Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Challenge Day 2

Day 2 of the Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Challenge began rather too early for me, waking up well before the alarm was due to go off at 6:30. It all sounded quiet outside, so I tried going back to sleep, but couldn’t get comfy and in the end I gave up and got out before the alarm went off. It looked like it was going to be a nice day; plenty of blue skies with little cloud, although there was a bit of a chill wind blowing. Breakfast was served from 6:30, something that surprised me yesterday but now that I was up and about I was very glad for. A sausage bap, cup of coffee, banana and some bara brith went down very well, after which I changed into my cycling gear and packed up the tent.

I set off shortly after 8 at a fairly relaxed pace. The first few miles of the day were gently rolling out of Hutton Cranswick through Skerne and into Driffield, crossing the Hull to Beverley railway line and heading out of town towards Nafferton. I was riding with others at this point as all the riders had been set off together this morning. At Nafferton I crossed the railway again to loop on farm lanes back up to the railway, crossing this time at a gated crossing where I had to dismount and walk over. Continuing on single track roads I rode towards Lowthorpe and then Harpham, after which I came to another gated crossing to walk through. Here the lady before me kissed the marshal as she went through, which I thought was a bit of a strange toll, until she explained to my relief that it was her husband.

Shortly after I came to a road where a left turn brought me to another level crossing, this time on the road, and therefore rideable, after which I headed into Burton Agnes. Here a left turn onto the A614 and a short uphill stretch led to a right turn and the first climbing of the day just past Burton Agnes Hall. This was a mile and a half climb which afforded the first views of the sea to the right, all silvery with the sun and bright skies reflecting off it. This was followed by a nice five mile descent through some woods, where the temperature noticeably dropped, to the outskirts of Bridlington.

At the top of the climb from Burton Agnes

At the A614 again I took a cycle path to a crossing where another marshal shepherded riders across the busy road, after which the cycle path continued alongside the road for a while before turning off into town to reach the promenade at North Marine Drive. I stopped to take a picture here, and a fellow cyclist asked where the first checkpoint was, as she was meeting someone there. I thought it was Sewerby, but couldn’t remember where that was in relation to my current position, so I told her I thought it was not far, less than ten miles. Imagine my surprise when one mile of cycle path later I rode into the Ship Inn at Sewerby, the first checkpoint!

Bridlington

Setting off again past Sewerby Hall I climbed up to the village of Bempton, crossing the Bridlington to Scarborough rail line and, ignoring an optional visit to the RSPB centre, heading on to Buckton. Here I recrossed the railway and climbed up Grindale Road, with glorious views over the countryside to the sea, to reach the A165 Bridlington – Scarborough road. 

Grindale Road

As it was very busy it took a minute to cross safely, after which I descended to Grindale. Just after the village a right turn led to some more climbing up towards Reighton where I turned left to Hunmanby Gap. I was now on familiar roads, as I’d ridden around here regularly when I lived in Scarborough, and at the turning for the Gap I popped down the road for a sentimental photo, recalling many happy times when we strolled along the beach and visited the cafe there. It was also here where I’d rung the Sea Life Centre at Scarborough to tell them one of their penguins was in the sea and looking distressed, only to be told that they suspected I’d noticed a tired guillemot! Well it looked like a bloody penguin to me…..

Hunmanby Gap

After an energy bar and a drink I headed back to the A165, crossing at the roundabout towards Hunmanby, climbing gently up and through the village to pick up the short but steep climb of New Road. 

Hunmanby

This led to a nice bit of rolling Wolds road, before turning off to ride past the Wold Top Brewery and onwards into Fordon. Here my bike computer chirped with the first ‘proper’ climb of the day, a 3 mile steep climb that took me past some very pretty poppy filled fields, so nice I stopped for a photo.

