Your ride today....

[Windle]

After a brief shopping trip over to sunny Spennymoor this morning and a pint and miner's benedict in 'spoons the wife was off to work this afternoon so I had the chance of a bike ride. I hadn't any particular route in mind except that I wanted to go down to Raby Castle through the woodland path about a mile east of us which comes out at the castle main entrance gate, with the intent after that to head to Staindrop, after that, who knows?
The hole in the wall where the path crosses diagonally down through the wood then down a field to the castle entrance, the only public footpath on any of the Raby Castle estate as far as I know (the steps are well worn on both sides and there are the remains of some stile type ironwork still embedded in the top step, I'll take a close up next time).

Stile at the end of the wood where the path runs down across the field, (I've used the word down repeatedly, for it most certainly is down, all the way. This route is a monster to come back up)!

The castle main entrance, it looked busy with a pretty full car park, it's not so long ago that it didn't even open on a Saturday but there's been a bit of development and new stuff opened in the past couple of years so it's now 'with the times'.

After this I rode (cheekily) down the footpath to Staindrop (saying a sheepish hello to a lady riding up the road on an MTB), the A688 there is narrow, fast and busy and despite riding it countless times previously I didn't fancy my chances with the Saturday afternoon drivers. I did some regular roads after that, along Selaby lane, past the ford, through Langton, along a small stretch of well mangled bridleway, then to Headlam before turning back west to Ingleton and climbing up to Hilton where I paused to deliberate where to go next, exchanging a cheery hello with a chap on a nice Ribble heading up the bank.

I thought about heading back via Sun Inn and Esperley but that wouldn't get many miles in so instead I headed up the NCN route towards Evenwood Gate, turning down the bridleway part of it to Hummerbeck rather than my secondary intention of going home via Evenwood Gate, Evenwood and Cockfield. The route was even worse than when I went down it last year, a proper bogfest in parts. Once at Hummerbeck I decided that as I was only a mile or so away from Mrs Windle's place of work at Tindale I'd head there to see her on her break. After a brief chat and a sit down, which I needed, I bade my dearest farewell and headed back to ride home as she headed back to work (no animal feeding and hoovering for her today as she's not back in 'til late) .
My route home was just into West Auckland then along the old railway path through Spring Gardens, past the dam which is there to back water up in periods of heavy rain to prevent South Church flooding (oddly the few times I've been through here I've never seen much water behind the dam, it's just a big grassy bank with the Gaunless flowing through a culvert in the middle),

then up to Ramshaw, over the bridge,

up the 10% bank to Evenwood and over to Cockfield where I went past the quiet football ground (Bishop's ground at Tindale wasn't quiet as there must have been a match on judging by the racket and shoot parking all over the place). Finally, up the still sloppy lane and onto the road for the last quarter mile home for a respectably leg aching 22 miles and 1,300 feet of climbing. Sadly, no Taylor's pork pie was available for today's ride .

 

[wafter]

Just under 23 utility miles on the Fuji today. Wasn't certain about going out as it was a bit chilly and I've had a hammering this week due to a bit more / harder than usual cycling in the week, lots of novel dangle-hoopery, digging of the garden and irritatingly poor sleep quality...

That said I legit needed vegetables for lunches in the week and the weather was slated to be a bit better today than tomorrow, plus I'd had enough of doing necessary things by the afternoon.

Set off at about 5 and it was pretty chilly; especially on the un-gloved hands. Low-exertion was the goal, however various factors caused the speed to ramp up somewhat as the ride progressed. Shop was all good, with the return leg super-pleasant in the golden glow of the sinking sun, and fairly rapid thanks to a tailwind and random selection of Iron Maiden's epic Powerslave by the Mp3 player. Stopped on the way home for fish from the chippy; which was really good but may have tweaked my allergies..

Averaged about 13.8mph which is pretty rapid for me on this bike / in this context. Not sure whether this was due to the wind, caffeine, recent carb-binging, some odd overspill from the upper-body stuff I've been doing or a combination..

