York-Humber Bridge-York Saturday, June 9th, 2018

[User10119]

The COR alternative on the Dunnington-Stamford Bridge cycle path
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(That's the spot where the tandem cycle camping trip photo was taken)
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The track across the field - varies a lot with season/weather
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Back onto something-resembling-tarmac, which is just past the farm building
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Through the fairy woods - a much nicer 100 yards than the A166, which is a few metres to one's left....
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Over the viaduct
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View of the Stamford Bridge bridge, from the cycle route alternative

 

[User10119]

As promised, a suggested route from Pocklington into York - just shy of 20 miles, fairly flat and virtually all on country lanes.

That's not far off my old standard ride home from mum's. I tend to divert slightly around Fangfoss (the lane the other side of the old station campsite) and go a bit-more-laney, including Feoffee Lane. Same distance, fewer cars. More toads. Like this
https://goo.gl/maps/dhmsCwhkNhs

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks for those photos @User10119 - I reckon that surface looks acceptable (in dry conditions!). We can have a think about it and decide nearer the time.

If there had been heavy rain we might opt to take my new alternative route (shown in purple) or your alternative (though I'd prefer to avoid even the short stint on the A166) - I know too many people getting knocked off their bikes on busy roads these days so I take every reasonable opportunity to avoid them.

The path between Gate Helmsley and Warthill looks like a footpath ... Is it a cheeky shortcut or an official cyclepath?

My proposed route into York (suggested by cycle.travel) is on the Tang Hall cyclepath on the dismantled railway route (NCN 66/658). I notice that your route takes the A1079 (Hull Rd) instead. Is there something wrong with that cyclepath? The end of it looked like a good surface on Street View.

 

[User10119]

There's a on pavement cycle path (rubbish but it's only a couple of hundred yards) from the end of the fairy woods (cross the road there) past the Balloon Tree, past the bus stop, then turn right onto the quiet laney road route. Couple of squiggles, take a left, one very mild climb and a nice if short descent (watch out for badgers!), L@T to warthill. I used to do it every week with the EldestCub when he was 8!

The cycle path along the railway line from osbaldwick is fine - just a couple of Silly Sustrans gates - it's just that the 1079 isn't too bad either and is quicker so I tend to use that!

 

[EasyPeez]

Thanks for tagging me in. Sorry, I'm always extremely busy in fields and allotments at this time of year and rarely online, so only just seen this. I can do 9th June but not 14th July. Will have a look at the route next week and see if I can add anything useful. Cheers.

 

[videoman]

Hi All,

Any room for possibly another one depending upon any other plans which may have been made for me.

Cheers
Alan

 

[ColinJ]

Hi All,

Any room for possibly another one depending upon any other plans which may have been made for me.

Cheers
Alan

Certainly - there is plenty of room on the roads and I'm sure that the cafe would be happy to have a big bunch of hungry/thirsty cyclists turn up!

I suppose once the numbers got above (say) 10-12 we would have to be a bit more organised to avoid losing anybody. It is easy to keep track of 7 or 8 riders but double that number and inevitably somebody is going ahead while somebody else is lagging behind.

Ideally, there will be several riders with the route on reliable GPS devices so we can have at least one rider at the front and one at the back who will not get lost. (I will be one of them!)

 

[busdennis]

Thanks for the kind words @Pale Rider but i'm definitely not a cat racer but a MAMIL lol. Anyway i cannot confess to reading this thread in detail and also cannot commit to doing this ride until closer to the date so perhaps should not be commenting on other peoples ride but i'm struggling to see any advantage in changing the route ( the beauty in this ride is that if Carlsberg did bike rides this would be the easiest imperil century in the world). I know a lot of good roads between York and Hull so if you tell me what you want to achieve perhaps i can help, for maintaining an average speed to help riders complete a maiden century i cannot see any advantage in off road cycle paths

 

[User10119]

The path between Gate Helmsley and Warthill looks like a footpath ... Is it a cheeky shortcut or an official cyclepath?

Sorry - just noticed this specific bit - I failed to notice gmaps 'helpfully' routing along the bridle path not the lane between Gate Helmsley and Warthill! https://goo.gl/maps/5qXP4dik2582 is better.

 

[EasyPeez]

Here is my attempt at the outward leg for you all to review. It uses NCN 65 in various places where it makes sense to, and elsewhere the quietest roads that don't involve major detours

Here's a rough map (and elevation profile):

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Description:

York railway station, NCN 65/TPT from the racecourse to Moor Ln, Deighton, Escrick, Skipwith, South Duffield, Hemingbrough, NCN 65/TPT, Barmby on the Marsh, Asselby, Howden, Kilpin, Laxton, Yokefleet, Faxfleet, NCN 65/TPT, Broomfleet, Ellerker, then criss-crossing the A63 through Elloughton and Melton to North Ferriby, Hessle, Humber Bridge, Waters Edge Country Park visitor centre cafe in Barton-upon-Humber



I've attached a gpx file for this proposed outward leg.

Hi @ColinJ - is this still the current proposed outward route? If so I'd say it's mostly a very nice route and I've managed all that on 25mm slicks, but a couple of sections to be wary of -

NCN 65 around Barmby on the Marsh becomes a very narrow mud track on grass. It's not a long section and it should be ok if the preceding days have been dry, but if there's been rain it wouldn't be much fun on road bikes. Either way it would be single file riding and slow going. It's about a mile to a mile and a half on said track if memory serves.

