Your ride today....

[Donger]

Out bright and early again this morning and headed off down the mountain towards the vineyards of the Route des Vins d’Alsace. This meant first making my way across the town of Munster, but I missed the quiet road I hoped to find, and instead left town via quite a busy D road instead. After a couple of close passes by local buses, I soon found a cut-across to the correct road, and was able to relax all the way as it was mostly slightly downhill and with a following wind. I made a mental calculation as to how long it might take me to get back …. uphill and into the wind. Turned out I was only 1 minute out. I’m getting like the Swiss rail network for journey timing, these days.

When I got to Turckheim, I steamed on past, and onwards uphill along a winding road through the vineyards as far as Niedermorschwihr.

There I hung around for a few minutes taking in the delights of the village

before heading back down to Turckheim. The descent was a long, sweeping one with great views across the Rhine valley and some nice vineyard scenes.

Once back at Turckheim, I entered the old town via one of its impressive medieval gated towers. The town was still nicely quiet, in yet-to-fully-wake-up mode, and I took advantage of the no entry “sauf cyclistes” signs to wander along one-way streets in the wrong direction, stopping in the middle of streets to take photos. Sadly, it was a bit of a dull morning, so the pictures don’t really do the place justice. A stunning little place, Turckheim.

I thought it was only fitting to give the Cyclechat shirt a viewing at least once this holiday:

Got back to Luttenbach in double quick time, stopping only once to explore another nice little village (Wihr au Val) on the way. There are just so many beautiful little towns around here with these same gated towers, and they all look like they are taking the "Ville Fleuri" competition very seriously.

The farmers are all out picking grapes right now, and there are lots of those tiny tractors towing trailers full of tubs of grapes everywhere. Other than that, the roads were still fairly quiet, and I’m starting to know where all the short cuts are. Really enjoying the cycling around here, but no riding tomorrow, as we’re off over the border to explore the Black Forest in the morning. That's enough pretty stuff for now. I think I fancy another big climb the day after that.

Cheers, Donger.

 

[NorthernDave]

Apologies, another of my "Yesterdays Ride Today" posts.

Nice weather again and if anything a degree or two warmer than Saturday, but unfortunately time constraints meant I'd only have an hour and a half or so.

Up Coal Road once more and onto the A58 off Red Hall Lane, but stayed straight on for the first descent and then took my life in my hands with the right turn onto Carr Lane (fortunately it was still early-ish and quiet). I ride Carr Lane a lot but almost always in the opposite direction, so it made a nice change, not least because it's mainly downhill going this way into Thorner.
A short spurt along Main Street and past the church where they were ringing the bells, and out up Milner Lane and the short sharp climb onto the ridge.
Along between the hedges and just as I reached the narrow single track section I was aware of an engine behind me, but the car driver hung back until the road widened and passed me with a cheery wave - I suspect it was a local rugby legend from the cherished plate, although I didn't quite see his face.
Anyhow, on to Rigton Green and up onto Bramham Lane for the lovely quiet single track lane for the next mile and a bit.
For the first time in an absolute age on here I was approached by a car just before I reached the S-bends, so I moved over to let them through and got another enthusiastic thankyou.
Up onto Thorner Lane, passing a mini-peleton from Garforth CC(?) heading the other way and through the smaller Wothersome Dip and out to Bramham, where I climbed the hill to Paradise Way and stopped for a quick pic:

Down the inappropriately named Paradise Way, which is actually a very generic single carriageway road put in for local traffic when the adjacent A1 was upgraded to motorway and down to Bramham Crossroads, which is actually a roundabout
Round that and onto what was once the A1 but would become Main Street as I headed down into Aberford.
Thoughts of a record time down the hill were abandoned when I spotted a horse and rider ahead, so I slowed down and made sure both were aware I was there before passing nice and wide, then on into the village and over the bridge before taking the right onto Cattle Lane for the ups and downs towards the ancient capital of Barwick-in-Elmet.
There are some nice views from Cattle Lane but I've never stopped for a photo before as I'm usually on my way out and it's a bit early to stop, or I'm on my way back and I'm too tired to be bothered. Neither really applied yesterday, so I did stop for a couple of pics:

Back on the bike and the descent down to the bridge over Cock Beck, which is followed by the climb all the way into Barwick and on through the village and out onto Leeds Road almost to Scholes, where the road drops and curves into the village by the Coronation Tree and then on towards home down the hill.
A third and final crossing of Cock Beck and up the other side, before local roads up to home.

