Leeds to Scarborough Saturday September 24: The Yorkshire Adventure

[mike3121]

That route looks a cracker. I've been keeping an eye on this thread as I'd love to do it, but the logistics of work etc in September are still an unknown so I haven't thrown my hat into the ring yet.

As a local who has cycled much of this route may I offer the following observations..........

1) For history lovers, the route passes the site of the Battle of Towton (War of the Roses) just south of Towton at mile 16. There is a battle field "trail" here with information boards at various points. Well worth an hour of your time if that kind of thing rings your bell.
2) The route immediately after Towton (miles 17 to 18) is on farm tracks. For people with skinny tyres it may be worthwhile staying on the A162 north from Towton for half a mile, then turning right onto the B1223.
3) The route from Mile 18 to Cawood is flatter than a flat thing that has been run over by the worlds biggest steamroller. For lovers of all things flat, this will be the happiest 6 miles of their lives.
4) Re' a potential cafe stop in Cawood. A mile before the village at around mile 23 you pass the Cawood Park caravan site on your right, with Mrs B's Lakeside Kitchen. I've not been there personally, but have heard good things about it from friends who live locally. It might be worthwhile forewarning them so they can get sufficient sausage rolls in.
5) The route between Stamford Bridge & Malton (miles 42 to 54) is, for my money, one of the most fantastically scenic bits of riding anywhere in this part of the country, It's rolling countryside, but nothing too challenging. The scenery around there is stunning, and I hope you get a bright day to be able to appreciate it.
6) And for people with time to kill the following day, there's always the old cinder track from Scarborough to Whitby. This can be a bit rough & boggy in places for skinny tyres, but takes in some beautiful scenery and coastline. Robin Hoods Bay, if you are able to get that far, is surreal.

Interesting read

regarding point number 6, I have opted to stay in Scarborough for a week, arriving by car, so I might take my hybrid with me to and if the other half dosent object to much give this route a go

 

[growingvegetables]

1) For history lovers, the route passes the site of the Battle of Towton (War of the Roses) just south of Towton at mile 16. There is a battle field "trail" here with information boards at various points. Well worth an hour of your time if that kind of thing rings your bell.

For the history lovers with a meditative streak, in the middle of a field just before Towton (opposite The Crooked Billet), the Ramblers' Church. Simple, peaceful, rough hewn, and astonishingly beautiful. Well ---- I think so! One of my favourite places ....... anywhere!

"Since being rescued by a group of walkers in 1931, St Mary's has been known as the Ramblers’ Church. The repairs made then are recorded on the back of the church door. The church stands alone in the middle of a field filled with the bumps and furrows of earthworks that indicate the site of a Medieval manor house, for which St Mary’s was probably originally the chapel."

 

[Pale Rider]

Interesting read

regarding point number 6, I have opted to stay in Scarborough for a week, arriving by car, so I might take my hybrid with me to and if the other half dosent object to much give this route a go

The track is rough in places, I was pushing a couple of times but a more confident rider could probably stop on.

The track can also be muddy, so rather than get your hybrid filthy away from home, you could hire a mountain bike from here:

http://www.trailways.info/cycle-hire

 

[nickyboy]

Not only does our route go through Towton, site of one of the major battles in the War of the Roses, we also go through Stamford Bridge. This is the site of the battle between the English and the Vikings who had sailed up the Ouse

http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/The-Battle-of-Stamford-Bridge/

Seems our visit will coincide with reenactment celebrations of the 950th anniversary. So pikestaffs at the ready.......

 

[middleagecyclist]

Would like to join you on this one please. One route suggestion as an ex Scarborough local. At about 73 miles leave the busy A170/Seamer Road/Stoney Haggs Rd/A64 option at East/West Ayton and take the quiet road through Forge Valley nature reserve and onto Low Road/Lady Edith's Drive into Scarborough. A much more pleasant route and a fine cycling option.

 

[nickyboy]

Would like to join you on this one please. One route suggestion as an ex Scarborough local. At about 73 miles leave the busy A170/Seamer Road/Stoney Haggs Rd/A64 option at East/West Ayton and take the quiet road through Forge Valley nature reserve and onto Low Road/Lady Edith's Drive into Scarborough. A much more pleasant route and a fine cycling option.

Thanks for the rerouting suggestion. You're on the list on post#1

Edit: with your local knowledge do you think the best way to the seafront once we exit Lady Edith's Drive is A171/A64 through the middle of the town? It's quite busy but seems the best way to get to the S end of the seafront section.

I'm keen on us riding that bit as going past the funfair and tacky shops is fun and we can all pretent to be Tour de Yorkshire participants as the seafront was the finish of this year's Stage (?) 2

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt5VXQWHmL0


It's also a good way to get to the chip shop which is located near Peasholm Park; North Bay Fisheries

 

[middleagecyclist]

Thanks for the rerouting suggestion. You're on the list on post#1

Edit: with your local knowledge do you think the best way to the seafront once we exit Lady Edith's Drive is A171/A64 through the middle of the town? It's quite busy but seems the best way to get to the S end of the seafront section.

