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.