@Nickyboy's Leeds to Scarborough Spectacular, brought to you by @I like Skol. 8th Sept 2018

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colly

Re member eR
Location
Leeds
Out around 8.20 and a quick run into Leeds Centre. got there about 8.30. Just a hint of rain on the way down but by the time I was at the Canal Basin in Leeds it was raining proper. Not hard but a steady gentle rain.

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@NorthernDave was the next to show and we chatted for 10 mins or so until @Kestevan arrived having ridden over from Huddersfield Way.
We had the pleasure of watching a coach manouver around a brick/concrete flower bed, a line of steel bollards and some parked cars. No photos I'm afraid but while it looked impossible the man driving did good.
@I like Skol and his son Hadyn turned up later than expected pretty much bang on 9am, their first train having been cancelled.
The company having assembled set off in the lessening rain. We took an easier route out of Leeds than the one dodging and weaving the various cycle paths in the city centre and pretty soon we caught up with the A61 and Pontefract Lane as per the original plan.
It's not a pretty route out of Leeds but it's direct and quick. Pontefract Lane is home to the Cross Green Industrial Estate and the Leeds waste incinerator:

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Pretty it ain't but it does have plants growing over it, showing it green credentials I guess. At 42m tall it needs something to hide it.

At the end of Ponterfract Lane we cut off the road and made our way into the grounds of Temple Newsham House, which we approached from the right hand side of the photo:

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From there it was a zig zag around Cross Gates and finally out into the country. In short order and the by now almost non-existent rain it was Barwick-in Elmete, Aberford, Towton (of battle fame) Ullskelf and to Mrs B's Lakeside Kitchen for breakfast or maybe brunch ( if you like that sort of terminology):

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After drinks and grub we said goodbye to @NorthernDave as he turned back for home:

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That left four, and the rain had caught us up.
So it was across the the old swing bridge at Cawood which is no less than 146 years old:

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and on and across the busy A19 to Wheldrake where Aiden picked up a puncture. Skolly being a good dad did the right thing and fixed it.
Next was Elvington, home of the Yorkshire Air Museum. Also famed for being the place Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond almost met his end,
from there it was north and east through Stamford Bridge and along the flat, quiet, open lanes until the few little hills just before Malton and the second stop of the route.

I'm not sure what time we got there but was we were well sodden by this time and we spent a good while face filling and drinking until @Julia9054 and @Almartino turned up. Equally wet and dripping. I think we stayed until around 2.45 maybe 3pm and it was back out into the rain for the final leg to Scarborough ( or Scabby as it's sometimes known)

Once out of Malton the roads were quiet and easy going being flat and with a tail wind and all was going swimmingly (no pun) when we passed Brompton-by Sawden and we turned a sharp left and climbed up from the A170. And we climbed, and climbed. Not steep, but always uphill. About 4 miles in all, when Skolly had a thought and thought he ought, to tell us we were off route. Debate time, do we run down the way we had come or do we press on right to the top where a road, maybe, looked like it went in the right direction. We pressed on.
At the top we stopped again and maps were checked. It seemed the way to get back on track was the right hand turn, marked as unsuitable for traffic. A forest road.
Well it was rough-ish and muddy but it got us where we wanted to go and after another couple of miles we caught up with the original route.
Up and down a bit and then a cruise down into Scarborough and along the Foreshore and Marine Drive skirting Scarborough Castle where pics were taken by a passer-by looking out to sea.
Fish and chips was the next call and so we pitched up at North Bay Fisheries where unfortunately the outside benches were no where to be seen. So we stood and sat on the steps.
The pub was next and it was uphill to The Lord Roseberry which is situated conveniently near the station.
Gentleman that he is Skolly bought me a drink:okay: and we sat upstairs to drink up.

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I like Skol, Hadyn, Julia9054, Almartino and Kesteven


I had a train to catch and so had only 40 mins before I had to make a move and leave the rest of the company to find their lodgings, get cleaned and dry and to enjoy the evening out.
As it happened even though I thought I would have a good 5 mins to spare when I got to the train, I only JUST made it as it was about to set off.
I sat cold and wet for the trip back into Leeds.

Evidence of the muddy diversion:

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Once back in Leeds it was a loop around the busy, boozy city streets and back uphill the 3 or 4 miles home.

A really good day out in spite of the wet weather.

Thanks to @I like Skol for leading us the way and to @nickyboy for starting the ball rolling and especially to @ColinJ for giving me his return ticket to Leeds.

The mans a star.

For me it was about 94 miles in all with about 3500 ft of up. Only approximate because I left the Garmin switched on whilst on the train back.
Who knew Transpennine trains did 100mph plus?