Poppies outside Fordon

Towards the end of the climb I crossed the busy B1249, the main road that travellers to and from south will use when visiting Scarborough, and rode along a wonderful tree lined farm track to Ganton Hill where I turned left for a fast downhill into Foxholes and back to the B1249. Shortly after I turned off to Butterwick and Weaverthorpe, where the second checkpoint of the day was. I checked in and out again to ride through Helperthorpe, after which the route turned left for Sledmere. I knew this road from the Sundown 60, where it is a nice 3.5 mile downhill late on in the ride, but today the tables were turned and it was time for climbing those miles.

Butterwick

At Sledmere I rode past Sledmere House and Gardens before turning off for Kirby Grindalythe, the narrow road climbing steeply followed by a steep descent, then another steep climb and another steep descent into the village. Turning left here I was caught by a following group who remarked that there were only around 20k to go. I’d been wondering for a while about another big climb on the route, but I had half been expecting it to have arrived already and so I was hoping for not much more climbing. A mile later I turned off into Back Side (with an appropriate juvenile snigger) and rode into Duggleby, where I realised with despair that the climb I’d been expecting was Duggleby hill. The climb started on Cupid’s Alley, and was a 1.6 mile slog. Half way up the climb an ice cream cart stood at the side of the road – I could have murdered a choc ice then but knew I’d struggle to get going again if I gave in!

At the end of the climbing I turned left, passing Settrington Beacon and enjoying some fantastic 180 degree views over the North Riding of Yorkshire to the north and the Howardian Hills to the west. This was followed by a 17% descent into Settrington, where the route left the main road and turned off onto a narrow track that led to a ford of Settrington Beck. Fortunately the Challenge route was directed over a bridge to rejoin the track shortly after the ford so no splashing was forthcoming. I knew I was on the last stretch now, although the roads were still rolling and throwing in some short sharp climbs, and I finally came to the B1248 where I turned right into Norton, following the route through the town back to Norton College.

I’d finished tired but happy, and checked myself in, picked up my goody bag, got showered and changed and set off for home. It had been a great experience, with all sorts of weather, fantastic scenery, great organisation and the route was very well signposted too. Maybe I’ll do it again next year, if I can just forget that next year it will go clockwise and there will be some really steep climbing at the start of the first day!

Day 1: 74 miles, 4,081 feet climbed, 5.75 hours on the bike

Day 2: 71 miles, 3,648 feet climbed, 5.5 hours on the bike

Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Challenge Day 1

The Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Challenge is a two day, 144 mile ride along the route of the Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Route. I’d entered as I’d seen signs for the route whilst riding the Sundown 60, an event I enjoy riding, and wanted to see more of the beautiful scenic route. So it was that on Saturday 29th July at 8:37am I set off from Norton College in drizzly conditions.

It wasn’t long before the first of many short sharp climbs appeared as I road through quiet lanes to Kirkham, where a left turn took me through Westow and some more climbing up to Leavening. This was a place I knew well from the Sundown 60 – it is a stinker of a climb up to Avro, although at least I didn’t have the preceding climb to get up to Leavening that the Sundown 60 has. The roads are narrow here, with a couple of bends, and there were quite a few cyclists toiling up along with me. I heard a car behind just before a bend, and it was making a horrendous screeching noise every so often. Eventually it came up to and passed me, I realised it was a van pulling a trailer and by the smell that it left in its trail I knew that its clutch probably didn’t have a great deal of life left in it! Shortly after this a lady asked me to look at her gears as she had trouble getting into bottom. I passed on what I saw to her and her husband, but whatever the issue was it seemed to resolve itself. Further up the climb I overtook a couple, one of whom was hauling a little dog in a kiddi trailer. I joked that they needed a set of six huskies at the front, rather than pulling one behind! At the end of the climb I came to one of my favourite parts of the Sundown 60, a long, smooth, sweeping descent into the village of Thixendale with lush green pastures rising up on either side. The drizzle had eased by now, but I still kept my rain jacket on to keep the chill out. 

