Calling North Yorkshire Chatters.

[postman]

Ok i am planning a ride for this summer.Scarborough,my fave seaside.But i want to add a bit of different scenery.So me and Dave with our bikes are going by train to Thirsk.Then the plan is.
Thirsk
Sowerby
Bagby
Kilburn look at the White horse.
Helmsley
Kirbymoorside
Pickering
Scarborough.
That according to a route planner is about 48 mile.I would like to leave Thirsk about 11-00.
What is the route like is it hilly in places.
Advice and help appreciated.You got us out of York and onto Stamford Bridge last year so keep up the good work.

 

[ColinJ]

Were you planning on taking the A170 all the way from Helmsley to Scarborough?

I look at that kind of road on the map and immediately think that it will probably be busy. I did a quick Google and the first result talked about a fatal accident and how busy the road is ...

 

[vernon]

Of course it's hilly! You have a seven mile ascent from when you cross the A19 with the steepest bit from Kilburn up past the White Horse on White Horse bank until you get to the top of the escarpement. The good news is then it's more or less a continuous descent into Helmsley with a suitable array of pie shops, cafes and pubs and the rest of the route is undemanding apart from the busy periods on the A170 - not my first choice of roads. See if you can find alternatives.

 

[Dangermouse]

Looks like you will be going up Sutton bank, all I can say is................take oxygen, that is one serious climb that goes on for miles

 

[Dangermouse]

Sutton bank


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1KBNW1W3ps

 

[ComedyPilot]

Like others have said, apart from the A170 there's no other reasonably direct road from Thirsk east to Scarborough. Scarborough, although nice (if you like that sort of thing) isn't the easiest/safest place to approach on a bike from the north or west due to the North Yorkshire moors. The only roads are the A170, A64 or A171. Other than that is it detour city just to get off what are feeder roads for people to get in/out of the town.

 

[postman]

Ok thank you all.I will take another look.Plenty of time.

 

[vernon]

Looks like you will be going up Sutton bank, all I can say is................take oxygen, that is one serious climb that goes on for miles

Wrong!

The OP's route does not include Sutton Bank....

There's a narrow road that runs from Kilburn and it steepens considerably as it approaches the White Horse itself. It levels out to the right of the gliding club and the worst of the climbing on the ride is over. If I remember correctly there's some seats by the the road near the White Horse.

As for Sutton Bank it's not something that I'd take on with the current level of traffic on the A170 it's doable - I did it in my late teens and I thought that I was going to cough up my lungs when I got to the top - the traffic levels were much lighter then.

 

[Poacher]

Big detour, but I much prefer the white horse in Beverley to the one at Kilburn........

 

[postman]

.Thanks all for your input,i have just spent a little time altering last years ride,changing the route from Burton Fleming,this should take a few miles out,down to 75 according to MapMyRide.I did spread a map out this morning on the table to look at Thirsk,not a good idea,so this should suit my buddy and we can manage this without too much trouble.I did speak to him this week about our speed and distances dropping off.
He was ok with my concerns,and about going out with our two faster friends,alls well that ends well,so they say.
I have planned a good seasons rides even though i say it myself.

 

[vernon]

Postie, you need to embrace Internet Technology

There's a whole host of sites out there that will plan, profile and log your routes leaving your paper maps as back ups.

For instance: This is how your abandoned ride to Scarborough looks on Mapmyride

And how it looks on www.ridewithgps.com

The beauty of these are that you can transfer the route to your smart phone and/or GPS.

 

[postman]

I have had a look at that.But i don't really do enough long rides for it to be of any use to me.I had to use my FB page to get in,but i have told them i will not be taking up their contract.about $50 per year.I thought it was free.

 

[ColinJ]

There are plenty of free sites, for example Bikely and Cycle-route.com.

 

[coffeejo]

And www.bike-hike.co.uk

 

[vernon]

I have had a look at that.But i don't really do enough long rides for it to be of any use to me.I had to use my FB page to get in,but i have told them i will not be taking up their contract.about $50 per year.I thought it was free.

They are both free. I've been using both for years and neither of them via Facebook.

It depends what you call long rides. I will plot local 10-20 mile loops with them. It's a great way to discover local unridden roads.