England : North Yorkshire Richmond/Tan Hill/Richmond

[colly]

I have ideas about a ride out from Richmond up to Tan Hill Inn and then back to Richmond via a different route. I will be riding it anyway sometime between now and mid March. Just under 60 miles with probably 5000ft of climbing. I've plotted a couple of possible routes. One is slightly less climbing but the climbs are steeper.
I'm just testing the waters to see who might be up for such a route. If there is any interest I'll recce the route properly when I go.
Unfortunately no train station in Richmond though.

I'm thinking maybe April, because it's usually neither too hot nor cold.

 

[dan_bo]

I could do a Sunday

 

[Slioch]

Put me down as a possible please, depending on dates. I've got a Boomtown Rats concert on the 25th so can't make that, but all other weekends look free.

Should be a good ride. On a couple of occasions I've started at Reeth, up Swaledale through Keld and up to Tan Hill and back. The run down Arkengarthdale back to Reeth is an absolute stunner.

 

[Soltydog]

I'm a possible too, depending on my shifts/days off

 

[Pale Rider]

There can't be many better places for a road ride.

Sixty miles in this up and down manor is a bit much for me, but I will wait for the route to see if I can join you for part of it.

 

[ColinJ]

It sounds like a great ride but it is too far away from here so I'll have to pass this time.

I'm thinking maybe April, because it's usually neither too hot nor cold.

I agree that it is unlikely that you will overheat in the Dales in April. I have seen snow up there in April though...!

 

[colly]

It sounds like a great ride but it is too far away from here so I'll have to pass this time.


I agree that it is unlikely that you will overheat in the Dales in April. I have seen snow up there in April though...!

I'm an optimist.👍

I could give you a lift from a station if you can get an early enough train.

 

[ColinJ]

I could give you a lift from a station if you can get an early enough train

It's very nice of you to offer, but that is potentially a VERY long day! What time would you have to leave Leeds station to get to Richmond in time for the ride? (I'd guess it is about a 70 minute drive?)

The train takes an hour from here and we'd have to allow (say) 20 minutes in case it got delayed, and time for me to disembark and exit the station. So, I would have to catch a train roughly 2.5 hours before the start of the ride. A 9:00 start in Richmond would mean me catching the 06:23 from Todmorden.

It could be doable, but it would mean that I would have to get up at hell o'clock! The other thing is that the local trains have been very iffy recently - lots of delays and cancellations. That situation might have improved by April, but given that Northern look likely to be stripped of their franchise, I can't really see that happening.

I'll keep an eye on the thread, and the rail situation nearer the time. Pencil me in as a 50-50?

 

[colly]

@ColinJ . It's just under an hour from Garforth station, so yes it would be a long old day.

 

[ColinJ]

@ColinJ . It's just under an hour from Garforth station, so yes it would be a long old day.

I know that Garforth makes much more sense for you but unfortunately I would have to change trains at Leeds to get to Garforth and that would introduce even more delays. I could be lucky and be able to dash straight from one train to another but knowing my luck I would just miss one and have to wait for the next!

I just checked... Sure enough, the first train to Garforth after mine gets to Leeds is only 8 minutes later so I would probably miss that one, but there are others at 07:46 (arr. Garforth 07:55) and 07:54 (arr. Garforth 08:05) so that shouldn't be a problem as long as the ride from Richmond didn't start until (say) 09:15 - 09:30.

Let's say that there is a good chance of me joining you on a Saturday in April (but not the 25th because Spring Into The Dales is on the 26th and I like to tackle that with fresh legs), as long as the forecast isn't too bad. (I wouldn't want to go to all that effort just to cycle in heavy rain all day! ) Don't pick the date to suit me though.