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/27561234
 
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ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
@colly - sounds like you had fun, despite getting soaked and muddy! Did you have any problems with the missing Senior Railcard? :whistle:
 

Almartino

Active Member
Location
North Yorks
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Hi there
Back home now and just a quick note to say thanks for organising the ride.
I reviewed the extra loop we put in on the OS map and attach the file
I love the fact that the long drag up to the woods goes past some earthworks called The Three Tremblers and that the track off the top was past Mount Misery.
Cheers
Al
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
Back home.
Cycling kit in the wash. Just considering getting off my ass and washing the bike.

Cracking day out yesterday.
Not in the least bit spoiled by the weather, rail strikes, being told off in the café, mechanicals, getting lost, going off roading, getting wet, being refused entry to the pub, having to buy new shoes or anything else.

Hats off to @I like Skol for stepping into the shoes of the irreplaceable @nickyboy. The lad did good.
Oh and congrats to Hayden - Skol Jnr for clocking up his longest ever ride. He seemed to enjoy himself (as much as you can tell with teenage lads) despite the - now I was going to say more mature - but that's not necessarily a label that can be applied with a straight face, so shall we just say "Older" company. Lads a credit to you Skolly.
 
OP
OP
I like Skol

I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
My turn now.

1st thing I need to say is how easy this ride organising thing is! Without @nickyboy flapping around it all ran like clockwork :tongue: Despite weather train cancellations and a puncture we still arrived at Malton an hour early and had to wait ages for Al & Julia to arrive.

Anyway, I'm not sure where all this talk of poor weather is coming from, as far as I can remember it was a lovely day. I just looked in the mirror before getting a shower and I think I may have caught the sun...….

I won't talk too much about the route as that has mostly been covered in great detail by other riders but I will just mention some of the memorable points from the day.

I thought I had it all well sorted right up to the point where I arrived at Stalybridge train station to catch the train to the Leeds start. As soon as I walked through the entrance I saw the cancellation message flashing on the information screens and my heart sank. So much for bike reservations, it looked like the day was going to fall at the 1st hurdle. Fortunately there was another train 30 minutes later that would get me into Leeds at 8.45. I had originally dismissed that option as 'cutting it fine' but now I had no choice and was just grateful that I was still in the game!

A slightly worried but enthusiastic 15yr old waiting for the later train at the start of the day of his longest ever ride (Previous longest was M/cr - B/pool 4 yrs earlier)….
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Here we are at Mrs B's café at Cawood. L to R we have @NorthernDave, @Kestevan(doing his best to look like a sulky moody teenager), @colly and my boy Hadyn. Shame we had to say goodbye to Dave here but every extra bit he rode with us meant adding the same to his return trip and it wasn't a day that really filled you with enthusiasm for riding too far on your own!
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4 intrepid riders continued on towards Malton and it was on this leg of the ride that we suffered the one mechanical mishap, although not really a mechanical as it was a puncture in the rear wheel of Hadyn's bike just as we entered Wheldrake. Looked like a thorn had gone in & out leaving no evidence of it's visit except for a hole in the inner tube and a distinct lack of air inside :cursing:.

We rolled into Malton at 1.30, a whole hour ahead of projections and while we sat looking out at the rain nobody felt the need to go and explore the Malton harvest food festival. I don't think it would have been quite the same as this picture from a previous year...
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Al and Julia arrived after 2pm and sat in a free table by the front window which promptly began to steam up as they spread their soggy atmosphere around them :rain:
6 riders left the lovely town of Malton now heading for the final destination. The miles were just flying by as we headed along the quiet roads of the Marishes with the near perfect tailwind. There was some grumbling from the ranks about my 'improved' route from Wykeham around the forest but personally I think it worked really well :whistle:

Just as we dropped into Scarborough from the big Tech college the sun broke through and we were rewarded with a ride along the front in dazzling sunshine. It was so sunny we decided we just had to stop and get a passer-by to take a picture to capture out joy and happiness.

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What the hell is that in the sky opposite the chip shop??????
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I won't mention Kestevans shoes, least said soonest mended etc :laugh:

While waiting for my lift to arrive this morning me & Jnr rode across to the Oasis café along the North Shore for a sausage and egg muffin and while sitting on a bench enjoying the view I do really seem to have caught a little sunburn!

Great ride in really good company. Shame that events conspired to restrict participation but it will run again so hopefully see all you guys and more next time :hello:
 
OP
OP
I like Skol

I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
Thought I had better post this, courtesy of Colly. If you had been there you would understand, ACE.

 
Sorry all, been a very busy summer so not been on CC for months.

I had this down on my calendar for 30th Sep - was the date changed or have I got confused?

Hope you all had a great time anyway. Maybe next year for me.

Cheers, and apologies again about lack of response.
 
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