The (real) virtual Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Challenge Day 1

Having entered the Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Challenge last year, and enjoying it, I was looking forward to this year's event. Sadly however, it was cancelled due to low numbers, and replaced with a virtual event allowing you to ride wherever you want. So I thought I'd do the real route anyway, just without the baggage transport to the overnight camp, and the free food and entertainment. As a result of a cheeky request to Wold Top brewery, I had somewhere to leave my car and camp for the first night, when I watched the sun go down drinking beer and watching buzzards, rabbits and various birds flying around. It was a very chilled, relaxing night ahead of two days of hilly cycling.

The next morning I woke at 4:30 to the gentle sound of the dawn chorus, and got out of the tent to watch the sunrise, then got back in the tent for a snooze. After a bit of breakfast I set off from the brewery, down the drive which had recently been dressed with gravel resulting in a bit of a twitchy descent to the main road and the official Yorkshire Wolds Cycle route. Turning left and coming to the road junction, I encountered the first of many blue route signs pointing the way. I headed towards Hunmanby and immediately started the first of the day's many climbs. What goes up, must come down, and soon I was dropping downhill into Hunmanby village, familiar to me from many rides in the area previously. I threaded my way through the village and out towards Hunmanby Gap, crossing the A165 Scarborough - Bridlington road at the roundabout. Passing the turn off for the excellent beach and cafe at the Gap, I rode up the hill into Reighton, glancing out towards Filey Bay on my left. In the village I turned right and climbed some more onto North Burton Road which then dropped downhill into the village of Grindale, shortly after which I turned left for some more climbing back up to the A165. After a short wait for a gap in the traffic, I crossed over and headed towards Buckton with views on my left to the sea again. Dropping into Buckton, I crossed the Scarborough - Bridlington rail line at a level crossing and turned right into Bempton before turning south towards Sewerby, passing lots of caravan and camping sites. Passing Sewerby Hall I headed for the cycle lane at the top of the cliffs, where I had my first sight of the beach at Bridlington.

From the beach I headed back through the town centre, passing the large cemetery and the impressive Bridlington Priory Church, coming out on another cycle path alongside the A165 where I had another short wait to cross over due to the busy traffic. Once across I climbed back up into the Wolds along Woldgate, passing woods and stables before the view opened up on my left to the sea. I rode past several fields of wheat and barley, and even one where a crop was growing that had purple flowers - and no, it wasn't purple sprouting broccoli! A little further on the road turned left and dropped down towards Burton Agnes. I was coming down at a fair speed on the narrow road when I came across a tractor and trailer coming in the opposite direction. Fortunately my brakes were in good order and I pulled to the side to let it pass. I continued on past Burton Agnes Hall, and at the village crossed the Driffield road to ride past a large ornamental pond, before crossing the Bridlington - Hull rail line on a level crossing. Shortly after I turned right down a road with a Dead End road sign. The reason for this soon became clear - another level crossing with gates, where I had to dismount and walk over.

Over the other side of the line I continued on a farm track past Harpham and after a couple of miles came to yet another barriered level crossing where I again had to walk my bike over. The track meandered on past more fields of crops before rejoining the road and coming to yet another rail level crossing, this time a more normal one at Nafferton. At Nafferton I turned left to head towards Driffield, riding through the town and over another level crossing just after the station, the ninth time I'd ridden over the tracks. A little further on, crossing the River Hull (or West Beck) I had to dismount to get by some road works that had closed the road. I noticed there was a cafe at the garden centre just alongside, and was sorely tempted to stop for a cuppa! I continued on through the village of Skerne and came to Hutton Cranswick, passing the Sport & Recreation Association fields where we'd camped overnight last year. Riding through the village, I crossed the Beverley road to come to the Farm Shop at Cranswick, where I had a coronation chicken sandwich, large latte and pear and almond tart for lunch. I also bought a two pack of Lottie Shaw's Yorkshire Ginger Parkin biscuits for the evening. Little did I know how important they would become, and I almost left them behind at the end of the meal! Leaving the shop I headed along Burnbutts Lane through crop fields that had no hedges, and passed a field of a crop I couldn't recognise, looking for all the world like a large bottle brush plant. The road headed south without too many undulations for a while before turning west for South Dalton, where the spire of St Mary's church heralded the proximity of the village before I came across it. Just before entering the village I almost rode into some ducks that were happily waiting and blocking half the road, not even flinching as I rode towards them!

I headed out from South Dalton south again through country lanes to Etton and then Cherry Burton, where I came upon the main Beverley to Malton road. Here the route took me on a cycle path alongside the busy road, and I followed this to the outskirts of Beverley before rejoining the road into the town. Before long I came up to a junction with the route going straight on through North Bar, the rather impressive Grade 1 listed structure that acted as a gate to the town. 

I followed the blue marker signs through the town and soon came across Beverley Minster down a cobbled street, which rattled the panniers! After stopping to take a couple of photos I set off again, and managed to misread one of the route markers for a short detour! Back on track I continued on through the town down side streets and little passages, finally coming back out onto the main road where I joined another cycle track running alongside. After switching back onto the road for a short distance to get round a stranded police van with blue flashing lights and a blown out back tyre, I reached Walkington where I turned right up a short hill, and then left for a four mile climb on a narrow lane up to the highest point of the day. At the summit I was presented with a panoramic view east towards Selby and Tadcaster, and a nice downhill into South Newbald.

Heading north from South Newbald I rode into North Newbald, passing the pretty St Nicholas church and heading north east on the Beverley Road before turning left up Stonehowle Hill, with Sober Hill Wind Farm on my left. The breeze was turning the turbine fans and I could hear a rhythmic thrumming as I rode on. A short way up the climb I turned left onto the off road part of the route that I'd been expecting, although I'd forgotten quite how narrow the path I had to take was!

The path climbed for just over a mile on a narrow, stony and grassy track, with just enough room for me to get my panniers through. Part way up was a memorial bench and a historical triangulation station, formerly used by the Ordnance Survey as a fixed surveying station and now obsolete and adopted by the Windmill Walkers association. With the turbines of the wind farm beating out a rhythm I made my way along the path and came out to a road, where I continued on to cross the A1070 Beverley to Market Weighton road and begin a downhill coast that brought me out at a majestic old railway bridge carrying the Hudson Way, a multi user trail following the path of the old Beverley to Market Weighton railway line. It was less than three miles to camp now, mostly downhill, and soon I was turning right to make the final short climb up to Goodmanham and my camp for the night. I pitched my tent, got showered and changed and headed to the pub for a hoped for hearty meal. Sadly though, the pub only did evening food on Monday and Wednesday, not Tuesday, so I had to make do with two pints, two packets of crisps and the Lottie Shaw's I bought from the farm shop earlier in the day. Ah well, I'd have to make sure I got a good breakfast in tomorrow! 

Distance ridden : 76.2 miles

Time : 6 hours 11 minutes

Elevation : 3,150 feet