Your ride today....

[Old jon]

A grey and cool October morning, but dry. Other people volunteered to ride the route I did last Wednesday, so with the company of friends me and the Spa did it again today. No messing with the gps today, turn it on outside the house, turn it off on my return.

The bit between switching on and off was great! Half a dozen riders pedalling along quiet roads (for the most part, very difficult to avoid some busy ones), lots of chat that I never seem to have the breath for, and surrounded by some wonderful Autumn scenery.

The muddy bit of Stockeld Lane made some bikes a bit dirtier than usual, it was slightly drier than earlier in the week. Through Spofforth, cross Crimple Beck, ah, the map also calls it the River Crimple. Significant. North Deighton, cafe stop in the Watermill, Knaresborough, approached by a new to me way.

Cross the Nidd, going northwest, ride along the riverside to Low Bridge and cross the Nidd again, southwest this time. Then climb Beryl Burton. The bikes collected more muck. Starbeck next, and someone had local knowledge how to approach the Showground, there is good. Beyond that it is not far to the Traveller’s Rest and the second crossing of the River Crimple today.

So, two rivers we have crossed twice already, we all crossed the River Wharfe on the way into Linton earlier and would cross again later. The group split at Kirkby Overblow, half going back to (I think) Linton and the rest to return across the Wharfe at Harewood Bridge. Including me.

So, for all bar me today was a three river ride. Because I live where I do, a four river ride was my score. More to smile about after fifty two miles and just over three thousand feet of up. Brilliant day.

The pictures

 

[gavgav]

Up at the caravan, in Gwynedd (legally as I’m currently living in Tier 1) for what looks increasingly like the last visit of a curtailed year and I’ve brought the Genesis up for its first visit.

Arrived, unpacked and headed straight out on the bike, in glorious sunshine, but a stiff and cold Easterly breeze, which was like a wall as I headed into it, to the main road at Dyffryn, with a pause at the level crossing for a train to come through.

The road down to Barmouth was still quite busy, but traffic was well behaved, before I dropped down to the promenade.

I climbed out of Barmouth and crossed Barmouth Bridge, which closes at 23:40 tonight, for a couple of months and the first phase of a complete renovation. Felt quite a privilege to bounce along those boards on the final day, before they get replaced.

I joined the Mawddach trail and enjoyed the simply fabulous views up the estuary and the Autumnal leaves were fabulous.

On the straight section, with the best views, I came across some TV cameras and indeed it was Derek Brockway (BBC Wales Weatherman) filming, what I assume, was an episode for another series of his Weatherman Walking series on BBC Wales.

Today was the Mawddach Estuary at its very best, quiet, with just a few walkers and cyclists, beautiful weather and picturesque views. I paused by the Cricket field, at Dolgellau, for lunch and then continued through the Town, before beginning the long hard climb up Ffordd Bodlondeb, into the foothills of Cader Idris. This was the first proper test for the Genesis, on a steep hill and it was great, even though gears aren’t as low as my Cube. The lighter frame makes all the difference.

Upon arriving at the junction for Cregennan Lakes, I came across a herd of cows, in the road, not sure they should have been on that section, but they seemed fairly placid, other than 1 that looked as though it was setting itself to charge, before it ran away when I got near it!

I paused at the lake, to take my favourite shot, but with my new trusty steed in view, this time.

Looking down at Barmouth, from the viewpoint.

It’s quite an exhilarating descent, down to the main road, via hairpins, but I had to take it fairly gently, with new brakes only 40 miles old. At the main road, I had the wind behind me and enjoyed a good fast section down to Fairbourne, where I looped round and along the promenade, as far as you can go. It’s quite a depressing place, really and even more so in these difficult times, where very little is open.

Looking across to Barmouth and back up the estuary.

It had clouded over now and was very cold in the strong wind, as I doubled back to the Morfa station entrance and back over Barmouth Bridge. There were a few more people in the Town now, but I guess the local lockdowns and Welsh travel restrictions would be having an impact upon numbers, for what was initially a lovely sunny day.

Climbed back to the main road and back up to Tal-y-Bont, where someone hooted me as they were overtaking........my Dad on his way back from a trip down to the beach, with a wave.

Dropped back down to the site and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. The bike was really nice to ride, on a longer trip and the saddle was much more comfortable than I though it might be, definitely better than the seat on the Cube and so won’t be swapping that over.

38.36 miles at a very leisurely 10.7 mph avg.

 

[wafter]

Really didn't feel like a "proper" ride today, but needed to visit the scumbag bank so dressed this up as an excuse for a no-expectations mince on the old Raleigh. I did don my full ghetto bike w*nker attire (lightweight trousers, base layer, cycling cap) as I've grown to hate riding in normal clothes, despite usually doing so on short shopping trips.

