This afternoons ride was a bit like last Sundays to start with. A northerly wind meant I reluctantly headed east to Knaresborough to cross the River Nidd thinking it could not be as rammed as last Sunday. Well there were no crowds on the pavements but then there was no scooter rally today. There still was standing traffic up the hill from High Bridge so the big loop around the town again– amazingly for a Bank Holiday I navigated Waterside a bit slow at times but nevertheless never actually coming to a stop.
Variance came with heading east from Farnham to Ferrensby where I paused for a snack at the bench by the duck pond, occupancy today just two ducks, that has the added bonuses of both a litter bin nearby and a BT Wifi signal.
Continued east through Arkendale and over a busy but free moving A1(M) - a good sign as it meant the parallel A168 would be its normal pretty quiet self. Quickly off that A road and the clouds begun to make the sunshine now one of sunny intervals. Chatted to a pair of horse riders as I passed to reassure the horses I was not going to attack them, and on via a lane
to Upper Dunsforth for bike at the sign photo.
South through Great Ouseburn to Thorpe Underwood to then head west with the expected crossing of the B6265 onto a narrow lane to cut through to that to Whixley. Transpired the narrow lane is being fenced off to make it cycles only but currently is totally closed. So a brief unexpected northerly ride to navigate an improved junction for left turning traffic to head south through Whixley, across the A59 after a brief pause to Cattal where a sunny bench beckoned for a snack break Little did I know a few hours later showered I would be back there by car picking a dropped SD card off the ground under the bench.
West through Hunsingore to recross the A1(M) which was crawling northbound. South on the A168 before switching to the adjacent bridleway to make for a simpler turn west to reach North Deighton and then Spofforth. Then the lumpy road that NCN67 follows to climb in two steps through Follifoot. On the second of those the Garmin threw up some weird messages and by the time I had sorted it out the top of the climb had arrived; maybe Garmin need to come up with a permanent climb distraction setting. That was then followed by a long doze waiting to join the A658. Soon off that A road and west over the Rudding lump only for the lights at the junction with the A61 to go red almost as I got to them.
Another sunny bench beckoned in Pannal for a snack and then the climbs of Spring Lane and upto Rossett Green; varying this route to head down grade on the UCI circuit to a bike at the sign photo at Valley Gardens.
40.83 miles 2283ft climbed 13.1mph avg
Variance came with heading east from Farnham to Ferrensby where I paused for a snack at the bench by the duck pond, occupancy today just two ducks, that has the added bonuses of both a litter bin nearby and a BT Wifi signal.
Continued east through Arkendale and over a busy but free moving A1(M) - a good sign as it meant the parallel A168 would be its normal pretty quiet self. Quickly off that A road and the clouds begun to make the sunshine now one of sunny intervals. Chatted to a pair of horse riders as I passed to reassure the horses I was not going to attack them, and on via a lane
to Upper Dunsforth for bike at the sign photo.
South through Great Ouseburn to Thorpe Underwood to then head west with the expected crossing of the B6265 onto a narrow lane to cut through to that to Whixley. Transpired the narrow lane is being fenced off to make it cycles only but currently is totally closed. So a brief unexpected northerly ride to navigate an improved junction for left turning traffic to head south through Whixley, across the A59 after a brief pause to Cattal where a sunny bench beckoned for a snack break Little did I know a few hours later showered I would be back there by car picking a dropped SD card off the ground under the bench.
West through Hunsingore to recross the A1(M) which was crawling northbound. South on the A168 before switching to the adjacent bridleway to make for a simpler turn west to reach North Deighton and then Spofforth. Then the lumpy road that NCN67 follows to climb in two steps through Follifoot. On the second of those the Garmin threw up some weird messages and by the time I had sorted it out the top of the climb had arrived; maybe Garmin need to come up with a permanent climb distraction setting. That was then followed by a long doze waiting to join the A658. Soon off that A road and west over the Rudding lump only for the lights at the junction with the A61 to go red almost as I got to them.
Another sunny bench beckoned in Pannal for a snack and then the climbs of Spring Lane and upto Rossett Green; varying this route to head down grade on the UCI circuit to a bike at the sign photo at Valley Gardens.
40.83 miles 2283ft climbed 13.1mph avg
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