Riding through fords

[iancity]

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.

Know it well, never had any problems with it and didnt know fords were to be treated with caution until a mate took some photos of his pal after he went through the same ford, legs and arms bleeding badly after slipping BUT I do believe he went at it with some speed...still treat them with caution now though!

 

[andrew_s]

yikes! here's hoping you don't fall in a hidden washed-out hole! plus that water doesn't look quite clear, yuk

It's wandering up or down the step between the edge of the road and the verge that's dodgy, rather than normal potholes.

On the A417 photo, there's a proper kerb, and the trees (on the left) keep you away from it; on the Longdon Marsh photo, you could mostly see the grass at the edge of the right-hand verge.

This one, which had escaped my memory yesterday, was a mile and three quarters, and up to top of the wheel depth for quite a way.
The road only occupied half the width between the hedges, and was sometimes towards the left and sometimes towards the right.
I managed to step off the edge of the surface at a point where there was a bit of a drop, and fell over. My phone got drowned - it was supposedly waterproof, but refused to acknowledge that it had a SIM in it afterwards (I'd already been looking at replacements, so I wasn't too put out)

 

[confusedcyclist]

I sympathise... I once stood up on the pedals when halfway through this one (to give it some oomph while exiting up the slope).... wheelspin central! Followed by very wet feet. And I had an audience.
Algae is indeed very slippery, and that concrete is covered in the stuff.
View attachment 579699

What's worse is, there appears to be a perfectly good bridge! 🤦‍♂️

 

[Profpointy]

Maybe time to repost the story of a guy standing in a ford with water up to his knees trying to wave back some city type in a Rangerover, who ingored him and drove on. The chap up to his knees in water was stood on the roof of his car

 

[Profpointy]

What's worse is, there appears to be a perfectly good bridge! 🤦‍♂️

but where's the fun in that ?

 

[CanucksTraveller]

What's worse is, there appears to be a perfectly good bridge! 🤦‍♂️

Mega steep steps though, and the water is usually really benign, shallow enough to cycle through carefully for sure. I just know not to stand up now.

 

[gavgav]

If there is a bridge then I use it every time. There are a couple of small ones around here, that don’t have a bridge option and even those are dicey.

 

[rockyroller]

It's wandering up or down the step between the edge of the road and the verge that's dodgy, rather than normal potholes.

yikes, no way I would ride thru that

 

[Ming the Merciless]

View attachment 581603

Not too much water in it today

The Codicote Bottom one has a decent flow right now. As that’s been mostly dry for decades it’s not slimy, so safe to ride through.

 

[TheDoctor]

Oooh! Not been through there since I did a Mimram ride a while back - from the source just outside Whitwell to Hertford where it joins the Beane to feed the River Lea.
@Ming the Merciless - incoming PM

 

[pjd57]

This one is on Baldernock road. Between Milngavie and Bardowie.
Only 7 or 8 miles from Glasgow city centre and a couple of miles from Milngavie town centre.
Pleasant change of route away from Maryhill road or Balmore road and all the traffic.

Definitely not one for cycling , very rough cobbled surface.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Barwick Ford

 

[Juan Kog]

The Codicote Bottom one has a decent flow right now. As that’s been mostly dry for decades it’s not slimy, so safe to ride through.

Oooh! Not been through there since I did a Mimram ride a while back - from the source just outside Whitwell to Hertford where it joins the Beane to feed the River Lea.
@Ming the Merciless - incoming PM

I have posted this previously in the photo gallery , an excuse for a second showing
Ming , Barwick Ford . That looks like the ford a club mate took an impromptu swim in many years back .

 

[TheDoctor]

View attachment 582172

I have posted this previously in the photo gallery , an excuse for a second showing
Ming , Barwick Ford . That looks like the ford a club mate took an impromptu swim in many years back .

I have accidentally attempted to swim Barwick Ford in the dim and distant...

 

[freiston]

I chickened out of this piddly little thing (though I think it had more water when I was there). My bike was very fully loaded - front and rear panniers plus tent on the rack and weighing in towards 4 stone, I was knackered and had a fair few more miles to go and wasn't in the mood for the risk.