Did the banking rubbish and carried on through town, finding myself out east having decided to attack Div road's hill for an excuse for some exertion and followed the rarely-explored (and as it happens bloody steep in places) road out towards shotover.

Reached the park (which was as far as I'd been before, having been on a road bike) however this time the mighty £8 Decathlon gravel tyres allowed the Raleigh to forge ahead unconcerned down the rolling, mostly hard-packed bridleway

Finding myself in a bit of Oxford I've shamefully never visited before I continued down a wide, seemingly endless tree-lined track carpetted completely by fallen leaves with those still clinging in futility to create a golden canopy above me and for the first time in a long time enjoyed a fleeting moment of peace and contentment

After a slightly sketchy decent I eventually found myself on Shotover estate (which I also never really knew existed) and eventually emerged at the A40 slip road at Wheatley. I doubled back through the village, out towards Horspath before nipping down another unexplored bridleway and another muddy, rocky descent into Horspath which would have been "interesting" on the CdF, let alone the Raleigh, although I think its slightly knobbly tyres probably more than made up for the crap brakes as I gingerly squeaked my way down at about 5mph as MTB riders ragged it round the trails on the other side of the hedge..

Made in back into town for a grounding, traffic-packed reminder of why people are knobheads. Despite this destroying my zen journey I felt better when I got back than when I went out; pleased with how my £30, 33-yr old shopper had fared off-road and the budget theme being tied up nicely with a score of many reduced munchies at the Co-op on the way back.

Shotover's now on the list for a few more rides before I leave the city; hoping I might get up there tomorrow on the CdF, although I'm not sure how its slicks will fare on that terrain..

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Having not been out for a bit I've managed a couple of rides in as many days.

Thursday: a utility ride on the knockabout bike in order to attend a job interview. The trip down was taken at a leisurely pace so as to be composed when I arrived, but with an eye on the clock. I was there at exactly the time I intended....... The interviewers were late.
Afterwards I could take a more relaxed ride home in the fading light. It had gone quite cold in the intervening time and I wished I'd brought another fleece. I headed through The Quarry which looked pleasant in its autumn coat then headed out of town the meandering way, making the most use of cycle lanes to avoid the evening traffic. 9 miles at 11.5mph average. I usually have a good idea at the end of an interview whether I'm in with a chance or not. This one was hard to read so I'll have to wait and see.

Yesterday: I felt the need for a proper ride and with a calm, dry day forecast, decided it would be nice to climb the Long Mynd. I took the knockabout bike again and headed out through Condover, Ryton and Longnor to Leebotwood where the proper climbing starts. The low range gears got engaged so that I could wind my way gently up the 1000 feet of ascent through Woolstaston and High Park to Robin Hood's Butts.

I had the place pretty much to myself on the top and for the first mile or so as I crossed Wild Moor. Approaching Shooting Box I found plenty of people out walking though and gave regular greetings on the way to the summit at Pole Bank. Lots of walkers but very few cyclists up on the top this time - I only saw a couple of mountain bikers and chap on a road bike on my way to the Gliding Club.

I took the "Starboard Way" permissive bridleway which skirts round the gliding club even though they weren't flying today (the ancient Portway goes through the middle of the airfield) and got some great views as it follows the edge of the hill. A lunch break was taken in the shelter of the Forestry Commission plantation then I descended to Hamperley via Nut Batch and got pretty cold on the way down so that it took a while for the muscles to warm up again when I needed to climb next. Again, an extra layer over what I'd brought would have been good.

I had warmed up a bit by Minton where there is another bit of descending to get wind-chill from. At the bottom of this hill I could feel a few spots of drizzle and looking ahead, the hills were obscured by a band of rain. Drat! That wasn't in the forecast I saw. I hadn't brought any waterproofs with me so just had to grin and bear it. By Church Stretton I was soaked to the skin and not a happy bunny but pressed on, getting sympathetic looks from better prepared cyclists coming the other way.

The heavy drizzle eased for a while on the way back and my trousers were drying out a bit by Condover (this is where "technical" gear is worthwhile) but it started again on the approach to home.

A ride of two halves; the first enjoyable, the second could have been better. 35.7 miles at 11.3 mph average.

Looking moody over the hills from the usual viewpoint at Ryton.

A pause at Woolstaston.

At Pole Bank.

Time for a rest.

Headed for the Gliding Club.

View from the Starboard Way.

Descending through the woods to Hamperley.

Minton. The phone box is still in place despite an order for its removal having been issued a couple of years ago.

Thatched church in Little Stretton.

A trifle damp in Church Stretton.

