Riding through fords

[Richard A Thackeray]

The ford at the other side of the Wharfe, from Bolton Abbey always catches riders out (& motor-cyclists) if they've approached from the south; that drops down the steep hill from Storiths (& the now, sadly closed, 'Buffers Cafe')

Scroll down to 'Bolton Abbey'
http://www.wetroads.co.uk/northyorkshire.htm

 

[ColinJ]

The ford at the other side of the Wharfe, from Bolton Abbey always catches riders out (& motor-cyclists) if they've approached from the south; that drops down the steep hill from Storiths (& the now, sadly closed, 'Buffers Cafe')

View attachment 579995


View attachment 579997

Scroll down to 'Bolton Abbey'
http://www.wetroads.co.uk/northyorkshire.htm

For some reason, I had completely forgotten that ford.

I DO remember the steepness of the climbs and descents on that little road, which I have ridden many times.

 

[slowmotion]

The ford at the other side of the Wharfe, from Bolton Abbey always catches riders out (& motor-cyclists) if they've approached from the south; that drops down the steep hill from Storiths (& the now, sadly closed, 'Buffers Cafe')

View attachment 579995


View attachment 579997

Scroll down to 'Bolton Abbey'
http://www.wetroads.co.uk/northyorkshire.htm

I think I would rather attempt riding over a sheet of glass swamped in diesel than that particular load of stones.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

For some reason, I had completely forgotten that ford.

I DO remember the steepness of the climbs and descents on that little road, which I have ridden many times.

It's a roller-coaster of a road
I remember, equally, the approach to Storiths, especially in the 90s
Coming along the A59, from Blubberhouses, & past Ravens Peak (the old pre turnpike road rejoined here (bridleway from Blubberhouses), descending towards Bolton Bridge down Beamsley Bank used to be a bit fraught
The A59 was a 3-lane road then, with a central 'suicide lane' (could be used for overtaking in either direction) with no facility for turning right onto Storiths Lane (or the other lanes leading off it)
I think everytime I rode there, I pulled to the kerb & waited for a gap

I think I would rather attempt riding over a sheet of glass swamped in diesel than that particular load of stones.

It's claimed a lot over the years, as has the one at Brighouse

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

Duxford Ford is worth doing... just for being able to say you've cycled through the Thames.

(The navigable bit goes through a lock cut at that point. There's a bridge to cross that, mercifully.)

http://www.wetroads.co.uk/oxfordshire.htm

A site dedicated to fords - isn't the internet wonderful?

I have tracked down the culprit

http://www.wetroads.co.uk/dp.php?Cockmill1

 

[Mr Celine]

There's a ford at Ulgham Grange, in Northumberland, which has no warning of a ford until you are at the bottom of the steep sided valley- no footbridge or any crossing alternative but it isn't usually deep and the stone pavement is clean and algae/ moss free. Went through a couple of weeks ago but felt apprehensive= it is a very long detour to avoid it.

There was a footbridge when the Google car went through in 2008.
Google Maps

 

[Archie_tect]

There was a footbridge when the Google car went through in 2008.
Google Maps

You did well to spot that Mr C... didn't spot that on the way down! To be fair it is a bit detached and hidden away without any signs!

 

[Mr Celine]

You did well to spot that Mr C... didn't spot that on the way down! To be fair it is a bit detached and hidden away without any signs!

It made me think of a home visit I did to a remote farmhouse many years ago. The house was accessed by a track off the main road which had a ford across the Tima Water which, because it had been raining for weeks, was in spate. I drove up and down the main road twice looking for a footbridge but couldn't see one, so gave it a shot. Fortunately it wasn't a long ford as the car was bouncing sideways with the current. When I got to the farmhouse the first thing the man said was 'Bloody hell, I wouldn't have tried that. Why didn't you use the footbridge?'
The foot bridge was easily visible from the other side but hidden from the road by trees.

 

[GuyBoden]

Swettenham ford in Cheshire is not for cycling.

https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf...3456,123456&st=4&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf

 

[a.twiddler]

Been there years ago when I lived near Swettenham. Didn't fall off, but had to stop and did get my feet wet.

 

[andrew_s]

This was fairly easily rideable

I got half way through this one before I had to unclip and push the rest

And this one I pushed the whole way

The middle one looks quite a bit more impressive if you stand in the middle of the river to take the photos

 

[Ming the Merciless]

This was fairly easily rideable
View attachment 580155

I got half way through this one before I had to unclip and push the rest
View attachment 580150

And this one I pushed the whole way
View attachment 580156

The middle one looks quite a bit more impressive if you stand in the middle of the river to take the photos
View attachment 580162

Mid Wales near Ryader

 

[rockyroller]

you guys are truly inspirationally hard core. right on!

 

[andrew_s]

Mid Wales near Ryader

Cairngorms
Glen Einich (sunny) & Glen Feshie (not sunny), as the hover tips show

 

[gom]

It's fun, but never again.
Riding through a very short, very shallow ford on a very minor road in France, I measured my length on the road before I had time to think. Ms GoM riding behind thought the holiday was over, but I'd only hurt my pride. But a couple of years before one of the group had cracked a rib...

But chapeau to @andrew_s et al. above. Looks like great fun.