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Married to Night Train
Darn it, I'd have liked to come on the recce ride, but I'll be away.
If it's after pedestrian hours, the easiest way out to the A1079 (you still planning to turn off down the Elvington Road just after the ring road?) would be:
From the West End of the Minster, ride down Low Petergate, past King's Square, into Colliergate, over the slightly offset crossroad (get in the right hand lane) into Foss Gate, over the Foss (noting on your left, the Blue Bicycle restaurant and cursing the cobbled bit at the brow of the bridge), straight into Walmgate, down Walmgate and through the city walls and onto Lawrence Street which becomes Hull Road and the A1079. It's pretty much a straight line.
Petergate is fairly pretty and medieval, although not as medieval as the Shambles - but I don't think you can ride down there at any time of day....
Lawrence Street and Hull Road, though, is not all that pretty and is a main road, although not utterly horrible except at rush hour. Nicer routes would be to head out through Osbaldwick - although I wouldn't necessarily like to use the Foss Islands bike path late at night - or to head through Heslington and the University. Actually, the new Heslington East campus is accessible now, with a lovely smooth cyclepath snaking through it - not done it at night though, but it does have streetlights and avoids using the road which is ok, but narrow and 40. Let me know if you want suggestions along these lines.
If you want any recommendations of hostelries for a pre-ride libation, let me know.
If it's after pedestrian hours, the easiest way out to the A1079 (you still planning to turn off down the Elvington Road just after the ring road?) would be:
From the West End of the Minster, ride down Low Petergate, past King's Square, into Colliergate, over the slightly offset crossroad (get in the right hand lane) into Foss Gate, over the Foss (noting on your left, the Blue Bicycle restaurant and cursing the cobbled bit at the brow of the bridge), straight into Walmgate, down Walmgate and through the city walls and onto Lawrence Street which becomes Hull Road and the A1079. It's pretty much a straight line.
Petergate is fairly pretty and medieval, although not as medieval as the Shambles - but I don't think you can ride down there at any time of day....
Lawrence Street and Hull Road, though, is not all that pretty and is a main road, although not utterly horrible except at rush hour. Nicer routes would be to head out through Osbaldwick - although I wouldn't necessarily like to use the Foss Islands bike path late at night - or to head through Heslington and the University. Actually, the new Heslington East campus is accessible now, with a lovely smooth cyclepath snaking through it - not done it at night though, but it does have streetlights and avoids using the road which is ok, but narrow and 40. Let me know if you want suggestions along these lines.
If you want any recommendations of hostelries for a pre-ride libation, let me know.