Again the 65 between Faxfleet and Broomfleet, if I'm remembering the right bit, goes from tarmac to quite rough gravel/limestone. Again, not much fun on road bikes, but doable, albeit at single figure speeds and with care if riding on narrow tyres. Probably only about 3/4 of a mile though this bit I think.

After Elloughton the route seems to join up with the A63 for a short section. I'm not sure if this is because you're determined to make a political point (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...s-face-ban-from-a63-near-hull-after-accidents) or because maplorer has got a bit confused with your GPX file. Either way I'd have thought a minor detour through the very pretty village of Welton, and then taking the road down through neighbouring Melton would be preferable?

Where are you at with the return leg planning? @NorthernDave 's suggestion from Pock onwards looks good. Let me know if you need any suggestions for the Hull-Pock section.

One final question - is it only me that would much prefer this ride if it was done in reverse?!

Cheers, Andy.

 

[ColinJ]

@busdennis and @EasyPeez - I liked much of the original route and the general concept - 100 miles, almost flat, BIG bridge! So why change it? Well, obviously it isn't strictly necessary to do so but since I am organising it this time, my preferences naturally influence my choices.

For a start ... 'variety is the spice of life' and all that. I only get out there once a year and would like to explore the area a little more. There are certain rides that I organise every year but I do try to modify their routes from time to time so we don't get bored of just doing exactly the same thing each year.

I didn't like the A-road out of York and back. In general I do my best to avoid A-roads where possible, unless they are those rare quietish ones, which the Hull Road certainly wasn't. (It wasn't AWFUL, but it is busier than I like.) The quiet roads and cyclepaths in and out of York that cycle.travel found for me look pretty nice. They might take a few minutes more than an A-road 'escape route' but I think that is a small price to pay for being able to relax.

I have had another go at the outward route. I'd actually allowed cycle.travel to do more of the route generation than I normally do and after both of your comments I took a closer look at what it had done. I agree that some bits of the route needed improving and I didn't really fancy riding on grass etc.

I have left the better-surfaced cyclepath sections in at the start out of York (though I did avoid a few that cycle.travel wanted to use). I got rid of the others on the outward route. That meant that I had to put in a couple of kms on the A163 between North Duffield and Bubwith to get over the Derwent, but hopefully it will not be too busy when we would be using it (~10:15 on the Saturday morning)? (It looks okay on Street View.)

I have now put the Swanland climb in on the outward leg as well as the return one. That is to avoid having to use the A-roads and big roundabouts near Hessle. The return leg would go back on the same roads as far as Welton before turning right up the hill towards Riplingham.

Those of us who struggled slightly on the steeper climbs before the bridge would find this version a lot easier on the legs. (Not that the old route was stupidly hilly, but I nearly cracked on one climb on the singlespeed, which I will be riding again this year.)

You should be able to view this proposed route HERE on cycle.travel. Let me know if there is a problem accessing it and what your reactions are. PS Apart from "The original route was perfect so don't you dare change it!"

 

[ColinJ]

Hang on - that is NOT the latest version!!!

I must have forgotten to save some changes. Watch this space ...


OK - now sorted!

 

[ColinJ]

Latest versions:

York to Humber Bridge. Only cyclepaths are now out of York, and the one across the bridge; distance 82 kms/51 miles.
Humber Bridge to York via Stamford Bridge. Only cyclepaths are now back over the bridge and back into York; distance 85 kms/53 miles.

Opinions?

 

[Pale Rider]

Route looks good to me.

The old circuit was well thought out, but it had its traffic problems.

I once made the 'mistake' of doing it on a week day.

The B road to Howden was nasty, constant stream of impatient car and truck drivers in both directions.

Not a lot of room for two vehicles and a bicycle.

Irrespective of the day of travel, the new route looks like it will be quieter overall.

@EasyPeez raised the question of direction of travel.

It occurred to me the route would be doable in either direction, although I can't see a strong reason to go one way or the other.

Cyclists are generally a conservative lot, with a small c if not a large one.

We've always gone anti-clockwise, so perhaps changing that this year as well as the route would be too much disruption all at once.

Nothing to stop us trying clockwise next year.

 

[EasyPeez]

@busdennis and @EasyPeez - I liked much of the original route and the general concept - 100 miles, almost flat, BIG bridge! So why change it? Well, obviously it isn't strictly necessary to do so but since I am organising it this time, my preferences naturally influence my choices.

Just to clarify - I'm all in favour of tweaks and changes to keep things fresh. Plus it's your ride anyway, so would never quibble with someone else's plan, just wanted to point out possible 'sticky bits' was all

Latest versions:

York to Humber Bridge. Only cyclepaths are now out of York, and the one across the bridge; distance 82 kms/51 miles.

The cycle path out of York is very pleasant. A bit bumpy with tree roots pushing through, but nothing major. If you were to continue south along the NCN65 to Riccall instead of heading onto roads at Escrick that would allow people to enjoy the solar system section. From Riccall King Rudding Lane would allow you to rejoin your route at Skipwith without needing to take any A roads. Just a suggestion.

Other than that a nice enough route, and pretty simple to follow. Call me soft if you like, but Swanland Hill (B1231) would probably be reason enough for me to come armed with gears (if it ends up being a date I can make) rather than take the single speed....

Humber Bridge to York via Stamford Bridge. Only cyclepaths are now back over the bridge and back into York; distance 85 kms/53 miles.

That nice steady climb out of Welton should get people warmed up again for the home leg! Rest of it looks good. Nice to not be repeating too many of the same roads on the route home. I don't like that road between Raywell and Riplingham that the previous version of the ride took, so it's a good thing in my book that this version avoids that.

Cheers.