 

[DCBassman]

A spinning session in the open air! Decided to do a 10-miler, but see if I could spin up the slopes a bit more efficiently. Success! But average speed still remained...average. Ho hum.
Suicidal wildlife: a casual squirrel, and a bunny whose tail I must have just about touched, I was going too fast to react to him darting across the track!
Still some creaking noises from chainset...
Stats:

Weather not looking great for some time from now. Rats.

 

[gmclean]

First proper spin since I got my new Triban. So comfy, and getting used to the gearing and shifting. A couple of tweaks needed but was a lovely fresh morning to head to Loch Lomond.

 

[Dave 123]

A reverse of last Sunday’s ride around the Warren. This time I went down Widey hill, down Darkie hill and up Alston hill, then on to the coast path.
There was sunshine out at sea... container ships plying their trade.
On dry land the local livestock didn’t bother mooooving.

13 dull but lovely miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4206924839

 

[itboffin]

85 miles at an avg of 18mph and 3500ft of ascent damn that was hard work I think tomorrow will be a nice gentle MTB pootle

 

[AndreaJ]

A ride trying to avoid maize harvesting contractors today luckily it’s quite easy to work out where they are by the amount of mud on the lanes. Set off to Northwood, making the most of being allowed into Wales to Bettisfield, Breadon Heath, Welshampton up the bank to Coptiviney where the farm appears to be trying to keep the mud/ farmyard on the road to a minimum and carried on towards Ellesmere, turned up Sandy Lane to Trench, Elson, back into Ellesmere, through Tetchill, Hordley, Weston Lullingfields finding lots of mud and tractors, despite the size of the tractors and trailers they manage to pass leaving more space than the local school run traffic can, starts to be a bit hard work here as the mud is pretty dry and compacted on the road making things a bit bumpy, carry on to Baschurch , Myddlewood, Marton, Burlton, Loppington and home. It was noticeably cooler today and I was getting cold by the time I got home so it looks like no more shorts weather ☹️. Hopefully Shropshire will stay as tier 1 as the first part of the ride up to Ellesmere involves a bit of border crossing into Wales although you don’t really know where the border actually is. 36.2 miles @15.2mph.

 

[Mike_P]

The ebike only had two outings this week, Wednesday to collect some papers from work and Friday post work at home to Sainsburys largely following the same route as the last Thursday other than I skipped the acute turn onto what Strava says is a 9.7% climb, but plainly well into substantial double figures on the inside of the bend, for a ninety degree turn onto a climb of slightly less grade; only then to do a 450 degree turn at the top when I realised turning left after starting to turn right would be a simpler route. Earlier on a near miss with a oversized car that only just stopped before the single track bridge I was crossing and then hardly pulled over. Further on the staggered crossing of Otley Road was notable for the sheer amount of water running down the road; presumably a burst water main or maybe someone trying to make it look like the Sunday of last years Worlds.

Today the Defy headed north up the A61 to Ripon where Poppy displays were freshly present.

A rat run to the west side of the market place and use of a blocked to vehicles passage brought me out onto the A6108 to North Stainley where I stopped at a bench and checked the BBC weather forecast. Turned out I wasn’t going mad; the wind speed was indeed now twice that which had been predicted an hour or two earlier, however the likelihood of rain had plummeted. Indeed the whole ride was dry and even the sun appeared occasionally.

Through West Tanfield and onto Well; the previous trip to Well was hampered by a puncture; this time on the decent of Well Bank, or as the Strava segment references it Well Suicide Decent, and again on exiting the village the rear light tried to drop off, despite being perfectly happy the rest of the time. Clearly the Defy does not like Well.

The Wahoo squealed, I had missed the turning to the xN of Snape.

Quiet a filthy lane lead south then east to the join a more important minor road to Burneston, with a dominant church.
.

A short easterly ride was followed by a short ride north on a relatively busy A6055 in order to cross over the A1(M) to join a relatively recently constructed bridleway heading north on the east side of the motorway. Surfaced in well compacted gravel it emerged onto the end of a closed road which in turn gave way to another road that was closed off immediately to the south. This was the xO of Londonderry, no the bridleway was not some strange portal across the Irish Sea. The closed off roads were remnants of older Great North roads and a waterpump made a useful bike prop but no doubt in times past would have had a queue of cart horses waiting while water buckets were refilled and apples fed to them, if the apple tree existed then.

North through Leeming into Leeming Bar and east on busy A684; I made a mistake at a roundabout of following a more straight cycle path past it on the south side only then to get held up trying to turn right onto the A684. Further on the Wahoo wanted to turn off to take a different through Ainderby Steeple which was not only again to the south but also a narrow lane of dubious surface qualities so I stayed on the A road.