Anyway, a mostly nice and necessary trip out; bloody knackered now though!



EDIT: Forgot to add that the brakes on the Fuji were conspicuously lovely after setting them up a while ago - with a really light lever action and nicely balanced travel between each side

 

[albion]

After a brief shopping trip over to sunny Spennymoor this morning and a pint and miner's benedict in 'spoons the wife was off to work this afternoon so I had the chance of a bike ride. I hadn't any particular route in mind except that I wanted to go down to Raby Castle through the woodland path about a mile east of us which comes out at the castle main entrance

The only safe road cycling route to Staindrop these days would be through Raby Castle. Even the back road towards Darlington via Staindrop is now extremely busy.
The off road Hilton route is very much a mixed bag.

The old rail line from West Auckland goes all the way to Kirkby Stephen through Barnard Castle. It could be a fantastic tourist trail too.

 

[EltonFrog]

Wednesday’s ride report today. I forgot, soz.

Visually impaired tandem rides today (Wednesday). I’m in charge of collecting the hire van and loading the tandems for our rides for blind and VI members. We had four folks signed up for the day, so four tandems required.
The members were collected and taken to Windsor Great Park where I was to meet them with the bikes.
Once the bikes were ready, and pilots ( volunteers mostly) and stokers were ready we set off from the York Club up the hill of Prince Consorts Drive, past the QE statue and back down the hill coming back towards the start, but turning left down Dukes Lane.
I had a chap as a stoker who’s about 70 and completely lost his sight due to diabetes about four years ago, he loved his cycling and is always up for a good ride.
After about 6 miles we always stop at the cafe can for a coffee and snack, a good old chat and gossip.

Once refreshed we set off again for a meander round the park. It was a bit chilly and windy, and some of the lumps take some getting up in the park, especially on a Dutch style sit-up-and-beg bike, it’s a heavy sod. Anyway after another six miles or so my stoker had enough, and we went back to base where the others had already gotten back also calling it a day. A little over 12 miles riding.

I forgot to take pictures, but here’s a map.

 

[Dave 123]

Just a Battisborough loop on my road bike which has been on my indoor trainer over the winter.

Another stop to see the early purple orchids.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11231389672

 

[cyberknight]

Very nippy at the start again so i was in full early spring mode even though it was sunny the wind was biting .Got overtaken by two riders on a drag , mind you they were on all singing dancing bling carbon and today i chose my 25(?) year old tcr retro mod bike which although nice is not goign to win any awards for climbing .One did say i needed to get a new bike but its nice to keep the old ones rolling and as im solo its not like i have anyone to keep up with.
36 miles to the cafe at newlands farm near hatton which is a great cafe although i think nearly every club in the area descended on it today so there was a wait for the cuppa but it was sunny by then so i didnt mind, recognized the blue sling of pain on the till guy and yes hes broke his collar bone at football so i showed him my xray from 2 years ago just to cheer him up
setting off again my hands fingers were going white from the wind chill sitting outside so it tokk a fair few miles to get feeling back even though i was overdressed for the weather but i dare not take layers off as that wind was still cold .I did start to struggle after 55 miles so i had to neck a gel which i dont normally do and plodded home where i noticed the back wheel had gone out of true and was rubbin on the brake pad so no wonder it was hard !! just under 64 miles in the end to get another metric century ride in

 

[ianrauk]