20.11 miles (32.36km) in exactly 1h 30m* at an average of 13.3mph with 1,109ft climbed and an average temperature of 17.8°C

Enjoyed that - nice to get out for a ride and just enjoy it for what it is and it's a decent 20 mile loop to have in the bag for future reference.
Plus we've got to make the most of these sunny days while they're still about.

And to end, the map:

* - the exceptionally accurate timekeeping was a sheer co-incidence

 

[Pat "5mph"]

At one time, there was a foot/cyclepath on both sides, but the East one is closed.

It's still open, you can ride both ways.
The sign is misleading: access to the cyclepath is from the Erskine garden centre side, or from directly opposite.
You access the path on the bridge from a short, steep ramp in both directions.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Noticed a very odd odour as I passed the new North Yorkshire County Council / City of York waste transfer station

That’ll be my mate, he works there!

 

[welsh dragon]

What a fantastic day. Blue skies and sunshine shine. 17 miles done. Hedge Cutting has started.

 

[cyberknight]

This is a video another memberof velo moira did who joined us part way through with me hanging on the back of a fast group .
<iframe src="

View: https://player.vimeo.com/video/288043614
" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>

results , 23rd in age cat and 50th overall

 

[gbb]

28 miles, 14 each way commuting on the road bike. Some ok quiet roads, a few miles of single carriageway where cars tend to pass too close for comfort at 60/70mph, never really enjoy that section...but, miles is miles.
Noteworthy, one nice buzzard and within a few yards, a large stoat ran across the road right in front of me...and the usual flock of red kite a short way on.
Got home, rooted through my saddlebag for my keys....bogger....no keys.
Check pockets, check everything, no keys. FFS, in the car and retrace as much of my route as possible, nothing. Got to work, looked across at my bike lock in the bike shelter....theres my keys still in the lock.
Ah well, drove back home, fish and chips, relax.

 

[Mike_P]

Headed south, again meaning more climbing almost straight away so a curving route out to Beckwithshaw in an attempt to minimising steepish hills. The came the 0.61 mile climb of Shaw Lane, average 7% and I thought I was doing well then I was overtaken by an ebike.

North Rigton was reached by an average 5% climb of 1/4 mile and which I am pretty certain gets steeper the nearer the village so detracting attention from the tree arched village entrance

Passed Almscliffe Crag and took the road to Huby from which a nice view of the rock formation exists

Intending to head east I took the wrong turning and instead of descending through Huby to Weeton I had a lumpy ride via Gravelley Hill Lane and Wesoce Hill Lane - the latter being a 5% average grade over 0.21 mile. East through Dukeswick and a 6% average climb over 1/5th mile acted as a warm up, or actually a wear down, for the 1/3rd mile 10% average climb of Kearby Cliff. As much I would like to say I sailed up, the use of Shanks's Pony was called up for the steeper top section (4/25 mile).

Passing through Sicklinghall I noted the survival of a phone box doing what it was intended for

and then found the same in Wetherby.

North up the A168, largely devoid of motorised vehicles as usual, and then largely the reverse of yesterdays outward route through Little Ribston and Knaresborough - here another non-classic shot, the viaduct and cafe are just visible.

34.59 miles and 2302 feet of climbing/Shanks's Pony

 

[C R]

I don't recall Nafford being such hard work on a bike, but it was 45 years ago when I was last there.

Earlier in the ride you went through Kinnersley.

That was where racing trainer Fred Rimell had his stables.

Fred was quite a big noise over the jumps in the 1970s, winning the National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

I knew him to speak to, very polite, down-to-earth, unlike his wife, Mercy, who was famously foul mouthed and difficult to get along with.

As you passed through Earls Croome you may have noticed a gated driveway almost opposite the church.

That is one of the entrances to the seat of the local squire, the Earl of Coventry.

When I was living around there we called the earl at the time Bill Coventry, although I suspect his surname may have been something else.

He had the first Bentley Turbo I ever saw, but he also had a drink problem and was an irascible and boorish man when bevvied up.

I knew all these people mostly through working at a local garage.

The area really was like the tv series Heartbeat, only in Worcestershire not Yorkshire.

