York-Humber Bridge flat(-tish) imperial century, FINAL DATE CHANGE 11th September, 2021!

[ColinJ]

Time for another York - Humber Bridge forum ride! We HOPE that it will take place on *** Saturday, 11th September 2021 - CHANGE OF DATE *** . We have already changed the date twice. If we can't make it happen in September then I think we should leave it until spring 2022!

It will be a slow, chatty ride, largely following the route of the 2019 edition, except for slight changes at the start and finish.

The route is very flat apart from one modest hill as we approach Welton on the way to the bridge, and a bigger (but not monstrous) hill as we leave Welton on the way back. Plus twice over the bridge of course, which involves a little climb in each direction. I have managed all of the climbing on singlespeed (and will do so again this time) so if you have multiple gears on your bike then you shouldn't have any problems at all. These elevation profiles show how flat the route is apart from those hills. I have sketched in the profile of the bridge in red - we won't be riding over the surface of the water, as shown in the original profiles!

Drivers might want to meet at Grimston Bar Park & Ride at 09:00 and then ride to the Millennium Bridge over the Ouse in York. Those coming in by train (including me) will meet at the front of York station ASAP after 09:00 and ride to the Millennium Bridge to meet the drivers ASAP after 09:20. From there we will use cyclepaths to get out of York.

It is a 'long' imperial century ride (~163 km/101 miles for drivers from GB; ~167 km/104 miles for rail arrivals).

We will have a short stop at the Co-op at Charles Briggs Avenue in Howden. That is after 43 km (27 miles) for the drivers and slightly less for the rest of us. There are public toilets opposite the Co-op.

We do a short stint along the Transpennine Trail before the bridge. I did it on normal road tyres and didn't have a problem with the surface. If we have a few days of heavy rain before the ride then we could opt to use the route of the return leg to get to the bridge instead of using the TPT.

We will cross the Humber Bridge north to south for our stop at Barton-upon-Humber at the Waterside visitor centre cafe. If we get a move on we will have a bigger choice of food there. Some years we got there a bit late and they had stopped serving hot food. I'm ok with cake, flapjack, coffee etc. I'll give them a ring to check what time that happens.

The ride back is very easy once that big lump has been tackled. The hill profile makes it look worse than it actually is - it is mainly a long drag, about 2 km at 4%, with a few shorter ramps later.

Here's a map showing the route. Outward leg from Grimston Bar via Millennium Bridge in red. Return leg to Grimston Bar in orange. Arrivals by rail will do the section in blue to get to the bridge (and back at the end of the ride) and will have to do Grimston Bar to MB after saying goodbye to the drivers.

[NB I have now made a small change to the route just before Welton - trading a slightly busier 1 km stretch of road for the original hill which I found a slog on s/s. I can't be bothered to update the profile and map - just imagine a much smaller spike at 72 km on the lower elevation profile!]

You won't get many imperial centuries easier than this and you get to cross a huge bridge twice!

I have attached GPX files detailing the routes from Grimston Bar P&R via Millennium Bridge (York) to Barton over the Humber Bridge, from Barton back over the Humber Bridge via Stamford Bridge to Grimston Bar P&R, and from York railway station to Millennium Bridge. NB These files have many hundreds of points and may overflow the memory capacity of older GPS devices such as my ancient Garmin Etrex. I will attach some simplified files later for such devices. Check that the files you download to your device actually work with it!

We will not be rushing, but I am travelling by train and I really need to make it back to the station by 20:00 or I would be terribly late getting home! That means achieving an overall average of about 16 kph (10 mph) or a moving average of about 19 kph (12 mph).

If you are confident that you could manage the distance at that kind of speed, then feel welcome to join us - sign up below.

I may edit this post again so check it several times before the ride!


******** Original discussion below *******

I was chatting to other riders on my recent Garforth forum ride and said that I might organise the Humber Bridge ride again soon. @Littgull has since pointed out to me that travelling to and from York for the ride by train has become increasingly stressful. This is because of the unfriendly bicycle policy of Transpennine Express who run many of the services from Leeds. Not only must all bike spaces be reserved, there are a very limited number available, AND (worst of all)... they assert the right not to allow you on with your bike if the train is crowded even if you have a reservation!