This weekends cycling shenanigans. The Oasts and Coasts 300k Audax.
Leaving at home at 4am to cycle to the start. Boy it was cold and windy. This was going to be a tough ride. About 100 hardy souls left Meopham at 6am into thankfully a north wind pushing us at a rapid pace south stopping for breakfast at Uckfield. Now heading east the wind made for harder going. To Battle, across the marshes to Hythe, climbing the twin thigh burners of Capel Le Fern at Folkestone and Dover Hill past the impressive castle. Now we were heading north. That's when the headwind hit hardest, making for hard and slower progress. The glorious Key Lime pie at the stop at Deal made up a bit for the hard work the wind was putting us through. But once we got to Minnis Bay we thankfully turned west which made for much easier going. Stopping at Herne Bay at 7pm for more fuelling (A sausage roll and Jam Roly Poly and custard for me and massive feasts of fish and chips for my cycling companions). By this time, Herne bay was treating us to a most stunning of sunsets. Now it was really cold, the temperature had dropped quite a bit. We were all feeling the cold. Through a car busy Whitstable we hit the Graveny marshes. Flat as the proverbial pancake but prone to headwinds. Luckily the winds was with us and we traversed them at a rapid pace. Climbing up the downs in the pitch black we picked up a couple of other fellow Audaxers and we were now 5. Making our way along the Pilgrims Way over the Medway and a few more little lumps before arriving back at base at 11.30pm. I still wasn't finished though as I had another 15 miles back to home. Walking through the door just after 1am.
A long old day on the bike, a cold one, but a great one never the less. A massive thanks to Tom Jackson for the brilliant route and organisation and even bigger thanks to my 2 cycling companions for the day, Tony and Hugh and all the other riders I spoke and rode with.
So, scores on the doors.
220 miles for the day. (354km's for my non UK friends)
Imperial Century Month 161 in a row.
Imperial Century #338

That's France over there

Herne Bay

Reculver

Bluebells

Key Lime Pie at Deal

 

[Spiderweb]

A fabulous ride into the centre of York for lunch, legs a bit tired after my trail run this morning (I’m a newbie to running!).
35.8 miles with an average of 13mph.

 

[albion]

"About 100 hardy souls nutters."
Corrected for you.

 

[albion]

Talking of nutters, 'Bike packing alongside the A1.'.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9BC3iwBcbg&feature=youtu.be


A boggy time of year but great full videos. Unusual to find really watchable stuff.

 

[ianbarton]

This was the anti-clockwise version of my ride through Wrenbury and
Whitchurch. A few days of sunny weather had shrunk the puddles in the road
enough to be able to see the potholes. When I reached Wrenbury I could see a
queue of cars waiting for the bridge over the canal to be lowered after the
boats had passed under it. Luckily the bridge had been lowered and the queue
of cars gradually disappeared and I didn't have to wait. Turning left I
followed the canal for a short while.

My usual route would follow the quiet country lane until it reached the main
road to Chester, where I would make a left turn to avoid the main road and
continue along a country lane towards Marbury. I decided on a shorter
variation and turned off left at Gaunton Bank to follow a small lane to
Marbury. This was a big mistake. The road turned into a pothole fiesta. It was
difficult to ride in the centre of the road because of an accumulation of soil
in the middle of the road. I was glad to get to Marbury without falling off
and almost decided to stop for a pint in the excellent pub!

However, I decided to continue to Whitchurch. The road has a series of steep
inclines to arrive at the top of a hill above Whitchurch. Descending towards
the town I came across a couple of fire engines just before the turn off for
Sainsbury. The seemed to be packing away, so I have no idea what had
happened.

After stocking up on sandwiches from Sainsbury I made my way out of Whitchurch
to join the country lane that passes through Ash to Ightfield. I stopped in
Ightfield and sat in the bus stop to eat my lunch. From Ightfield it was
mostly down hill to home.

 

[Mike_P]

Talking of nutters, 'Bike packing alongside the A1.'.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9BC3iwBcbg&feature=youtu.be


A boggy time of year but great full videos. Unusual to find really watchable stuff.

Bits of it I recognised and at least once he just heading south, not north, clearly playing to the camera.