Thanks for the back info @Pale Rider. If I am not mixing up things, the Earl of Coventry also used to own Croome didn't he? Croome and Kinnersley are almost local to me living just south of Worcester, and know some people that live in the area who have children in the same school as my children go. I get the impression that most of those villages are just dormitories for the better off people from Worcester and surrounding areas, and probably the community you mention has sadly disappeared. It is a really nice area to ride, though, and I go round there often.

I really enjoyed going through Nafford, and for any moderately competent cyclist it should be rideable, not with a road bike though, but a cx bike should be ok, and if wet mudgards would be highly recommended. The only really annoying bit was having to lift the bike over the field gate. Google maps shows a cycle path, and routes through there when chosing bike as the mode of transport, however, the lack of any kind of signage, even for a footpath, made me doubt whether it was actually open to the public. I saw a couple of locals walking their dogs while going through, and they didn't say anything, so I assume that bikes are allowed, it is just strange the lack of signage.

 

[Pale Rider]

Thanks for the back info @Pale Rider. If I am not mixing up things, the Earl of Coventry also used to own Croome didn't he? Croome and Kinnersley are almost local to me living just south of Worcester, and know some people that live in the area who have children in the same school as my children go. I get the impression that most of those villages are just dormitories for the better off people from Worcester and surrounding areas, and probably the community you mention has sadly disappeared. It is a really nice area to ride, though, and I go round there often.

I really enjoyed going through Nafford, and for any moderately competent cyclist it should be rideable, not with a road bike though, but a cx bike should be ok, and if wet mudgards would be highly recommended. The only really annoying bit was having to lift the bike over the field gate. Google maps shows a cycle path, and routes through there when chosing bike as the mode of transport, however, the lack of any kind of signage, even for a footpath, made me doubt whether it was actually open to the public. I saw a couple of locals walking their dogs while going through, and they didn't say anything, so I assume that bikes are allowed, it is just strange the lack of signage.

I suspect Nafford may well be open to the public, but whoever owns the patch doesn't want to encourage access.

As regards the Coventrys and their houses, it is easy to get confused because there are two large houses known as Croome - or sometimes Coombe - Court.

The Earl of Coventry lived in the one in Earls Croome, entrance opposite the church, main entrance and long driveway off the A38.

The other Croome Court was two or three miles away on the other side of the M5 in the middle of an area marked on the map as Croome Park.

That house is better known than the other one, and it also belonged to the Earl at some point.

Road access is only possible from the north, through the village of High Green.

When I was living nearby that Croome Court was bought by a religious sect, possibly Hare Krishna, which caused some consternation in conservative - and Conservative - rural South Worcestershire.

I believe the sect proved harmless enough, and they since sold it.

According to wiki, the house has had several uses and owners, and it appears it is being restored as a heritage attraction.

Worth a look next time you are over that way.

The hair pin bend on the nearest minor road provides a view of the house, even if you aren't allowed down the drive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croome_Court

 

[Cavalol]

4.8 or so this morning on the 1948 ‘unknown’ bike I bought yesterday, then just under 22 this afternoon on the Trek. The afternoon run is a bit of a grueller, as there’s effectively no tarmac or concrete from Tiverton to Waverton, so the old arms get a good seeing to. Still, very enjoyable and I can’t be the only one who finds cycling by canals and rivers very therapeutic. Just a nice, peaceful way to ride with the bonus of countryside and wild life. Intended to ride to Barbridge by road (the A51 is truly horrible to cycle though) and back along the Shropshire Union, but I left it later in the day than usual when doing that ride, plus I’m really unfit.

 

[Denis99]

Sun came out today, thirsty work this cycling.

 

[cosmicbike]

My ride today was in my van. M25, M40, M1 to Nottingham and back. It was cycling related, as this came back home with me

First ride report after a once over

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

for any moderately competent cyclist it should be rideable, not with a road bike though

It's fine on a road bike - I use 700x23C with no problems.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Pete M was in for this late one. We headed out around the Hillend loop for the view and then crossed through the view over the Marsh. Pete was unfamiliar with this bit and was so when we took in The Rampings. He was back with the programme for Forthampton and on round by Apperley. We took the run over from Tredington and couldn't believe the traffic on this lane today. Normally it's very quiet. We rounded by Bredon's Hardwick for a coffee and cake stop at The Mythe outside Tewkesbury. We had a very long stop here before taking the standard run back by the White Rabbit. I must have been feeling quite good as the pace went up and Pete sat on my wheel. He can be quite the lazy one. Nice loop out with many social miles included. 56 smiles