Yorkshire Wolds in a bit of a mess

[zacklaws]

As a warning to anyone planning a ride out in the Yorkshire Wolds now the ice and snow has gone, I've been getting out and about on the Wolds a bit, but sadly they are in a bit of a mess. The past two rides I have suffered large flints gashing my tyres badly resulting in two punctures. Today's ride was horrendous not counting the weather, the roads are covered in flints and stones very badly in some places along with loads of mud, some of it liquid, all thanks to the farmers who have been coming out of the fields and dropping it on the road, I was covered in it from feet to the top of my head when I looked in the mirror, and as for my shiny bike it was blathered. The worst area I encountered today was the road between the crossroads at the top of Nunburnholme Hill and Middleton, its certainly an avoidance area. Also beware of a large amount of potholes, North Dalton to Huggatt is bad in a couple of areas, the worst near North Dalton, not so bad climbing the hill slowly but at speed downhill it can be perilous.

I now have three days of riding to replan this week and think I will stay on the Wolds South of the A1079 as they did not seem too bad last week on the busier minor roads. Hopefully we will get some heavy rain to wash it all away but till then I think it may be advisable to stay clear or proceed with caution and bite the bullet and turn back if it looks bad. Fixing a puncture today in a biting wind and rain was not pleasant and covered in mud too.

 

[HelenD123]

Thanks for the warning. The roads along the Humber didn't seem too bad last weekend.

 

[zacklaws]

Thanks for the warning. The roads along the Humber didn't seem too bad last weekend.

I was out along the Humber myself and Brantingham areas etc myself midweek and they were good.

The look on a girls face stood at a bus stop in Middleton summed it up for me yesterday, As I slowed to approach the roundabout, I could see her eyes looking me up and down with a look of pity and amazement and her mouth wide open, usually they smile and say hello, but there was nothing this time. When I got home, I then saw for the first time what a sodden mud caked wretch I looked along with my bike..

It maybe OK on Wolds on a dry day to alleviate the mud problem, but the flint problem will still prevail till they get washed away or ground down by vehicles. If I recall, I think it was like this last year and I posted a warning. I never took too much notice but I have a feeling that the roads around Cherry Burton, Etton, South Dalton and towards Mkt Weighton, Goodmanham areas are clearish, it seems to be the further North and the higher you climb the worse it gets, probably different types of farming etc in the hills or maybe they get away with it being in a more remote area.

 

[zacklaws]

Just as a bit of an update, done two different rides up as far as Thixendale this week and all the roads I rode on are reasonable now and never saw any major problems with mud, stones or large areas ofpotholes, just the occasional single pothole. I never noticed the potholes coming into North Dalton from Huggate so I presume they have been filled too. I never went along the road from the top of Nunburnholme to Middleton so I do not know what state it is in, but it was the worst I had encountered previously.

 

[User10119]

Londesborough to Burnby is filthy and paved with potholes - although I still thoroughly enjoyed bombing down it in the dark last weekend. On the road from Huggate to Warter there is a pair of truly stupendous potholes that mean you have to take the centre of the road, never mind the lane. I followed Arch on her trike along there a couple of weeks back and she passed between the pair of craters with mere inches to spare!

 

[zacklaws]

[QUOTE 1296419"]
Londesborough to Burnby is filthy and paved with potholes - although I still thoroughly enjoyed bombing down it in the dark last weekend. On the road from Huggate to Warter there is a pair of truly stupendous potholes that mean you have to take the centre of the road, never mind the lane. I followed Arch on her trike along there a couple of weeks back and she passed between the pair of craters with mere inches to spare!
[/quote]

There's always mud and chippings on the road between Londesborough and Burnby, especcially on the last 100 yards at the bend into Burnby before you hit the junction, the farmer who lives on that bend just drives straight out stackyard and leaves it. The worst road for mud is Burnby to Pocklington sometimes, I got that caked in it a couple of years ago I had to keep stopping to clear my wheels it built up that much behind the brakes, the whole road was smothered in it.

I've been quite a few times between Huggate and Warter recently and did not think it was that bad, but it is a fast section so maybe never noticed the potholes. Might do if I hit one, so I'll keep my eyes open.

Dreading tommorow, planning on an 80+ miler to Castle Howard on a lot of roads I've not been on since last year.

 

[User10119]

Yes, after coming back from Beverley through Londesborough and Burnby I stopped at my mum's house in Pock for a cuppa and borrowed a teaspoon to excavate all the mud from the guards! I have now swapped the tyres for 28s which gives me slightly more clearance. I don't think I've ever been through Burnby when the road was clean.

 

[zacklaws]

[QUOTE 1296421"]
Yes, after coming back from Beverley through Londesborough and Burnby I stopped at my mum's house in Pock for a cuppa and borrowed a teaspoon to excavate all the mud from the guards! I have now swapped the tyres for 28s which gives me slightly more clearance. I don't think I've ever been through Burnby when the road was clean.
[/quote]

My route today took me along the Pocklington, Burnby Londesborough, and I did not think it was too bad, in fact a lot better than most places, regarding potholes and mud. The road from Huggate to Thixendale, just around the area near the reservoir is very bad for potholes, don't know why I have not noticed it before this year as I have been there enough times this year, perhaps I've always been travelling fast towards Huggate instead of slow, its just wick in them, they seem to average about 2' diameter and 6 inch deep.

 

[User10119]

Well, I am pleased to report that they've fixed the real corkers on the road from Huggate to Warter

 

[zacklaws]

Burnby to Londesborough on Sunday was back to its usual self, blathered in mud. It was unintentional that I went that way, but just as I had got through Burnby (from Pocklington) heading for Nunburnholme hill my bottom bracket eventually went, and when I finally got to Nunburnholme I decided it was to dangerous to go up the hill with wobbly chainrings so turned back to take the easier route to Mkt Weighton and on home to Beverley. I was fuming with the amount of mud that splattered me and my bike as I had kept clean all day. Maybe I might have done better going up the hill and just hoped my chain did not come off and crack my nuts on the top tube then get all muddy. Then I punctured just as I got to Mkt Weighton, so I got more mud on myself having to remove the tyre etc.

And the big potholes in the middle of Burnby at the junction are still there along with all the ones North of Huggate heading towards Thixendale.