Some trains are run by Northern as far as York and they would be fine because you just turn up with your bike and board with it. The problem comes when you miss your Northern train and would have to wait hours for the next one. It is already a very long day - I would have to get up around 05:00 and probably wouldn't get home until 22:00 or later. I can't stand the thought of problems causing delays in either direction.

So... I am happy to help organise the ride, but I can't guarantee that I would actually take part in it! There would need to be at least one rider with a reliable GPS who would volunteer to be navigator if I can't make it.

If somebody were kind enough to offer me a lift with my bike, then I would definitely be up for it though. (The lift could be from Todmorden or the railway stations at Hebden Bridge, Halifax, Bradford Interchange, or Leeds which I could easily get to/from by Northern.)

Anyway... I am suggesting that if the ride does take place, then Saturday, 31st July would be a good day for it.

In the past we have started from York railway station, but it occurs to me that it would make more sense to start from one of the big Park and Ride car parks outside York since most people drive there. It would also allow us to avoid the Saturday evening drunks in the centre of York - last time, I had 4 or 5 of the idiots stagger out into the road in front of me within the last couple of kms! I have worked out a suitable variation of the 2019 route to start and finish at the Grimston Bar P&R on the eastern fringe of York.

So... Is there much interest in the ride on 31st July? Would you be happy with a Grimston Bar start/finish?

GPX viewer

GPX viewer

GPX viewer

 

[Buck]

Would love to do the ride but we are away the week prior and that weekend so I’ll have to give it a miss.

 

[ColinJ]

Would love to do the ride but we are away the week prior and that weekend so I’ll have to give it a miss.

Well, if there isn't any great interest in that date, another one might be chosen!

I've got a few other rides 'in the pipeline' (as yet unannounced) and want at least a week off between them so we'll have to see what ends up happening when...

 

[Julia9054]

I’d like to do this one (I’m also volunteering Al without asking him!)
We would probably arrive by train as we have never had any problems just getting on Knaresborough to York with our bikes. We are pretty free most weekends over the summer so can probably still make it if you change the date,

 

[Buck]

I’ll keep an eye on the thread in case dates change etc. and I can meet at Grimston Bar or the railway station, whatever is easier (In the past I’ve parked near the Knavesmire and cycled the c.1 mile to the station)

 

[ColinJ]

I’d like to do this one (I’m also volunteering Al without asking him!)
We would probably arrive by train as we have never had any problems just getting on Knaresborough to York with our bikes. We are pretty free most weekends over the summer so can probably still make it if you change the date,

I've come in by train a couple of times and started at the station, but have also been given a lift and had to ride in from the P&R. If this one started and finished at the P&R you'd have to do the opposite.

I’ll keep an eye on the thread in case dates change etc. and I can meet at Grimston Bar or the railway station, whatever is easier (In the past I’ve parked near the Knavesmire and cycled the c.1 mile to the station)

If that's the Askham Bar P&R, that's the one that @Oldfentiger used when he gave me a lift on the 2018 version. That's nearer 2 miles. It is more straightforward to get to and from the station from there though so maybe that would be a better choice than Grimston Bar? And there is a big Tesco Extra which would be handy for pre/post ride snacks/coffee/toilet visits.

Since I have only just suggested the date, if @Julia9054 and Al could make a week later (August 6th), would that be good for you? If the 3 of you are ok with that then I will change it, but obviously that can't keep on happening.

 

[neil_merseyside]

I'd like to do this ride and I have a reliable GPS. Would the ride start from Grimston Bar, or pass through York station?

 

[Julia9054]

Since I have only just suggested the date, if @Julia9054 and Al could make a week later (August 6th), would that be good for you?

No problem

 

[neil_merseyside]

If I can get the car and I drove down from Darlington I could pick up someone (maybe two if my frame fits the boot) but Leeds station looks hideous to get near, anywhere less busy to pick you up, south of the river and with free parking to allow loading of bikes.

 

[Julia9054]

No problem

Update - did you mean the 6th? It’s a Friday. If you mean Saturday 7th, I can but Al can’t.