More xOs followed, first through Romanby and into the southern parts of Northallerton following the route of NCN71 which immediately led into lumpy terrain to the south east, and then a road closed ahead sign. Ignored it but then the next sign referred to bridge maintenance so a quick check of the OS map on the mobile showed the diversion not to be adverse mileage wise but it turned out to include a stiff climb north east into Borrowby which steepened more as it went up to 14%. Turned south-east at the following crossroads and straight back down hill. (The first spike after 40 mile on the route elevation below)

Back on the route of NCN71 east across the busy Teeside-A1(M) dual carriageway section of the A19 and through Knayton before turning south-east to the xP of Upsall where the village name is contained in the frontage of the Old Forge, albeit as Vpsall . Reference to town seems odd today and more so the 1928 Town Hall on the opposite side of the road.

Again the road out of the village went downhill (the second spike on the route elevation), this time on the route of NCN657 under the A19 to South Kilvington and south-east through to Thirsk onto the slightly less hectic A19 towards York and after a couple of turns thereafter the xR, as xQ is pretty impossible, of Great Thirkleby which has a pretty isolated church with a sign referencing Commonwealth War Graves.

A narrow lane with grass centre lead me back to the A19 and almost immediately a right turn off to reach Hutton and Little Sessays and thereafter a lengthy winding route that eventually brought me to Thornton Bridge. The Perkier bar I then ate seemed to work as a PR then followed to Boroughbridge. Via Staveley to Knaresborough and the climb away on the A59 and its parallel cycle track. On the old railway from Starbeck I got briefly stuck behind two teenagers cycling along taking their labrador for a walk. 76.21 miles @14.4mph avg, 3041ft climbed.

 

[Andy in Germany]

The Wahoo squealed, I had missed the turning to the xN of Snape.
View attachment 553066

My dad was the minister of a church there for five years or so...

 

[Donger]

I've not been on the bike for nearly two weeks now, as my missus has been going through the wars health-wise lately. I've filled the time with getting various jobs done around the house and garden. This morning, I had to miss my second club ride in a row, having specifically asked them to stop at Minsterworth church to watch the four star Severn Bore that was due this morning. I made time to nip out for 3/4 of an hour to go and watch the bore from Elmore Back .... directly opposite the church. This turned out to be a good decision, as little crowds were gathering at both viewpoints in Stonebench, and there were a few parked cars near the turning for Weir Green, and I didn't want to mix with crowds.

It was predicted to be a four star wave today, and they are quite rare in the hours of daylight, let alone on weekends in decent, mild weather, so I didn't want to miss the last one of the year. I couldn't stand directly opposite the church this time, as the trees on the river bank had grown, and had not yet lost their leaves, so I moved a little further along the dead end lane before crossing a field to get to the river bank. I was quite glad to avoid the crowds opposite. There was quite a splash opposite the church, and it looked like it was going to be a good one:

You can never predict quite how a bore will pan out, though. This one died a little just before it got to me:

By the time it was level with me, it was still impressive to see and hear such a fast surge of water suddenly flowing the wrong way, but I was a bit disappointed not to see a proper wave forming all the way across, or any surfers or canoeists riding it:

Never mind. It was still an event worth watching. There's always a great sense of anticipation, but you can't guarantee that it will live up to the hype. I made my way back to where I'd left my bike against the dyke wall .... which involved a tricky traverse of a length of crotch height barbed wire:

It might only have been a 9.1 mile bike ride, but I don't think there is a better way to follow this natural spectacle, as you can get away from all the cars and the people walking out from Quedgeley to the most accessible points on the riverbank and get quickly to the less visited viewpoints. As I cycled back towards the dairy farm in Elmore Back, I caught sight of a small group of cyclists on the main road on the opposite bank heading in the same direction as me. I supposed that might have been @KingswayRider and the club ride I was supposed to be on. They are off to the Forest of Dean Visitor Centre today. I would have loved to be on that ride.

Only 9.1 miles, but great to get the wheels turning again. I might throw in one or two more short, local rides in the coming week, as it is such a pleasure to get out there, and I don't want to fall too far behind my end of year target mileage at this late stage. Enjoy your rides everyone.
Cheers, Donger.

 

[Archie_tect]

A quick 15 mile loop on the tandem with Mrs A_T out to Ogle and the Gubeon. We were surprised to see so many groups out today all going the other way- we did wonder if it ws an organised Sunday morning event... all staggered into groups of 6!

 

[delb0y]

Gave myself a good talking to this morning and got up and out a half hour before sunrise. Was just me and the rabbits and the birds and a gentle mist until I turned one corner by the river and was met by dozens of people all preparing for the Severn Bore - runners and surfers, mainly, at the time I went by. I left them to it and headed back down some quiet lanes.

 

[Dave 123]

The same ride again, but in an easterly direction.
Once I was back on the road I extended the route to Battisborough.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4210854593