I'm keen on us riding that bit as going past the funfair and tacky shops is fun and we can all pretent to be Tour de Yorkshire participants as the seafront was the finish of this year's Stage (?) 2

It's also a good way to get to the chip shop which is located near Peasholm Park; North Bay Fisheries

Can suggest various roads thru town. The sea front is at...well...sea level. If you wish to end at Peasholm Park after riding along the front there will be a bit of a climb to the chippie. Also, the TdY video show the riders going South Bay to North Bay around the Castle foot. Is this the direction you want to travel? Let me know and i'll give you a couple of ideas for routes.

 

[NorthernDave]

I'm keen on us riding that bit as going past the funfair and tacky shops is fun and we can all pretent to be Tour de Yorkshire participants as the seafront was the finish of this year's Stage (?) 2

It would be good fun if we could do that. We might even get a cheer or two!

 

[ColinJ]

I did the TdYs and we did indeed come in from the south. We nipped up Oliver's Mount (which was great, and well worth offering as an optional extra towards the end of this ride) and then we did South Bay, Castle Foot, North Bay (and then to the park to pick up our medals).

 

[nickyboy]

Can suggest various roads thru town. The sea front is at...well...sea level. If you wish to end at Peasholm Park after riding along the front there will be a bit of a climb to the chippie. Also, the TdY video show the riders going South Bay to North Bay around the Castle foot. Is this the direction you want to travel? Let me know and i'll give you a couple of ideas for routes.

Yes, S Bay to N Bay around the foot of the castle is what I want to do. The climb to the chippy isn't really a climb, it's about 3% and I hope the prospect of exceedingly good fish and chips will provide sufficient motivation. My route drop down to the seafront next to Valley Park and that's the way I would prefer as it gives the full "Scarborough Experience" in doing so

 

[middleagecyclist]

Yes, S Bay to N Bay around the foot of the castle is what I want to do. The climb to the chippy isn't really a climb, it's about 3% and I hope the prospect of exceedingly good fish and chips will provide sufficient motivation. My route drop down to the seafront next to Valley Park and that's the way I would prefer as it gives the full "Scarborough Experience" in doing so

Not much change to the route you have already then. From the roundabout on the A170 do not go down Falsgrave. Instead turn right onto A64 then immediate left down St James Rd to Valley Rd and follow this all the way to South Bay where you return to the route you have plotted. Nice flowing road with no traffic lights and less chance of standing traffic. Looking forward to it.

 

[NorthernDave]

Just a couple of thoughts about the train, for those of us looking at coming back that way.
I was on a TP Express train yesterday and the cycle space is very definitely two bikes only - essentially a space just inside the door of coach A with 4 sideways fold up seats that make way for two bikes. It seems that you're expected to prop your bike against another one up against the folded seats with nothing to support them and then pull an extending barrier out (like in a cinema queue) to stop them falling over into the gangway.
The provision is a bit poor to say the least when you compare it with the excellent cycling facilities on the (older) Class 333 trains on the Ilkley - Leeds line, for example.

It's also slightly worrying to read on their website that:
"The conductor reserves the right to refuse carriage of cycles where services are exceptionally busy (in accordance with the National Rail Conditions of Carriage)."

One other thought, if anyone has an answer - is it worth upgrading to First Class? it looks like it would only cost an extra £6 or so if booked far enough in advance, but the main benefit I can see if a more comfortable seat and somewhere to plug your phone in. For me the big concern is that the First Class section is at the opposite end of the train to the bike storage.
The website states "free" refreshments, although this seems to be just tea / coffee and biscuits, and then only between York and Manchester. The section from Scarborough to York appears to be catering free.

 

[nickyboy]

They dont usually have a first class on those trains, it tends to be just standard and thats it.
I'd just put the bike on further up the train if there was an issue and by the time it had set off there would be little that could be done. I've never seen a bike getting kicked off late on a night.
Whever you have the bike you will have to stay with it otherwize it could be stolen.

My hope is that train staff at Scarborough have a similar relaxed attitude to bikes on trains as they do at Llandudno. That is, reservations are nice but no problem if you don't have one so long as you don't cause a major obstruction in the carriage.

When I do my recce I will train it home from Scarborough so I will have a quiet chat with the Station manager to see what he thinks. In any case I suspect we will have some folk leaving quite soon after the fish and chips, some after a few beers, some the next morning and some (like me) in the afternoon so I don't think we will have a lot of bikes rocking up for the same train

ps. very disappointed in lack of 1st class service but I shall bear it stoically. And to raise the tone somewhat .....sufferance is the badge of all our tribe

 

[rich p]

My hope is that train staff at Scarborough have a similar relaxed attitude to bikes on trains as they do at Llandudno. That is, reservations are nice but no problem if you don't have one so long as you don't cause a major obstruction in the carriage.

When I do my recce I will train it home from Scarborough so I will have a quiet chat with the Station manager to see what he thinks. In any case I suspect we will have some folk leaving quite soon after the fish and chips, some after a few beers, some the next morning and some (like me) in the afternoon so I don't think we will have a lot of bikes rocking up for the same train

ps. very disappointed in lack of 1st class service but I shall bear it stoically. And to raise the tone somewhat .....sufferance is the badge of all our tribe

...reservations
...our tribe
I'm sensing a theme here Nicky.
Let's hope the train service isn't Apache one

 

[NorthernDave]

...reservations
...our tribe
I'm sensing a theme here Nicky.
Let's hope the train service isn't Apache one

Or we might have to Sioux?