 

[theloafer]

after my last 2 rides (6miles) i thought my health problem,s was putting an end to my cycling ..but today 2 ride buddy's persuaded out kept it flattish ..was surprised wwhen i got back 31.85 miles .. https://www.strava.com/activities/11233084153

 

[geocycle]

A three peaks ride. This weekend was my only chance to get a long ride in this month and fortunately it dawned cloudy but dry and light winds. I headed out up Lonsdale to Ingleton and climbed up to the Twistelton Scar road adjacent to Ingleborough. On the steep section the chain lept off the big sprocket as I searched for my climbing gear. I realised that the derailleur must have got slightly bent in my recent encounter with a pothole. The plan of using low gears to ease my still bruised knee up hills was thwarted, nevertheless decided to carry on to Ribblehead and Whernside. I made a brief stop as it was pretty busy and then dropped into Ribblesdale. The road was quite busy with classic sports car rally and lots of motorcycles. Settle was rammed with bikers so I took refuge in the cycle shop cafe. Home via Keasden and Wray which was building up to the annual Scarecrow event. Good numbers of curlew, lapwing and saw my first wheatear of the year. 104 km with 1100 m of climbing.

pictures of Ingleborough, Whernside and Ribblehead, Penyghent and the Keasden road.

 

[bluenotebob]

I’d planned a ride for today that would hopefully minimise my exposure to a cold and gusty NNE wind. I thought I’d head for the Oust valley but go as far west as I could on the GR37, rather than on the canal towpath – and also try and do some of the northern end of the GR347 – then loop back to the canal and head east to the écluse de Blond where the towpath (Eurovelo #1) has been closed. I’d decide what to do next when I got there.

Drove to Loyat with the MASSI MTB in the back of the van. Lunchtime and the cold wind meant that the V3 was quiet and I shot through Ploërmel with no difficulty. Dropped down the other side of the ridge and picked up the link path to the GR37 at le Chatelet de Bézon. The GR37 follows the line of the old railway between Ploërmel and Josselin. There was an old railway bridge over the Ninian river by le Chatelet de Bézon which has been closed because it was unsafe for as long as I can remember and which has meant following a busy road for about 800m. The old bridge has gone – to my surprise – and has been replaced by a new footbridge… much better. Followed the GR37 for about 9 kilometres through Guillac and Caheran, up to the point where it leaves the old railway line and heads uphill, looping into Josselin from the E. The GR347 starts at this point and crosses the Oust on what I always imagined to be an old railway bridge (but I might be wrong about that). Anyway, it looked like the bridge was closed .. but the barriers had been pushed to one side so I crossed it anyway. Up into the valley of the Sedon, about 800m south of le Moulin Coët Digo. A few twists and turns and climbs and drops – but OK on the MTB.

I decided that was enough of the GR347 for one day – I’ll come back but start much closer (probably Caheran). Back over the rickety bridge then west to pick up the canal at the écluse St-Jouan. Remarkably few people about on the towpath – yes, it was chilly and windy but at least it was dry. Headed east for about 8km to l’écluse de Blond. The towpath is indeed blocked so took the diversion north to Blond then picked up the GR37 again for a couple of km then dropped back down to the canal at l’Herbinaye (some enterprising soul has opened a créperie here .. I think it’ll do good business in the summer months. Followed the road towards Quily then branched off to la Ville Nayl – saw my first swallow of the year (exactly one month since I heard the first cuckoo of the year, on 21 March) .. the swallows are very late this year. Through la Ville Nayl to la Touche Carné then back up the V3 through Ploërmel to Loyat. Got home quite tired and very hungry. I’ve just eaten the equivalent of my bodyweight in roast potatoes and I think I shall sleep until Tuesday.

Just over 59km in 4 hours 9 minutes. I reckon only about 5km of that was on roads – the rest was a mix of stony/sandy tracks, towpaths and a Greenway.

The GR37 between le Chatelet de Bézon and Guillac. Because of the closure of the towpath at l’écluse de Blond, this is now Eurovelo #1 – busy, isn’t it?

The apparently closed bridge over the Oust – la passerelle de Guilin

The GR347 south of le Moulin Coët Digo

The Nantes-to-Brest canal near St-Gobrien

The Nantes-to-Brest canal west of Carmenais

The closed towpath at l’écluse de Blond