Out early into a grey morning to avoid the forecast hurricane, which so far has turned out merely to be a strong breeze...blooming weather forecasters.
Anyhow, not wanting to get buffeted on the road bike, I took the hybrid round a loop I've done before and will no doubt do again. It's fairly easy riding but it's a good mix and includes a bit of fun in the woods.
Plus, every mile counts, doesn't it?
Off across the Ring Road and down to Wetherby Road and onto the Wyke Beck Way (WBW). The first section through the woods was as pleasant as ever, then across Easterly Road and onto the open valley bottom along Arthur's Rein, where the buffeting breeze was right in my face. Across the beck onto Fearnville Fields, still slowed by the breeze so it was quite nice to get into the section at Killingbeck where the trees offered some shelter. A couple of rabbits were playing in the grass at the side of the cycleway, but shot off into the bushes as soon as they clocked me.
Just before the office park a couple were walking their dogs, one of which decided to chase me on the bike. To be fair, the dog seemed to see it as a bit of fun but really!
Top tip of the day - if your dog "likes to chase bikes", perhaps you don't want to exercise it off the lead on one of the cities premier cycleways?
Across York Road and up Sutton Approach and over the railway bridge into Primrose Valley. Regular readers will remember a warning about broken glass on the cycle path last week - well, there is a lot more of it there now. The whole width of the path was covered in it immediately after the railway bridge so there seems little doubt that it's being done on purpose. It's an annoyance to cyclists and a downright danger to children or the dogs that are walked there. Reported again, although I doubt anything will come of it.
Round and down the hill to the exit onto Lucy Avenue where there were a couple more broken bottles, then onto Selby Road and the climb up the hill to Halton.
Right through the ridiculous series of cycle ways onto Temple Newsam Road and on to the turning off road onto the Temple Newsam Trail. Down the gravelly hill, then back up the other side and across the golf course, before plunging down into the woods for the fun bit
It looks like a bit of work has been carried out here as either side of the trail has been lined with carefully set out brush. Hopefully they'll fill in a few of the worst craters too.
All too soon I was at the end of the trail and out onto the access road parallel to the M1, up the hill and down the other side, where there seemed to be a few banners out - was there an event on in the park today? Up the Cat 5 climb into the park proper.
On the climb I spotted a poppy wreath on one of the trees, with what appeared to be the SAS insignia on it. I didn't stop (as I'd never have got started again!), but a quick Google reveals that this hill is actually called Pegasus Avenue, with the surrounding area being Pegasus Woods, created to commemorate those who had taken part in the airborne operations of World War 2. Funny how something like this can be right on your doorstep, but you never hear about it...
At the top of the hill were a couple of official looking ladies getting ready to direct some runners who didn't look best pleased to see a red faced cyclist slogging up the hill, so I carried on and took the off road trail to the left up another short rise and stopped for a drink, a breather and a couple of photos:
Funny isn't it how you can be in expansive parkland next to a Tudor house, yet be only 3 miles as the crow flies from the centre of the capital of the North?
Looking the other way:
Any minute now a good number of runners would be pounding their way along that path, so I was glad I'd taken the trail up out of their way. Mr Google suggests it's a 5 km Parkrun which is nice.
Anyhow, along the very rutted trail and looped around the rear of the house, before taking the access road down to the lodge and getting onto the shared space of NCN R66 and up to Colton. I'm pleased to report that all users of the space played the game this week, which was a nice change from last week
From there the familiar route of School Lane up to Selby Road, then through Austhorpe, Thorp Park and the bridleway down towards Garforth. Onto the tarmac of Barrowby Lane for the run up to Barwick Road, where the wind made it's presence felt again, before a left under the railway bridge and left again onto Nanny Goat Lane and up past the stables, then the bridleway down to Manston Lane, passing a couple of the cheeriest joggers I've ever encountered.
Up to Pendas Fields, adding a cheeky loop for a bit of extra mileage, then down to Barwick Road and local roads up to home.
16.66 miles (26.8 km) in
1 hr 32 m at an average of
10.9 mph with 1141 ft climbed, which will do me nicely for largely off road with tired legs and that headwind.
It was a good deal cooler than yesterday and really felt it with no sun to warm the bones, but now the shorts are out they'll be staying out until the clocks go back.
Now to plan tomorrow, which will apparently be dry and sunny, but with 25 mph winds...
....
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