 

[Buck]

If that's the Askham Bar P&R, that's the one that @Oldfentiger used when he gave me a lift on the 2018 version. That's nearer 2 miles. It is more straightforward to get to and from the station from there though so maybe that would be a better choice than Grimston Bar? And there is a big Tesco Extra which would be handy for pre/post ride snacks/coffee/toilet visits.

I can do Saturday 7th but don’t change it for me as that would mean @Almartino can’t go and that’s not fair Go with the majority.

Parking wise, no, it was literally on Knavesmire Road so even closer (I used to live in York so local knowledge helps!)

For @neil_merseyside or anyone else driving in then the park and ride option saves the hassle of parking near the centre but either way some people will need to do the station<> car park ride.

 

[Slioch]

Just be aware that the park and ride sites around York have gates which are closed shortly after the last bus arrives. Grimston Bar on a Saturday is allegedly 21:30. Here's a link.https://www.itravelyork.info/park-and-ride/timetables/

Also, the Askham Bar P&R closes at 20:00, and has additional restrictions in that you can only use it if a) you are paying to use the bus to get into the city centre, or b) are leaving your car there and then cycling into the City Centre. I don't know how this is enforced so can't advise.

 

[neil_merseyside]

Grimston is locked at 9:55pm, if we aren't back by then we're in trouble!
Rawcliffe is the latest closing (23:05) that's just up river from the Station on the water meadow path.
I see Poppleton Park and Ride hasn't re-opened (yet) on the A59.

 

[Randomnerd]

My place is six miles south along the York to Selby NCN, near Escrick. Parking for several cars. Greater York boundary about half a mile down the road. Thence Skipwith - South Duffield - Howden - etc?
Happy to host if other plans fail or are obstacles
DM if need arises

 

[ColinJ]

Update - did you mean the 6th? It’s a Friday. If you mean Saturday 7th, I can but Al can’t.

Oops, sorry - I was looking at the 2022 calendar! Saturday the 7th.

I can do Saturday 7th but don’t change it for me as that would mean @Almartino can’t go and that’s not fair Go with the majority.

Yes, that would be unfair. I would only have changed it if all 3 of you could have made it! Stick with July 31st, and see you next time then.

Just be aware that the park and ride sites around York have gates which are closed shortly after the last bus arrives. Grimston Bar on a Saturday is allegedly 21:30. Here's a link.https://www.itravelyork.info/park-and-ride/timetables/

Also, the Askham Bar P&R closes at 20:00, and has additional restrictions in that you can only use it if a) you are paying to use the bus to get into the city centre, or b) are leaving your car there and then cycling into the City Centre. I don't know how this is enforced so can't advise.

Short of something disastrous happening, we would definitely be back by 21:30, as pointed out by Neil while I was typing! We really ought to be back by 20:00 too if we started at (say) 09:00, but getting locked in the car park would be a right pain so Grimston Bar would be a safer bet after all!

If I can get the car and I drove down from Darlington I could pick up someone (maybe two if my frame fits the boot) but Leeds station looks hideous to get near, anywhere less busy to pick you up, south of the river and with free parking to allow loading of bikes.

It's nice of you to offer, but you'd be going well out of your way! I was hoping that somebody would be heading over from this neck of the woods, or at least from somewhere that I could get to directly on one Northern train.

It's still early, so I'll carry on planning and hope that something turns up!

Assuming that we switch to the Grimston Bar start, there would be a short stretch via the southern university campus to rejoin the 2019 route at the race course, then follow the original route to the cafe stop over the bridge. After lunch take the same route back as in 2019, as far as Murton (just after Stamford Bridge). Julia, Al, and anybody else going to the station could follow the cyclepath used in 2019 back into York. The rest of us would have a short ride back to the P&R from Murton.

My place is six miles south along the York to Selby NCN, near Escrick. Parking for several cars. Greater York boundary about half a mile down the road. Thence Skipwith - South Duffield - Howden - etc?
Happy to host if other plans fail or are obstacles
DM if need arises

That's kind of you. I think we should be fine at Grimston Bar though.

Do you fancy joining us for some (or all) of the ride? We will be passing through Escrick, Skipwith etc.