. After lunch the weather had closed in a little but the bulk of the climbing had been done and we enjoyed a fast descent down to Settle and from there back out onto the quiet country roads. We had one last climb and then it was all downhill back to B-b-B for the last 3 miles, with perfect gradients such that neither pedals nor brakes were much needed. Thanks to Mike C for yet another fine route and for organising the day which was much enjoyed by all. For the record it was nearly 38 miles and about 3100ft for me. Doug H
EG’s Ride
On this St George’s day at least the forecast was potentially favourable as four EG’s gathered at our usual meeting spot Low Bridge.
The preferred route was to be flat and Easingwold soon agree upon. Setting off, negotiating around construction works along Abbey Road, we soon progressed towards the toll bridge at Aldwark.
The pace was kept steady and we were able to continue through Tollerton and carefully dodging across the A19 staggered X Road, we soon arrived at Huby.
The wind continued light as we headed north but then turned east to skirt the village before swinging west again to enter Easingwold where the main street was noticeably uneven leading to difficulties negotiating our way into the market square.
“Tea-Hee’s” was the choice of eating place, sitting outside in the continuing sunshine.
Avoiding the current topics of tariff’s and warring nations, we attempted to solve the issues of advancing years over our beans on toast, which were surprisingly and disappointingly of some considerable cost. (nearly £10 inc pot of tea)
As we progressed on our return leg, black clouds accompanied our view of the horizon, as we anticipated possible showers that had been forecast. Thankfully the rain held off as we paused in Boroughbridge for a short break.
It was noticeable, however, that the final leg was accompanied by, once again cloudy conditions with inexplicably changeable cooler conditions but we returned up to Sandy bank still in dry conditions.
Here, pausing, Dave S. was mindful to go to the assistance of, what appeared to be a struggling female cyclist wheeling her machine up the hill along the road from Farnham. Upon enquiring turned out to be an independent young man who, carefully easing their leg over the saddle, headed off in his own way, not needing our help at all.
We had managed to achieve a credible 50 miles, or there about and for a change remained warm, contrary to our last couple of adventures.
Thanks go to Dave S., Phil. & Geoff for their contribution to a good ride. Dave W.
