Medium Steady Ride
The Group: Yvonne, Gia, James, Kevin and Paul
The Route: Knox, Hampsthwaite, Birstwith, Hartwith Toll Bridge, Stripe Lane, Brimham, Sawley, Fountains, Studley Deer Park, Tates Garden Centre
The Weather: It was fine when we started off but we soon went through a series of heavy showers
It’s a lovely 38 mile route but unfortunately we didn’t get the views we usually do due to the weather. Yvonne set the pace and along with James kept us motivated to continue following the route rather than looking for a quick way home. Kevin and myself were tempted to stop at G&Ts but Yvonne and Gia were so focussed on Eggs Florentine at Tates that we had to continue. Tates was exceptionally busy so we had a wait for our coffee. However, I must say the staff were really efficient and working hard so the wait wasn’t too bad. The Eggs Florentine looked good so it was worth continuing rather than heading home. While waiting we shared photos of our grandchildren who were either starting Primary School, High School or Sixth Form.
Route Home: We discussed which was the quickest way to Ripley. Was it Fountains and Watergate Lane or going Littlethorpe, Bishop Monkton and Markington? So it was decided that James would head back to Knaresborough, Gia, Kevin and Yvonne via Markington and myself via Fountains and we would see which was the quickest way. For future reference it’s via Fountains. A good
ride and good company.
Wanderers Ride
After the driest summer any of us have known – even me – my ride started properly wet. I unwisely put my lovely big cape back in the car. Live in hope, die in despair !
With about a dozen willing victims, we split into two groups from the start. This was augmented in Bilton and again in Ripley, where we all set off together and trusted Scarah Bank to split us up, which it did. Our first stop was at St Mary’s Church at Fountains, where we couldn’t get in but could shelter from the elements in the porch. This church was designed in the Victorian Gothic style by William Burges and built from 1870 at the expense of Henrietta, the wife of Lord Ripon as a memorial to her younger brother, Frederick Grantham Vyner, murdered in Greece.
Onwards to Ripon, where Tim pointed out the former home of Wilfred Owen, the war poet, on Borrage Lane. The first group rode on to the cathedral where we waited for the second to catch up. But no, they missed the turn, favouring the bypass, and allowing me to claim the record for the most riders lost on a ride ! Abandoning them to their fate, we stopped again at the leper chapel before leaving Ripon on the Sharow road, stopping again at the sanctuary cross. We, not being lost, continued straight through Sharow exiting by a pretty bridleway to Copt Howick. The others didn’t. We reached Skelton on Ure and turned along a gravel path lined with dark yew and beech trees to the church of Christ the Consoler (the only church so dedicated). This was built, again by Burges in the Victorian Gothic style, paid for by the widowed Lady Mary Vyner in memory of her youngest son, Frederick Vyner. Frederick and his aristocratic companions had been taken for ransom by Greek brigands on their way back to Athens from the site of the battle of Marathon in April 1870. The brigands demanded a ransom of one million drachma – today of the order of £1m – and an amnesty for their crime. This provoked international outrage, the Greek government sent in the army and the hostages were all shot. So the ransom which Lady Mary had raised was never spent, being used instead to build this church in Frederick’s memory.
We in the first second group finally caught up with the second first group at the Hive. They had finished lunch but waited for a brief history of the churches. Then, after Colin’s ribald repartee brought a blush – nay, more a fire – to Nicci’s cheeks, they were on their way. We followed a few minutes behind in the usual way, a process of gradual attrition as we all took our own ways home and I reached the showground alone. About 40 miles – ish, better to count the laughs than the distance. Thanks, everyone. It was fun.
EG’s Ride
The very poor weather forecast didn’t deter four hardy EG’s from venturing out. In the morning drizzle we decided Tadcaster via Tockwith and Wighill was a suitable destination, hoping to have lunch in Walkers Kitchen on the High Street. Unfortunately, we found the café is closed on a Wednesday but the Lemon Tree proved to be its usual reliable self. It was now almost sunny as we headed to Bramham. Quite how we got from Bramham to Collingham I’m not quite sure, but most of us had to admit that there was a section of road we had never been on before. A sudden downpour caused us to take shelter under a handy tree and causing us to have and extra stop in Wetherby before returning back to Knaresborough. 40 miles and a great way to spend a damp summers day.