The climb up to Garrowby Hill out of Thixendale

At Thixendale I left the route of the Sundown 60, turning right for a long climb up towards Garrowby Hill through another picturesque little dale, passing the Robert Fuller Gallery (robertefuller.com) – a renowned British wildlife artist and film maker. At the A166 on Garrowby Hill I crossed onto a cycle path before turning right for a 15 mile stretch of generally downhill riding. At Huggate another right led to a delightful single track road that led to Millington Woods, where a steep switchback took me back up and through to Millington, and the first checkpoint at The Gait Inn. Here I stopped for a toilet break, and had a couple of my energy bars, resisting the tempting smell of the burgers on offer! Continuing on I cycled along quiet roads through Kilnwick Percy and into Pocklington, dipping in and quickly out, passing the rugby club and heading out to Burnby, passing the slightly malodorous household waste site. 

More climbing lay ahead leading to Londesborough, and then a left on Intake Hill. Whenever I see a “Hill” on my computer directions I groan inwardly, expecting the worst, but this time it was a pleasant downhill that took me to the A614 where I crossed unimpeded by traffic into Market Weighton. After 37 miles of lovely, quiet Wolds roads, Market Weighton was busy, particularly the High Street where a roadside banner advertised Giant Bradley Day, which piqued my interest, it turned out to be a day celebrating the life of William Bradley, born in Market Weighton in 1787. Known as The Yorkshire Giant, he was one of Britain’s tallest men, reaching 7’ 9”. Heading out of town on Spring Way, the route ran alongside the Market Weighton to Beverley Rail Trail, a shared use path running along the track bed of the former railway. Unsurprisingly this was one of the flatter sections of the whole route! After four miles I turned right at an impressive bridge taking the Rail Trail over the road, and headed south to Arras to cross the A1079. 

The bridge carrying the Market Weighton - Beverley Rail Trail

After another mile the route went off road onto a mainly grassy track, with the odd section of gravel thrown in for good measure. It was narrow and overgrown in places but rideable, and I made my way along the mile long section with relative ease. At the end I rejoined the road for a nice downhill blast into North Newbold, where the second checkpoint was. After checking in, I set off again straight away as I was feeling good, pausing a few hundred yards later to take a photo of the rather nice Norman church, and to take off my rain jacket as the day was much fairer now with the sun putting in an appearance. 

North Newbold's Norman Church

In another half a mile at South Newbold another two mile climb led to an excellent four mile gentle downhill stretch to Walkington and the outskirts of Beverley. Here the route took to more cycle path into the centre of Beverley, passing the Minster on cobbled streets, then followed roads to leave again. Beverley was a huge culture shock even after Market Weighton, with more crowds and heavier traffic, including one young driver whose hi-fi volume seemed stuck on eleven! 

Beverley Minster

Two miles of cycle path alongside busy roads took me to Cherry Burton where I turned off and normality resumed. From Cherry Burton it was just ten flat miles to the overnight camp stop, and I rode on nice quiet roads through Etton and South Dalton to reach Hutton Cranswick. A short piece of cycle path took me over the busy A164 Beverley Road into the town, past the railway station and then left into Maggison’s Turnpike. Half a mile further on I turned left into the Hutton Cranswick Sport and Recreation Association and the campsite. I checked in, picked up my food vouchers (very important), pitched my tent and had an unexpectedly good shower before scarfing down burger, chicken wrap with cheese, potato salad, coleslaw and finishing off with gooseberry crumble. Oh, and a couple of beers to avoid cropset! 

The campsite

Gold dust!!

It had been a tough day at times, but certainly very enjoyable with plenty of beautiful little hamlets, lots of greenery and nice quiet roads. The weather had started off wet, but the ride ended in sunshine and warmth. Sadly later that evening the rain returned and set in, causing the live band a few issues in keeping their electrical equipment safe, however I couldn’t really complain. After a few more beers and chatting with fellow riders I got into my tent and fell asleep listening to the rain on the tent, hoping for a good night ahead of the second half of the ride the next day.